Despite a few funny moments, "Let's Be Cops" is a sub-par comedy that not only fails to develop much beyond its initial concept, but is also repetitive in its execution, with paper-thin lead characters who exist only to serve the (shaky) plot.
The basic setup has the potential for humor. When two friends, dressed as cops for a party, find that regular people on the street think they're the real deal, one of them decides they should take advantage of this, while the other is reluctant. The problem is that this "basic setup" is repeated five or six times during the film. Each time Friend #1 comes up with an idea to escalate the game (by getting a cop car or responding to a real police call, for example), Friend #2 disagrees, but after an argument is finally won over. It's the same scene recycled over and over again, and serves to highlight how poorly written the characters are. By reacting the same way to every situation that presents itself, they call attention to the absolute lack of any character arc.
The "plot", when it finally kicks in, is standard fare involving gun smugglers and crooked detectives. Supporting performances by Rob Riggle and Andy Garcia don't make it worth watching, but they are the best part of the movie, making the most out of the shoddy material they're given. I know there are a few laughs in the film, because I remember chuckling a few times, but they weren't memorable enough for any of them to stick with me. There are much better comedies out there to spend your money on.
D+
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