Bon Cop Bad Cop (2006) User Reviews (104)

Hilarious Police Story

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 6 October 2007]

When the body of the executive of hockey Benoir Brisset is found on the billboard of the border of Quebec and Ontario, the jurisdiction of the crime is shared between the two police forces and detectives David Bouchard (Patrick Huard) from Montreal and Martin Ward (Colm Feore) from Toronto are assigned to work together. With totally different styles, attitudes and languages, the reckless David and the ethical Martin join force to disclose the identity of the Tattoo Killer, a deranged serial-killer that is killing managers of hockey.

"Bon Cop Bad Cop" is a sort of parody to "Lethal Weapon", exploring the rivalry in Canada between Quebec and Ontario and the passion of Canadians for hockey. The film is a hilarious police story, using the common clichés of two different cops that become partners but in very funny situations. In the deleted scenes there is one particular showing the two families together that should have been used in the final edition. I liked this film a lot, but I believe it is funnier for Canadians and fans of hockey. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Bon Cop Bad Cop"

Lots of fun

[LeRoyMarko · 8/10 · 19 August 2006]

It's rare that a Canadian movie has people talking like this one. What other subjects than the so-called rivalry between Ontario and Québec could have made a better film? Add to that our national sports, hockey, and you've got a winner. It's a winner also because it's funny, especially the first half. The location where the first body is found is hilarious! Patrick Huard and Colm Feore are both doing an excellent job. They're supported by a great cast. I especially like Pierre Lebeau. That guy knows how to swear! Of course, it's full of clichés and stereotypes that the population from the two provinces (English and French) have of the other. But that's why it's so funny. I hope this film does very well at the box-office. My guess though is that people from outside Canada will not find it as interesting. But too bad! Seen in Toronto, at the Beach Cinemas, on August 18th, 2006.

79/100 (***)

Surprisingly good

[vgoudreault · 8/10 · 5 August 2006]

Despite being based on a somewhat overdone format -- that of two totally opposed policemen forced to team up to resolve a crime -- "Bon Cop, Bad Cop" still manages to come up with a quite entertaining story line, and all that was done with a total budget that would not even pay one half of some of Hollywood superstars. The movie is not without fault; the Bad Cop character (Patrick Huard) is essentially overdone. Chain smoking, foul mouthed cursing, authority defying, he recklessly drives a heap which regularly loses parts around, and is even beating up a vending machine, in short, this is unlikely that someone so headstrong would ever be admitted in a police force, let alone remain in active duty. That said, the movie does have its moments. The scenes featuring the hyper active medical examiner (Louis-Jose Houde) are brilliant (and the actor is not really acting, that is how he is in real life!) or when the Quebec policeman is teaching how to curse "en Quebecois" to his Ontario counterpart, helped along the line by the criminal he his beating and stuffing in his car trunk, are worth the prince of admission. Despite all the clichés that are expected of this format, the movie comes up like a most entertaining one, and no doubt this well served recipe will lead to a "Bon Cop, Bad Cop 2".

Good performances - not so good script

[Skriptman · 6/10 · 19 August 2006]

I really wanted to like this film. Here's a commercially-aimed buddy flick that's not afraid to be Canadian (gasp!) Colm Feore is dependable as always, and Patrick Huard does a nice job as a gruff Quebecois cop who lives in the flat above his ex-wife - so he can continue to be an involved, caring dad to their precocious daughter. The film is entertaining in spots, but suffers badly from not knowing exactly what it is. It begins as a gritty cop drama as evidenced by the opening torture scene that results in a body ending up on the Quebec-Ontario border -- hence the unlikely pairing of an Ontario cop with a detective from Montreal. But it weaves back and forth between solid action sequences and a host of off-kilter (and regrettably not very funny) comedic segments that are mostly lame and predictable. For example, when a marijuana grow-op explodes into flames, our two heroes end up stoned and can't stop giggling in front of the police Captain. Yeah, yeah, I know. It's about as funny as it sounds. Add a case of the munchies and an uncooperative vending machine and...well, you can see where this is going.

