A Star-Packed Action-Comedy Arrives
If you crave action, laughs, and a lineup built to grab your attention, The Pickup drops on Prime Video with one heck of a cast. Eddie Murphy, everyone’s favorite comedy legend, is back. This time, he trades the standup stage for the tense driver’s seat of an armored truck, joined by Pete Davidson, known for his dry wit and wild humor. The pair form an unlikely duo with the kind of on-screen clash you can’t script, even though this movie tries hard to.
Directed by Tim Story—famous for crowd-pleasers like Barbershop and Ride Along—the film doesn’t slow down. It throws Murphy's Russell and Davidson's Travis into a job that looks easy, but quickly turns dangerous. They’re blindsided by a crew of thieves, led by Keke Palmer’s Zoe, who’s smarter and meaner than anyone expected. The cast rounds out with Eva Longoria as upstanding Natalie Pierce, Jack Kesy, Andrew Dice Clay, Ismael Cruz Córdova, and even former NFL star Marshawn Lynch. It’s a who's who, plus a surprise or two for eagle-eyed fans.
Highs, Lows, and Behind-the-Scenes Drama
This R-rated ride, running just over 90 minutes, is built around the classic buddy formula—two guys with nothing in common stuck together in mayhem. Critics have already jumped on the plot, calling it a little far-fetched and easily guessed. But, let's be real: no one watches a Murphy-Davidson comedy for gritty realism. The magic comes from watching Murphy riff and Davidson deadpan his way through car chases and punchlines. Their energy is infectious, even when the story throws in every heist-movie cliché in the book.
Not everything was fun and games, though. During an intense action set piece filmed in Atlanta last spring, a second-unit stunt went off the rails and ended with several crew members injured. Production paused, drawing attention to the risks behind Hollywood’s most adrenaline-pumping scenes. Thankfully, work eventually resumed, and the movie finished on schedule despite the shake-up.
Amazon MGM Studios clearly wanted a laugh-out-loud summer flick you can stream at home. The Pickup lands right in that sweet spot between riotous action and buddy comedy, even if you know where every turn is going. At its core, it’s Murphy and Davidson’s chemistry that makes the mayhem worthwhile. Toss in Keke Palmer’s unhinged criminal ringleader, and you get a streaming night that won’t be boring—even if it’s not breaking new ground. Popcorn recommended.