Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- austere
- brooding
- paranoid
- late night viewing
- classic crime marathon
What critics said
Critics were divided, with aggregate scores indicating generally favorable international reception despite notable French critical hostility and reservations about the film’s execution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Melville uses a controlled, nocturnal style to depict the police and criminal underworld as parallel systems governed by codes and inevitability.
Commissioner Édouard Coleman must pursue Simon while Simon is also described as his good friend.
The bank robbery functions as preparation for a more spectacular subsequent heist, foregrounding criminal logistics and execution.
The film's French noir identity and police-criminal pursuit are expressed through composed night settings and austere visual control.
Films like A Cop, and why
Le Samouraï
french neo-noir crime drama centered on professional criminals, police procedure, betrayal, and coolly controlled atmosphere
Le Cercle Rouge
stylized french crime thriller pairing an emotionally restrained policeman with criminal underworld codes and fatalistic tension
Rififi
elegant heist film driven by meticulous criminal procedure, terse dialogue, and morally ambiguous relationships
Heat
neo-noir crime drama featuring a policeman and criminal whose personal connection complicates pursuit and loyalty
Movie Details
- Director
- Jean-Pierre Melville
- Release Date
- 1972-10-01
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (304)
Cast
- Alain Delon
- Richard Crenna
- Catherine Deneuve
- Riccardo Cucciolla
- Michael Conrad
- Paul Crauchet
- Simone Valère
- André Pousse
- Jean Desailly
- Valérie Wilson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- France Channel Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is A Cop about?
- A rigorously composed French neo-noir in which a police commissioner’s friendship with a nightclub-owning gang leader collides with duty, betrayal, and a meticulously staged heist.
- What is A Cop like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of A Cop as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is A Cop violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in A Cop as mild.
- What did critics think of A Cop?
- Critics were divided, with aggregate scores indicating generally favorable international reception despite notable French critical hostility and reservations about the film’s execution.
- Which films are like A Cop?
- Films with a similar feel include Le Samouraï, Le Cercle Rouge, Rififi, and Heat.
- How long is A Cop?
- A Cop runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch A Cop?
- In United States, A Cop streams on France Channel Amazon Channel.
