This abrasive cop comedy is the cinematic equivalent of spending time with a very charming psychopath. You laugh a lot, but there’s always the chance you might get an unexpected headbutt during the course of the evening. The third film from John Michael McDonagh (The Guard, Calvary) is bitingly funny and unapologetically offensive. Terry Monroe (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bob Bolaño (Michael Peña) are a pair of New Mexico policemen who bring their own unique interpretation of justice to the job. But when the two most corrupt cops in the state take on the most unsavoury criminal in town, they find themselves out of their depth. The always excellent Peña is well suited to the role – he already partnered in a similar, if less dissolute, dynamic in End of Watch. Swedish heartthrob Skarsgård is a more unexpected casting but brings a persuasive deadbeat melancholy to the role of Glen Campbell-obsessed Terry, who joined the force because “you can shoot people for no reason”.
The crackling misanthropy of the screenplay is backed up by strong production values. The striking photography is infused with a 1970s vibe, which is heightened by McDonagh’s fondness for wipe edits. It’s not for everyone, certainly, but War on Everyone is a riot of bad behaviour.
