"The Pickup": Comedy Hits the Highway

Hop in the back seat and buckle up because we’re diving headfirst into the comedy riot of Tim Story's "The Pickup" This action-comedy serves up a healthy dose of adrenaline and laughs with a twist of romance inside an armored truck which could do with a mechanic!

Our stars of the show, Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson, play the unlikely duo of competent veteran, Russell, and eager yet hopeless rookie, Travis. Their journey (courtesy of their tetchy boss Clark, played by Andrew Dice Clay) heads down an unfamiliar route with Russell eyeing the clock for his 25th wedding anniversary, and Travis in high spirits fresh from a surprising love affair with the striking Zoe (Keke Palmer). Spoiler alert: despite his bumbling approach, Travis scores big time with Zoe, initially mistaking her flirty signals as an attempted bank robbery. If you think that sounds a tad unrealistic, well, remember we are in Pete Davidson's world here.

While the film toys with the trope of average Joe's winning over women from their wildest dreams, it's a shame the rest of "The Pickup" doesn't follow suit. The adventurous flavour of Murphy’s past comedy classics is mostly missing. Instead, Murphy (also the producer and likely okay with this) turns into the deadpan sidekick to Davidson's overzealous antics. Tired gags about back pain and obsolete flip phones fill the empty space where laughs should be, and at 64, Murphy, we believe, still has too much juice for this approach.

Davidson's character channels his energy into unending commentary about his failed police ambition mixed with juvenile humor. With the script providing little substance, Davidson's approach seems to be, "if life gives you a poor script, make inappropriate jokes." A tactic that does deliver a touch of that bad-boy edge to the otherwise mild-mannered comedy.

"The Pickup", directed by the seasoned Story, known for hits like "Barbershop" and "Ride Along", does uphold a professional façade, despite oddly vacant freeways during chases and human psychology stretched to its limelight. Yet, throughout the film, you cannot help but miss the Murphy magic.

However, there is a beacon of comedic light in Palmer, who bursts onto the scene as the mastermind behind the heist. Her character, radiant and savvy, has better reasons for pulling off the heist, making her more relatable than her clumsy counterparts. The mystery of why she falls for Travis also adds a layer of intrigue beyond the expected heist storyline.

Palmer is a natural at extracting laughs out of thin air. Add to it the brief yet impactful comedic stint by Eva Longoria, playing Natalie, Russell's wife with a dream of running a quaint B&B, there's a decent serving of humor where you'd least expect it. Who could resist the idea of a security guard and a housewife running a cosy New Jersey inn - now that's a comedy spin-off we can all get behind!"