The film takes a rather unsettling turn toward broad parody when it introduces Harry Buttman as the conniving Commissioner of a fictitious professional hockey league with a penchant for moving Canadian hockey teams to American markets. Buttman is a mini-lookalike of Gary Bettman, the Commissioner of the NHL. Buttman, Bettman. Get it?? Golly, I can hardly stop from slapping my thigh either. Even the killer's motive (which I won't reveal here) borders on being so ludicrous it threatens to sink the otherwise solid dramatic elements of the story.

What gets lost in this mishmash of styles is a potentially pleasing film that, given the appeal of the main characters, could succeed, SHOULD succeed if only it knew what it was trying to say.

Clichéd but very funny

[segacs · 7/10 · 5 August 2006]

This is a classic buddy-cop caper movie with a twist: it's entirely bilingual, featuring two leads (Colm Feore and Patrick Huard) who are cops teamed up from opposite sides of the Quebec-Ontario border to solve a murder.

As a murder mystery, this movie doesn't really work. The suspense is laughable, the plot about as well strung-together as a paperclip chain, and the twists and turns designed more to bring about laughs than to actually advance the story. The hockey theme, of course, is more an excuse to make fun of people like Don Cherry, Eric Lindros and Gary Bettman than it is an actual plot device.

But this movie really gets it right when it comes to exploiting - and making fun of - the Quebec-Ontario cultural divide. Us Montrealers are accustomed to holding bilingual conversations, so a bilingual movie is the next logical step. Every single cliché imaginable finds its way into this one, and the comic timing is perfect. In fact, I was surprised at how much I laughed.

The English version of this film saw fit to introduce subtitles to the French portions, which were distracting at first until I realized that they were actually part of the joke. Fast readers will have a good laugh simultaneously listening to the French and reading the translation and comparing the two. Needless to say, they're quite different, but I suspect it was done that way on purpose.

Shame that it probably won't find an audience outside Quebec, because you pretty much have to be from here to "get" it. To all Montrealers, do run out and see this film!

Really good !

[Bawow · 9/10 · 4 August 2006]

I've seen it yesterday and it is very good! I'm french, so I've seen it in french, but I'll probably go see it in English too, because although I watched it in french, there's a lot of English parts (subtitled) so I guess the English version will also be subtitled for the french parts. It not hard to understand, it's completely hilarious, but there's also a very good story and I honestly suggest it to anyone (exept young children, there's a lot of swearing (haha) in both languages! ) The movie is not too long, it lasts about two hours but I never felt tired of any part. It talks a lot about hockey, our national sport, but the story is not all about it, which allows the less-informed viewers to understand easily (There are some inside jokes with our hockey reality, but only a few). Seriously, I laughed, I got scared, I jumped, I laughed again, and I simply loved this movie which I recommend to you all.

Entertaining dark comedy of a Canadian unlikely English/French partnership to solve a series of crimes.

[TxMike · 8 August 2009]

This Canadian movie was probably shown very little in the USA but I read that it was very popular in Canada. My public library never bought it but I found the DVD on Netflix.

The movie is dark because we see the results of several grizzly murders. But there is an overall comedic approach as two cops must become unlikely partners to try and solve the murders and capture the murderer.

Why do they have to cooperate? Because the murder that starts things off has the body draped over the large sign that separates Canadian regions, so in fact the body is half in each district.

The movie has a hockey theme, a disillusioned Canadian fan is upset because Canadian teams are being sold and moved outside Canada. One specifically was rumored to being moved to Houston, Texas. {big Grin}

Anyway a few scenes are a bit too absurd to really enjoy, but overall the writing and acting are good and whether they ever solve the crimes is an afterthought. But they do, eventually.

Who's bad?

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 31 December 2017]

A movie with two languages ... french and english. And it's mixed, so different/multiple characters speak both languages. So you have to focus on what they say if you know both languages or on the subtitles if you have issues with at least one of those. But it's ok and it works, because it does feel more alive for being that way.

