Let's Be Cops

Plot[edit]

In Los Angeles, longtime friends Justin Miller, a struggling video game designer, and Ryan O'Malley, an unemployed former college quarterback, recall a pact they once made: if they had not achieved success by age thirty, they would move back to Columbus, Ohio. Leaving a bar, Ryan’s car is hit by an intimidating Albanian gang.


After Justin’s unsuccessful pitch for a police-themed video game, Ryan convinces him to wear the police uniforms from his presentation as costumes at their college reunion. Confronted with their classmates’ success and their own sense of failure, they decide to honor their pact, but are treated like real cops on the street. Enjoying the charade, they kick the Albanian gang out of Georgie's, a restaurant where Justin finally gains the attention of Josie, a waitress he likes.


Ryan doubles down on the hoax, learning official procedures from YouTube and modifying a decommissioned Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor to resemble an active Los Angeles Police Department vehicle. Justin reluctantly joins him, and begins a relationship with Josie. During their shenanigans, the friends end up on a real distress call with Patrol Officer Segars. Justin realizes they face serious jail time if exposed, but Josie calls about a man harassing her at the restaurant. He turns out to be Mossi Kasic, the Albanian gang’s leader, who intimidates the “officers” into doing nothing.


The friends obtain surveillance equipment from Segars to stakeout Mossi, observing him with an unidentified partner who has been investigating Ryan and Justin, believing them to be federal agents. Mossi receives a shipment of crates, and the friends interrogate the delivery driver, Pupa. Josie, an aspiring makeup artist, helps disguise Justin as Pupa to infiltrate Mossi’s club, where Justin is forced to smoke crystal meth and fight in a bare-knuckle boxing match. He and Ryan discover the crates contain guns stolen from police evidence and SWAT equipment and weapons, along with a secret tunnel between Mossi's club and Georgie's restaurant.


Fed up with being in danger, Justin accuses Ryan of filling his own lack of purpose with fake police work, while Ryan criticizes Justin for his cowardice and his inability to stand up for himself, and they part ways. Ryan brings his evidence against Mossi to Segars, who introduces the head of the organized crime unit, Detective Brolin — Mossi's partner.


Recognizing each other, Brolin threatens Ryan, while a newly assertive Justin pitches his game again in uniform. One of Brolin's officers arrives to kill him, inadvertently helping sell the pitch, and Justin escapes but Ryan is abducted by Mossi’s men.


Justin calls Segars for help and admits everything, before confessing to Josie that he is not a real cop and entering the tunnel alone. A captive Ryan pits Mossi and Brolin against each other, prompting Mossi to kill the detective. Justin attempts to save his friend, but is overpowered. Segars arrives and a gunfight ensues, with Ryan and Justin arming themselves with the stolen SWAT equipment. Cornered by Mossi, they are saved by Segars, who shoots Mossi in the neck and lets the friends go free.


With his newfound confidence, Justin becomes a successful game developer, while a motivated Ryan graduates from the police academy as a full-fledged LAPD officer. Justin apologizes to Josie, and they rekindle their relationship. Ryan arrives with Pupa, his new informant, and drags Justin on a high-speed chase.