It’s always good to see Eddie Murphy back on screen. For decades, his mix of charm, wit, and energy made him one of comedy’s most magnetic performers. The question is whether that style can still connect in a landscape where audience tastes have shifted. Unfortunately, this action-comedy mostly answers that question with a shrug.
The film pairs Murphy with Pete Davidson in a buddy setup that should almost write itself. Murphy plays Russell, a veteran armored truck guard counting down the days to retirement so he can open a bed and breakfast with his wife Natalie (Eva Longoria). Davidson is Travis, a loud, immature rookie fresh off a fling with a woman he barely knows. That woman, Zoe (Keke Palmer), happens to lead a crew planning a major heist. What could have been a breezy comedy of errors ends up flat and oddly lifeless.
One of the biggest problems with the movie is chemistry, or rather the complete lack of it. Murphy and Davidson never spark the way buddy-movie leads should, as Murphy once did with Nick Nolte in 48 Hrs. That might be a high bar to set it against; but with the Pickup, it’s like watching coworkers who simply endure each other until quitting time. Davidson and Palmer share no spark, either. Murphy and Longoria feel like strangers despite playing a long-married couple. The cast is full of talent, but everyone seems to be in a different movie.
The script, by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider, is the real culprit. The plot leans on implausible setups, from the thieves’ nonsensical plan to the magically empty highways of New Jersey. Jokes meant to land with a bite just fizzle.
Director Tim Story, who’s done sharper work with Barbershop and Ride Along, never finds the right rhythm. The film looks polished but lacks soul, with action scenes that are technically fine yet strangely weightless.
Murphy’s decision to play the straight man to Davidson’s wild card could have worked if the script gave him more to play with. Instead, he spends much of the movie reacting with weary sighs, occasionally slipping into one of his trademark voices as if to remind us of better days. Davidson fills the silence with rapid-fire quips, but without sharper writing, they feel more like filler than punchlines.
Palmer arguably fares best, bringing some life to a thinly written role. She hints at a sharper, funnier version of Zoe that the film never explores. Longoria makes the most of limited screen time, though her character’s dream of running a quaint New Jersey inn with Russell is unintentionally the funniest idea in the movie.
The Pickup wants to channel Murphy’s buddy-movie glory days, but it plays like a diluted imitation. Comedy may be subjective, but energy is essential, and the film never builds much. The few promising moments get buried under a script that mistakes noise for humor and convenience for plotting.
It’s not the worst thing streaming on Prime Video, but that’s hardly praise. If you want Eddie Murphy, you’re better off revisiting his earlier work. The Pickup proves his talent is timeless, but not every project is worthy of it.
Screen Rated 