Speaking of more alive: we do get treated on some personal stuff of both protagonists. Some is not really necessary for the story, but it's there. And because it didn't have to be made for general audiences (it has an R rating in America), it does contain blood, profanity and even nudity. The latter is cut together in a very funny, yet sexy way. There are some bumps when it comes to the story, but the actors had so much fun with their roles, it really shines through to the audience. Enjoy this crazy ride ...

Extremely funny and yet suspenseful

[tstmary-1 · 10/10 · 1 August 2006]

The chemistry between Huard and Feore is fantastic. I had thought the subtitles would be annoying but they are such an integral part of the humour that I didn't mind them at all.

There are moments in the movie that are shocking enough to make you squeeze your eyes shut, but the humour is retained all the way through.

Warning - I was part of a test audience. There were a lot of complaints about language and violence. I thought it was brilliantly done, however if you're sensitive to either, this movie may not be for you. I hope the film doesn't get changed because of the complaints. It is perfectly balanced as it is.

Nice change from Hollywood

[djray65 · 7/10 · 27 April 2007]

Not a bad film at all. Very entertaining. Not quite high-octane tour DE force action blockbusters we are used to in America, but our Canadian brothers did a find job. Colm Feore is just great in this. The story is more or less your standard cop fare. The case circles around them chasing a psychotic killer who is targeting players in the hockey world. A few good twists alone with some comical moments and a nice change of scenery. I'm so tired of New York, Miami or L.A. Although it is not as slick as most of what comes out Hollywood, it did have a good story, and we all know how lacking in that department Hollywood has been lately. With all the hockey indication it would have been nice to see a little bit of hockey being played, but maybe that was not in the budget? Over all a well done movie that will hold your interest. Would make a good rental on a rainy day.

Hit every cliché in the book

[islay_27 · 5/10 · 25 September 2006]

While Bon Cop Bad Cop was certainly an entertaining film, I was left cringing in my seat from cheap acting, dime store clichés, and one too many fight scenes. Patrick Huard's character (David Bouchard) fills in the antiquated stereotype of an oversexed, impulse driven French Canadian. Early in the film, David's ex- wife notes that if it weren't for work, women and booze, they might still be married. While it might be expected that his character will develop past these flaws, a romantic climax is later reached with a manly looking Sarain Boyland.

The script drags and is perilously unfocused. The motivation for the Tattoo Killer is never revealed. After two hours of indulgent fist fights and chase scenes, I was at least expecting a twist in the end. Is the tattoo killer simply a crazed hockey fan or does he have a more specific reason for killing off elite members of the hockey community.

Overall, the film could have used better editing (way too many fight scenes, it just got boring) and a tighter script.

super

[quixoticlie · 10/10 · 6 August 2006]

Bon Cop Bad Cop had me in tears. The laughs are continuous, the suspense is consistent, the imagery is beautiful, the action is impressive... the chemistry is incredible. It's almost like Boondock Saints. fast paced and modern, while staying true to Canada and the abrasive feelings between Québec and Ontario, while centering around, what else, Hockey! Being bilingual, I can say I may have laughed twice as hard as anyone else in the theater; However, this half-English half-french movie is sure to please anyone regardless of maternal language thanks to perfect subtitles which only add to the amazingness of the film.

Highly recommended.

Awesome

[charchuk · 7/10 · 17 April 2008]

It's a buddy cop movie with some distinctly Canadian humour that's all about hockey. So, pretty much the most awesome movie ever made.

There's nothing artistic or high-brow about its supposed 'style', and the hockey parodies are really obvious and fairly unfunny, but it's hard to top this kind of sheer outrageous fun nowadays. The banter between the leads is pretty great, and the linguistic comedy is occasionally hilarious. Still, it's rather embarrassing that this is both the highest grossing Canadian movie ever and the winner of the Genie for Best Picture in its year.

Actually, thinking about it, it's still better than Titanic. So maybe not that embarrassing.

Canadian film fails even at parody

[jack_skellington_ · 3/10 · 5 April 2007]

I just don't get it.

This has become the biggest Canadian film ever? This won numerous Genie Awards? This got green-lit in the first place???

