All I knew about ‘Night Patrol’ when I booked my ticket is that it is the latest film by director Ryan Prows. I loved his previous feature ‘Lowlife’ so the additional fact that ‘Night Patrol’ brings along the same writing team (Tim Cairo, Jake Gibson, and Shaye Ogbonna) made this a no-brainer for me in a festival filled with tough choices and a limited amount of time. While I was prepared for a madcap “crime thriller” style film with insane turns, I was absolutely not expecting all of the places ‘Night Patrol’ took me.
The film opens as a young couple with rival gang affiliations meeting for a rendezvous in a remote spot are interrupted by a special unit of the LAPD…the Night Patrol. Violence erupts immediately and it is clear that the cops are not the good guys here, and that the Night Patrol is particularly bad. We learn a bit more about this elite squad as we join a ride along with officers Carr (Justin Long) and Hawkins (Jermaine Fowler). We also quickly learn that Hawkins’ brother Wazi (RJ Cyler) is being hunted by the Night Patrol after escaping them in the opening scene.
After tagging along with Hawkins and Carr for a shift and becoming completely invested in their chemistry it is revealed that Carr has been invited to join the exclusive Night Patrol squad, a position Hawkins was also seeking despite their focus on gang busting and his previous life as a gang member. There is, of course, more going on with the Night Patrol than just what time they clock in for their shift. But I’m committed to a spoiler-free review (even though the film’s marketing might feel otherwise) and I want you to take this ride as purely as I did when it releases in January. All I can really tell you beyond this is that the story goes off the rails in the best possible ways and the blood department spared no expense!
The cast assembled in this film is outstanding. Not a single person phones it in. Long puts in, perhaps, the most unique performance of his career. We’re used to seeing him as the hapless comedic lead, or occasionally the bumbling asshole, but we’ve never seen him like this before. As Carr he is a driven and capable former Navy Seal who only wants to be the best cop he can be. Fowler is without a doubt the heart of the story, torn between his family and his future as he tries to protect his brother from a lifetime of bad decisions without compromising his position in the LAPD. He does such a good job in this more serious role that I would love to see him take on more things that lean this way.
We also get Phil Brooks (CM Punk) as the leader of the Night Patrol in his best film performance to date. Additionally, a staple player in Prows/Cairo projects, Jon Oswald comes in as Hawkins’ replacement partner, perfectly nailing the toxic masculinity and misogyny of a stereotypical white cop. I don’t think we, as indie film lovers, are talking enough about Oswald as he is able to completely become whatever character he is given in a way that feels effortless.
As it pits the police force against gang members, ‘Night Patrol’ most definitely has a lot to say about policing in America (especially in Los Angeles), racism, and the toxicity of gang culture. It is not a hopeless story though as we watch communities work together and use the strength of their own heritage to hold on to what matters most against forces that seem too evil to overcome. Ultimately ‘Night Patrol,’ like ‘Low Life’ before it, doesn’t let its dark themes get in the way of its good time.
‘Night Patrol’ had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest and will be in theaters on January 16th 2026.
