Growing up in the 80s, buddy action comedies were the norm at the movie theaters. From Dragnet to Red Heat to Beverly Hills Cop, we always saw the straight-edge cop working with the loose-canon rookie. In The PickUp, we are introduced to the soon-to-be-retired Russell (Eddie Murphy) and the annoying Travis (Pete Davidson). It’s interesting to see Murphy in the straight role with Davidson, but it is a combination that we didn’t know we needed.
The plot for The PickUp is pretty straightforward: Russel and Travis are going to make a couple of pickups, and Zoe (Keke Palmer) is trying to take the truck to rob a specific casino. Her motives for the robbery are explained in the movie, and it is not what I was expecting. While obtaining information about the truck’s route was relatively easy, taking it proved to be a little harder than expected.
As a buddy comedy, The Pickup has some great moments within the conversation between Russel and Travis. Travis is young and unafraid to speak his mind sometimes. He brags about having sex to his co-workers while air humping. Russell is just trying to get through the shift so he can have dinner with his wife. Russell and his wife are looking forward to opening a bed and breakfast, so he just wants to complete this last run.
For a comedy movie, there is a good amount of action in the film. From car chases to fight scenes, The PickUp has a fair amount of action. Seeing Eddie Murphy fight a young guy in the back of an armored truck is pretty great to see. It is also funny to hear him complain about the pain his body is feeling from fighting off the would-be robber. Pete Davidson spends a lot of time behind the wheel of the truck, but he does have his action moments.
The PickUp should have been given a chance in the theaters due to the combination of Murphy and Davidson. Tim Story has directed a great buddy movie that feels like it came from the ’80s. Due to this feeling, people might not like the movie or enjoy it as much. As a kid of the ‘80s, I enjoyed this movie and the feeling it gave me. Hopefully, this duo will reunite again for another film, and that will be released on the big screen.
Final Thought: The Pickup feels like an 80s buddy comedy. Murphy and Davidson are a duo we didn’t know we needed. The action is great, but the humor steals the movie. Keke Palmer as Zoe is great, and the use of a certain song in the film is perfect. The PickUp should have been given a chance in the theaters.
Violence: There is gun violence and fist fights in the movie. There is no gratuitous violence in the film.
Kid-Friendly: The language and sexual innuendos in this movie make it unsuitable for younger kids. Since this is on Prime Video, parents can watch it first and then decide if their kids should watch it.
In the action-comedy The Pickup, a routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by a savvy mastermind, Zoe (Keke Palmer), with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo. As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-risk danger, clashing personalities, and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.