Prime Video is seemingly the place to be for action-comedies this summer.
In the coming months, the Amazon streaming service will be home to the chaotic buddy comedy "Heads of State" and the new Eddie Murphy movie, "The Pickup." And, as of today (June 12), the streamer has added a brand-new crime comedy to the scene
The movie in question is Tom Kingsley's "Deep Cover," a breezy British action-comedy that puts three improv performers — Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, and Nick Mohammed — in a very precarious position.
Our trio is recruited for an unorthodox operation that sees them tangling with menacing figures from London's criminal underworld... to increasingly outlandish results.
Wondering whether to stream "Deep Cover" on Prime Video? Read on to get a little more info about the new arrival and a quick round-up of early reactions to the new release.
What is 'Deep Cover' about?
"Deep Cover" is a crime comedy that throws us in with three performers from differing walks of life who find themselves taking a gig that sends them deep undercover.
Down-on-her-luck improv teacher Kat (Bryce Dallas Howard) is offered a lucrative role to pretend to be a rough and ready gangster by an undercover cop (Sean Bean) who wants her to infiltrate a crew of drug dealers.
To fulfill the mission, Kat recruits two of her students, "serious" actor, Marlon (Orlando Bloom) and hapless office worker Hugh (Nick Mohammed), and the trio sets out to impersonate dangerous criminals... and soon find their new gig spiraling way out of control.
"Deep Cover" also stars Paddy Considine, Sonoya Mizuno, Ian McShane, Ben Ashenden, Alexander Owen, and Omid Djalili, among others.
Should you stream 'Deep Cover' on Prime Video?
Having watched it myself, I'd suggest giving "Deep Cover" a shot. It's a sharply written, farcical London-set crime caper — imagine a classic, gritty Guy Ritchie watch, but amp up the absurdities, the comedy, and tone down the bad language and the violence — that offers moderate thrills, but plenty of laughs.
All three of our major players are on fine form as their respective characters, but it's Orlando Bloom's turn as "serious actor" Marlon who stands out the most. Marlon's committed to his role as the gang's muscle, no matter how deep the group gets, and as such, he's responsible for some of my favorite moments of the entire film.
The action sequences might not be all that exciting, but once the mission's underway, "Deep Cover" moves along at a clip, sketch-comedy style, and makes up for the so-so action with plenty of great lines.. Sprinkle in some satisfying twists and solid turns from the supporting cast, and you've got a solid watch, one that's a cut above plenty of the year's streaming originals.
Need a second opinion? Well, at the time of writing, "Deep Cover" has only just been made available to stream on Prime Video, so it doesn't yet have a rating on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. However, there are already several reviews online, and evidently, I'm not the only person who enjoyed the new release.
For example, Empire's Ben Travis gave the movie a 4-star review, praising the "ingenious" central conceit, writing, "Does "Deep Cover" work as an improv comedy? Yes, and it delivers strong characterisation, a twisty crime story, and great performances too. End scene."
Likewise, Ready Steady Cut's Jonathon Wilson also offered a 4-star verdict, calling "Deep Cover" a "near-perfect popcorn entertainment" and describing it as "an action-comedy with okay action and really funny comedy that puts its all-star cast to work playing exaggerated pastiches of their usual screen personas."
Variety critic Guy Lodge offered a more measured response, saying the movie "never quite explodes into hilarity," adding: "this knockabout farce neither dies nor kills, even as its onscreen body count ramps up: It just chugs along enthusiastically for 99 minutes, throwing about a lot of slapstick and a lot of quips, but only intermittently landing an outright laugh."
So, bottom line: yes, if you're looking for a laugh or a fast-moving, silly crime comedy, you should stream "Deep Cover" on Prime Video. It's easy, fun viewing that should satisfy those looking for some daft action-comedy antics.
Not sold on "Deep Cover," but still looking for something new to stream on Prime Video? We can help. Check out our guide to the best movies on Prime Video for tons of top streaming recommendations perfect for your next movie night.
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