"Bon Cop Bad Cop" may have sounded like a good idea on paper, with a somewhat witty premise: a murder on the Quebec-Ontario border results in cross-cultural hilarity and non-stop action. Could be a good time, and potentially have some stinging social commentary. Instead we get a brainless American style action movie with ridiculous 'Canadian content' tacked on. Every mention to hockey, Quebecois swears, uptight Torontonians and whatever Canadian stereotype you can think of feels like it was purposely added in to make it relevant. It just doesn't work. Most of the jokes are beyond groan-worthy, and the action scenes feel as genuine as an episode of Miami Vice.

Writer 1: "How do we make this scene more exciting?"

Writer 2: "I know! The Quebecois cop drives through a crowd of pedestrians rather than slow down behind a tractor trailer!!!"

Writer 1: "OMG! Brilliant!"

Writer 2: "And it's mocking stereotypes, because Quebecois drivers are CRAAAAAZY!!! LOL!!!"

Writer 1: "We are SO gonna win a Genie for this."

And this is supposed to be thrilling action humour? Both cops are two-dimensional characters that embody every lame stereotype of their respective provinces. It's not witty, and it's not smart. The film itself looks like a gritter version of CSI, with incessant cocked camera angles (to make it look more artsy, duh!), constantly changing focus and a strange digital grading of colours. It's a noble attempt at being creative, but it smells just like American television. The story is half-assed and nowhere near as exciting as it could have been, and the villain is a complete joke. For some reason, the actor decided to force a menacing tone onto his speech, and it comes off as hokey. Son of Ontarian cop comes off as what some producer thinks modern teenagers act like, sister is pathetically hipster, and the wife and daughter of the Quebec cop are just boring.

I understand that subtlety is not what action films usually go for, but come on... this? It's such a pathetic production that I couldn't even check my brain out at the door. Why? Because it tries to come off as a satire. But when the creators seem so genuine with their motivations in making an American-style action movie, the satire fails. And horribly so.

Bad Cop,Bon Cop.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 7/10 · 27 July 2017]

Reading posts on IMDb's Film Noir board (RIP) I saw a post that mentioned a buddy cop/Crime flick which had broken Porky's 24 year reign as the most successful Canadian film at the Canadian box office. Searching round,I was sadly unable to find a DVD at a good price. Joining in on a Canadian viewing challenge on ICM,I went on another search,and found the bon cop and the bad cop on Netflix UK.

The plot:

Finding a body right in the middle of the Ontario-Quebec border, Ontario cop Martin Ward and Quebec cop David Bouchard fight over keeping the corpse being pushed to their side. During the fight,the body splits and lands on both sides,which forces Ward and Bouchard to team up. Forced to work round the language barrier,the cops learn that the corpse was a hockey executive. Searching the house of a suspect,they find another dead hockey executive,which leads to Bouchard and Ward suspecting that someone wants to cover the hockey pucks in blood.

View on the film:

Freely skipping between French and English exchanges,the screenplay by Leila Basen/ Alex Epstein/ Patrick Huard and playfully uses the lost in translation dialogue to build Ward's and Bouchard's odd couple relationship, with their initial, spike-driven exchanges being hammered down by the realisation that they can both score the winning goal on the case. As Bouchard and Ward break the ice,the writers keep the case spinning with a wonderfully odd murder/mystery Thriller,with the "buddy cop" set-up allowing the writers to give the murderous thrills a black comedy streak,as Bouchard and Ward burn their hands when witnesses go up in flames,and the motive for the killing taking a sly, satirical shot at foreign ownership in sports.

Standing in the middle of the culture clash line between Bouchard and Ward,director Erik Canuel & cinematographer Bruce Chun give the mismatched pair a stylish,glossy Thriller appearance,with slick camera moves for the tense action scenes and neon red for the murders, being well balanced by a lingering which allows for the punchlines to hit. Bouncing off each other, Colm Feore and Patrick Huard both give excellent performances as Ward and Bouchard,thanks to Feore making Ward a calculating, thoughtful force of calm, against the explosive pack of bon bons that Huard wonderfully delivers for Bouchard,which the bad cop and the bon cop soon get a taste for.

