Press Conference

You ever sit in on a press conference and feel like you accidentally walked into a dream where your childhood was in the front row shouting, “Say hi to Eddie for me!”? That was The Pickup presser. Surreal doesn’t cut it. I’ve got family members who practically held a candlelight vigil when Coming to America dropped on VHS. Now they’re texting me mid-interview like I’m about to hand Murphy a birthday card. Thankfully, the whole thing was moderated, otherwise I’d have started doing family shout-outs like a DJ at a wedding.

Retro Vibes

So what’s The Pickup like? Imagine mainlining a syringe of neon 1980s chaos, attitude, and charm right into your frontal lobe. It’s a heist flick—but not one of those sleek, quiet ones where everyone whispers and wears turtlenecks. No, this one lives loud.

Headlining? Eddie “still got it” Murphy, radiating that old-school charisma that makes you forget you’re watching pixels on a screen. Riding shotgun is Pete Davidson, who I used to write off as “that guy from the tabloid Thunderdome”, but damn, the guy’s funny. Loose, weird, sharp. He riffs like he’s built out of Red Bull and dad jokes.

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And then there’s Keke Palmer, who at this point I’m convinced has a clause in every contract that says, “Must drive a sick vehicle and do something badass.” First it was the Akira bike slide in Nope, now she’s out here hitting Bullitt-style chases like she’s got Steve McQueen whispering notes in her ear from the afterlife. I don’t know what Palmer’s doing next, but I hope it’s on wheels.

The Story

The plot? It’s a heist movie with heart. Murphy and Davidson are armored truck drivers with a job that goes sideways, fast. Eddie’s character, Russell Pierce, is just trying to make it to an anniversary dinner. What unfolds is chaos, loyalty, and an unexpected emotional punch. You’ll laugh hard. Maybe cry. Maybe shout, “Was that Marshawn Lynch?!” because yes, Beast Mode himself is in this, along with Roman Reigns, Eva Longoria, and the Diceman himself, Andrew Dice Clay, chewing scenery like it owes him money.

Longoria brings warmth, class, and some actual romantic spark. It’s refreshing. It’s the kind of casting that makes you nostalgic.

So yeah, The Pickup is what happens when you blend Midnight Run, Fast Five, and a little bit of Trading Places, and then spike it with Tim Story’s comedic instincts.

Synopsis

In the action-comedy The Pickup, a routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by a savvy mastermind, Zoe (Keke Palmer), with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo. As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-risk danger, clashing personalities, and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.

GRADE: B-

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