Buddy-cop films are a staple of the comedy genre. All you have to say is Riggs and Murtaugh and film fans know exactly who you mean, as “Lethal Weapon” is probably the greatest example of this premise. Well, Netflix is hoping that you remember the names Coffee and Kareem. (Yes, it’s clearly a pun.)
As seen in the trailer for “Coffee & Kareem,” the buddy-cop genre is flipped when you have the team-up of straight-laced, dorky Coffee teaming up with his girlfriend’s young son, Kareem, as they attempt to evade drug dealers that want to see them dead. It’s a bit of a convoluted story as to why the drug dealers want them dead, but suffice it to say, it involves Kareem not being happy about Coffee having intercourse with his mom. It’s that type of film.
The film stars Ed Helms, Taraji P. Henson, Betty Gilpin, RonReaco Lee, Andrew Bachelor, and David Alan Grier. “Coffee & Kareem” is directed by Michael Dowse. The filmmaker is probably best known for his film from last year, “Stuber,” which is, uh, not good. However, if that film proves anything, it’s that Dowse loves to mix hardcore, R-rated action with raunchy laughs. So, we can probably expect some ridiculous gun battles with a couple of “fucks” peppered in.
However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention other work Dowse has done, such as the films “Goon” and “Take Me Home Tonight.” The former is an underrated, underseen comedy about hockey that is actually pretty damn solid. The latter is an oft-forgotten comedy set in the ‘80s that has a great cast and is surprisingly charming and funny. So, the filmmaker does have some quality in his filmography, so don’t let “Stuber” scare you off immediately.
“Coffee & Kareem” hits Netflix on April 3.
Here’s the synopsis:
In the raunchy, buddy-cop comedy Coffee & Kareem, twelve-year-old Kareem Manning hires a criminal to scare his mom’s new boyfriend — police officer James Coffee — but it backfires, forcing Coffee and Kareem to team up in order to save themselves from Detroit’s most ruthless drug kingpin.