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Home > ‘The Pickup’ (2025): A Review

‘The Pickup’ (2025): A Review

Forced to Join a Heist To Stay Alive?

The Pickup is a heist action comedy film that shows armored van security guards making life-or-death choices to protect their families. When robbers hijack their van, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson) must join the heist to survive. Directed and produced by Tim Story, the film is distributed by Amazon MGM Studios. The Pickup stars Eddie Murphy, Keke Palmer, Pete Davidson, and Eva Longoria.

Does It Stand Out?

The Pickup highlights the risks that come with being an armored truck driver who takes money to the bank, while keeping it entertaining and witty at the same time. Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson) are paired together for the first time for a pickup when things go south after Travis thought he had found love. Davidson brought strong wit to his role in this film, although his performance in The Pickup wouldn’t strike the audience as new, yet it feels unique, natural, and funny. As for Murphy, from his first scene, he brought a sense of authenticity and love to his role in The Pickup. And of course, he did not leave his humor behind. Wishing his wife (Eva Longoria) a happy anniversary at 4 a.m.and making plans for dinner to celebrate adds a touch of emotional feel to the film. But all of that is put in a tight spot when Zoe (Keke Palmer) decides to carry out a risky robbery operation that involves Travis and Russell. Longoria plays her role remarkably well as Russell’s wife in the film. Her performance was a mixture of love and little jokes.

The Pickup is not so different from the typical heist movies that audiences are familiar with. The Pickup does well to point out how the 9-to-5ers pause the great moments in their lives just so their job can be on track. This is seen when Russell was assigned to take a longer shift on the day of his anniversary, even though he requested a shorter one about a week earlier. One scene that could confuse the viewers was when Travis pulled out a gun on Zoe in the bank, just because she wanted to give him a piece of paper. Viewers might see this scene as unnecessary or replaceable with a better one.

The Pros and Cons

The combination of these bright minds, Tim Story, John Davis, John Fox, Eddie Murphy, and Charisse Webster, led to the production of The Pickup. These producers made sure to select the right cast to reflect the fruit of their gathering. Murphy is among the star actors in this film who played their role exceptionally well. Murphy, who is regarded as a legendary movie star in Hollywood, shows his incredible acting skills yet again. His performance in The Pickup serves as the backbone of the film’s comedic genre. Also, the way Murphy embodied his character can’t go unnoticed; he blended in so smoothly that it feels natural watching him have a bad day on screen. At the same time, it feels good to see Murphy in action, trying to fight off the robbers from hijacking their truck. Using the dye attached to money bands from banks to distract the robbers’ vision was a smart move. 

Keke Palmer contributed a great amount to The Pickup’s action feel. Her character was well planned, from an innocent-looking girl in the bank to the mastermind behind a heist. Coming up with a plan to organize a heist is commendable, even though it is the kind that audiences are already used to.

Her ability to manipulate a guard to get secret information was ruthless, as it created room for suspense. The producers use this element in the right scenes to keep viewers on their toes. 

Another actor whose performance was well done is Davidson. His character stands out for his immense support of the dialogue in the film. The Pickup has engaging dialogue that keeps the viewers’ minds far away from boredom, thanks to Davidson and his childlike behavior in the movie. There is a scene where one of the robbers offered him something to eat just as he was about to engage. Murphy gave him that look, louder than words, that parents often give their kids as hints, and Davidson, while wearing a funny expression, did exactly what a kid would do after such a look. Pairing Murphy and Davidson as co-workers was a brilliant move from the producers of The Pickup. The duo brought their different style of comedy to their performance in the film, with Palmer blending it with extra humor and action. While the movie is a good watch, some parts seem unrealistic. A single woman holding a gun against two security guards and a woman, all in close range, but they can’t get the gun away from her, puts the storyline in a spot that’s almost unreal.  

What Was Exceptional About ‘The Pickup’

The audience might find ways to talk down on The Pickup for its plot, cast, and storyline, but no one would come for the cinematography. All thanks to Larry Blanford, who did an incredible job on the visual appearance of The Pickup. Blanford’s unique touch is seen in various scenes, but the one that captivates the viewer’s attention is the car chase sequence. The way Blandford captured this sequence is magnificent. The camera angles are tight and close, making the viewers feel every swerve, every screech, as if they were right there. He also made use of slow-motion in scenes where it was needed, for instance, during the car chase when Murphy kicked out one of the robbers. Blandford captured the downfall of the intruder in slow motion, making the moment painfully long for the intruder. This element adds tension to the scenes and allows the audience to feel the characters’ panic and adrenaline.

Most of the scenes take place under daylight, making the characters’ appearances vivid. The visual quality of The Pickup is crystal clear. The viewers can see a single grain of sand on the characters’ skin. As for the musical aspects, Christopher Lennertz composed music for The Pickup. Lennertz used the right songs for the right scenes. This is clearly demonstrated in the scene where Russell kicks Miguel out of the van. As Miguel was falling in slow motion, the music that played at that moment aligned so well with the fall that it felt like it was made for that exact moment. It amplifies the feeling of disorientation and finality, letting the audience feel every second of Miguel’s downfall.

Familiar Plot, Fresh Energy

The Pickup has a plot that audiences may not find surprising. However, the sharp dialogue and the brilliant cast in the film help make it escape the category of boring movies. Its charm lies more in the performances and banter than in unexpected twists. Audiences who enjoy heist action films with minimal suspense would find it more interesting. 

Watch The Pickup on Prime Video today!

The Pickup (2025) Official Prime Video Trailer

Source: Dead Talk Live

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Precious Osagie
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Elke Simmons' writing portfolio includes contributions to The Laredo Morning Times, Walt Disney World Eyes and Ears, Extinction Rebellion (XR) News/Blog, and Dead Talk News.