Reminiscent of Lethal Weapon, with a touch of Rush Hour

[johnny-burgundy · 7/10 · 31 October 2017]

Bon Cop, Bad Cop (2006) This is a Canadian action comedy about two police officers - one from Ontario and one from Quebec, who reluctantly join forces to solve a murder. The dialogue is a mixture of English and French. This actually adds to the comedy and doesn't distract. It's a buddy cop movie reminiscent of Lethal Weapon, with a touch of Rush Hour. It's the perfect fusion of action and comedy. The film won two Genie Awards, four Canadian Comedy Awards and the 'billet d'or' (golden ticket) at Quebec's Jutra Awards (given to the film with the highest box-office success). The movie was not released theatrically outside Canada, which is too bad, as I believe it would have done well internationally. It fared well enough in Canada to warrant a sequel. It's a very well put together film. I'm looking forward to watching the sequel soon.

A lovely movie

[selesse · 9/10 · 7 August 2006]

"Bon Cop, Bad Cop" was fun to watch. It carried a typical story, but it was played out so well that it didn't matter. In my opinion, it succeeded quite well in bringing in the typical "cliché" traits that are given to Ontarians and Quebeckers. The fact that the film was bilingual was something new and something exciting, and the subtitles didn't affect the movie at all, it even made it better. The cast was very convincing and very real.

Patrick Huard succeeded in portraying his role as a light-hearted Quebecker and helped take the stress off of some events with his good sense of humor. Louis-José Houde played a small role but couldn't keep the audience from laughing. This movie is definitely a must-see, especially if you're a fan of Patrick Huard or Louis-José Houde!

Good, but not great.

[LumiPrime · 7/10 · 1 September 2006]

The production quality of a Hollywood movie. Acting that stands up with the best you'll ever see. Genuinely funny jokes, though most are inside (Canadian) ones. Even some nice boobs and a sex scene.

But then it all goes down hill when the last half of the movie turns into every generic (read: bad) cop movie you've ever seen. We're talking The Dead Pool here. I think this crime plot was probably in movies in the 1960s.

But regardless of the bad core surrounded by a good candy coating, it shows that Canadian cinema can stand up with the best and worst of what Hollywood has to offer, even if it both stands up and falls down in the same movie. :)

Great movie

[chrisludgate · 10/10 · 4 August 2006]

I saw this with my wife on opening day, and we both loved it! Great action and great humour. We saw the French version, ie: the English dialogue is subtitled. I imagine that in the English version it's the other way around. If you are bilingual you have an advantage as we found a few times we were the only ones laughing. Some of the jokes didn't get translated quite right from English to French, and I'm sure there are a few French jokes that are funnier if you are from or are familiar with Québec. The direction was superbly done, with some great juxtaposition in one of the scene. The language wasn't that bad (unless you are French, there's more French swearing than English) and there were a couple of graphic scenes, so don't take young kids. Also a good spoof of some prominent hockey figures. Rick Mercer and Louis-Jose Houde provide their typical comedy excellently.

Overall a great movie and I strongly recommend it!

Bon film, could be better

[joekerr · 7/10 · 11 August 2006]

I really enjoy the police/action/comedy genre. Bon cop/ Bad cop wants to be a Canadian version of the American "Lethal Weapon", "Die hard" & "Beverly Hills cop". And to a certain degree it succeeds. The makers of this films manage to entertain us with shaper witty lines. The characters are interesting and compelling. The dialogues are hilarious. Action sequences, while fewer and lower budgeted are quite thrilling form the most part. Huard & Feore are just as entertaining to watch as Gibson & Glover (lethal weapon)

Wha doesn't work in this film? The plot. It seems to me that the writers knew police work from what they saw in the lethal weapons films. The villain is boring and silly.

is it a good film, to some degree yes. Should you see it? Definitively! While it has many faults. It's still an entertaining picture.

