THE PICKUP Review

A routine cash pickup turns into a deadly pursuit when two mismatched armored truck drivers are ambushed by ruthless criminals with plans beyond the cash.

We’ve all been there on a Friday evening—wanting to relax at home after a long week, order our favorite food, and watch something mildly entertaining on streaming. That’s The Pickup on Prime Video, with the bonus of Eddie Murphy. You could watch this alone, with your family, or while friends are over. It’s great background noise too. That’s no offense to director Tim Story (Ride Along, Barbershop) or the cast, but there are moments when that’s all an audience requires: a non-complex, feel-good movie that will make you smile. It’s funny, and the action isn’t half bad. The mixture of jokes and tension is well-balanced. It’s not anything to take too seriously, but it still contains some stakes—and while silly, you do care about the characters and their mission.

It probably goes without saying, but the majority of the comedy comes from Murphy. Without him, this would be another vanilla, generic fest. He plays the lead, Russell Pierce—a veteran armored truck driver looking for a career change, or nearing retirement, just trying to end his shift so he can get home to his wife Natalie (Eva Longoria) to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. He’s paired with Travis Stolly (Pete Davidson), a young newcomer on the job who’s as naïve as a newborn, especially when it comes to women. Their mission, while initially appearing to be a normal Tuesday, suddenly descends into chaos—and that’s where the adventure begins. The banter between Murphy and Davidson is hilarious. Russell’s patience is thin, and the petty jabs thrown throughout will definitely make you chuckle.

The antagonist of the film, Zoe (Keke Palmer), was an eyesore during the first act and middle of the second. Trying to play the sexy villain seemed out of place, but there was still something mysterious about her that helps you reserve judgment. Surprisingly, she ended up having justification for her actions, leading you to root for her toward the end of the film. The end of her journey wraps up satisfactorily without it feeling mandatory for the plot. That was the case for all the characters—good and bad. You’ll leave feeling satisfied, as if everything fit into its rightful place for a worthy conclusion.

This is predominantly a comedy, but don’t forget about the action. It’s about people using everything at their disposal in the moment to survive. The characters accomplish this with gold medals—specifically thinking about the paint dye on the money. And that’s what this film is: it’s on the money. Coming in at only 94 minutes, it would be a crime not to at least give this film a try. If you’re a fan of anyone in the cast, you won’t make a mistake by pressing play on your device. You may even recommend it to a friend.

My Rating : 7.5/10