Since it looks like there will be a sequel. I hope that they either get better writers or at least develop a better plot/villain to foil Bouchard and Ward!

we are in trouble

[conchie-2 · 1/10 · 25 January 2007]

If this stands as the highest grossing Canadian movie we are in trouble. I will be more careful in watching a movie on a single recommendation in the future. You put together scenes of police incompetence, vulgar language,brutal torture, gruesome murder,child abuse,marriage breakup and call it comedy. Maybe somebody can enlighten me but I don't see any thing funny about these subjects. Ah but what about the great satirical takes on hockey, Anglo-Franco relationships etc.I can get that in a much better done and more enjoyable fashion by watching "R.C.A.FARCE" I watched this movie to the end for two reasons 1. tried but failed to get my rental fee worth of value out of it. 2.to give validity to my criticism of it.RENT SOMETHING ELSE Canadian AND KNOCK THIS POSEUR OFF A THRONE IT SHOULD NOT BE ON!!!

Funny, action-packed and well-written dialogue in English and french

[kitchendancer · 9/10 · 16 August 2006]

Bon Cop, Bad Cop is probably the best movie I've seen in awhile. What struck me to most was that the chemistry between Patick Huard (Bouchard)and Colm Feore (Ward) was very believable, and the dialogue was very human. The characters were never "exposition-y" and spoke like real people. I also liked that both characters are bilingual, not going for the cheap/insulting digs of "stupid English doesn't understand french" or vice versa. Viewers, of course, do not need to understand french to know exactly what's going on or being said. In fact, there is an entire tutorial on swearing in french given by Bouchard fairly early on in the film which some might find educational.

There are some hilarious digs at hockey culture: the entire character of Harry Buttman being the most obvious; but it never descends into forced jokes or "strategic" set-ups a la Will Ferrell.

Though it is a very Quebec film, it deserves a wide audience.

The Canadian lethal

[lariviere996 · 7/10 · 26 August 2006]

The Canadian "Lethal Weapon" This was a good movie. First of all, it proves that Canadians can make "American style" action flicks. If you like Lethal Weapon, you should go see this movie. I thought the plot was a little thin. Although the action makes up for it. This is in no way a movie for the philosophical mind. But, it does bring out some of the underlying issues between Quebec and English Canada in a light hearted sort of way. What I like about this film is that it shows how both English Canadians and Quebeckers see each other without favouring one side or the other. It's a good starting point for the language debate in Canada. I give this film 7 stars out of 10.

Bad Cop, Awful Cop

[guillaumebarreau · 1/10 · 7 September 2006]

This film is not worth watching. I thought I was going to see an interesting reflection about the cultural differences between Quebec and Ontario. What I saw is more like a B action movie, trying to be humorous at times but not managing to decide whether it takes itself seriously or not. At times, it has the nerve to attempt some cliché' emotional scenes which don't work at all. The plot goes nowhere and it gets more and more improbable.

Even the effects and music don't save the movie. Don't waste your time going to watch it ! If you are interested in seeing a film that says something interesting about Quebec and the Quebecois, go watch "Montreal-Quebec", "La face cachee de la lune" or "Un crabe dans la tete".

And if you are into suspense and action movies just try another one.

Amusing buddy-cop farce

[jamesrupert2014 · 7/10 · 8 January 2018]

Canada's two solitudes meet when 'by-the-book' English Toronto cop (Colm Feore) and 'loose cannon' French Montreal cop (Patrick Huard) are assigned to investigate a border-straddling (literally) murder. The plot revolves around hockey and the script is liberally laced with 'inside jokes' about the NHL, which are pretty funny but you'd need to follow the sport to get a lot of the humour. The leads are good, although the characters are pretty much 'buddy-cop' standards, as is the secondary cast (although even more 'standard'), but the situations that they find themselves in, and their responses to which, are exaggerated to the point of being almost a parody of the genre. Ironically, Rick Mercer, who often makes fun of American's miscomprehensions of Canada has a bit part in a film that essentially is one long string of Canadian stereotypes. The films may seem clever and well written to viewers who 'get' the hockey jokes, but viewers who don't may find it somewhat predictable, obscure, and silly.