Netflix’s Extremely Violent, R-Rated Comedy Buddy Kills Vampires by Recklessly Disposing of Them
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
Normally, I’m not a fan of vampire movies, but I’m a “never say never” kind of guy when it comes to my media consumption. While I admit I had my reservations about checking out 2022 Day Shift after punishing himself in 2005 in a terrible way Blood RayneI’m a fan of Jamie Foxx in many shows, I really enjoyed it The White House Down (2013) and They included Tyrone (2023). Both films work expertly in the buddy comedy wheelhouse, and the comedy stays true to form thanks to Foxx’s ability to play the straight man in ridiculous situations.
Day Shift brings that power to the world of vampire hunting, where there are paychecks, union rules, and a code of conduct that must be followed in order for the entire machine to operate in the shadows without major collateral damage. With that in mind, Day Shift it gets its laughs from constantly breaking those rules as an ancient, immortal evil threatens the world as we know it.
He stuck to the Day Shift
When we’re introduced to the unfortunate Jamie Foxx named Bud Jablonski, we quickly learn how unfortunate every other aspect of his life is. Estranged from his wife Jocelyn (Meagan Good), he does everything he can to provide for his daughter Paige (Zion Broadnax). Posing as a contract pool cleaner, Bud shines as a rogue vampire slayer, collecting their fangs for extra cash. Faced with mounting financial pressure because Jocelyn is threatening to sell the house and move out of town, Bud realizes what he must do: rejoin the vampire hunting union.
There’s just one problem. Union boss Ralph Seeger (Eric Lange) doesn’t want him back because he has a long history of breaking the law. Don’t worry though, because we need Bud to rejoin the union for his movie to work, so Snoop Dogg’s Big John Elliott, a respected veteran vampire hunter, helps convince Seeger to let him work again in an official capacity.
Seeger, none too happy about letting Bud back into the conversation, forces him to work with Seth (Dave Franco), a book union boss who once walked on God’s green earth. Seth eats gluten-free muffins, speaks well of policy, and is tasked with covering all of Bud’s transgressions during his probationary period before he is fully accepted as a full-time member.
Right off the bat, Bud and Seth hit it off, but Seth is happy with his unorthodox method of hunting vampires when he sees the results. As their friendship grows throughout Day Shiftwe learn what’s really at stake in the form of our antagonist, Audrey San Fernando (Karla Souza). Audrey has revealed that Bud, in the opening sequence of the film, killed an old vampire woman in her house who turned out to be his daughter.
Still stuck trying to get things his own way without the letter being thrown at him, Bud now has to worry about Audrey hunting her family, who have no idea about her extracurricular vampire activities, for revenge.
Bloody, Buddy Cops
Not only Day Shift provide an emotional line through Bud’s family dynamic, the buddy cop aspect of the film is what sells its premise. Seth keeps getting sick to his stomach and soiling himself every time Bud and his vampire-hunting buddies make the body count a recurring gag, and much of his character’s evolution comes from realizing that rules are sometimes meant to be broken when there’s a greater good at stake.
Fortunately for Bud, who made countless mistakes during his probationary period, Seth’s knowledge of the employee handbook is so extensive that he knows all the loopholes they can lean on when things get dicey. Seth also learns that there are more important things in life than following a protocol, like family, which is why Bud is so determined to get his job back from scratch.
Bud’s heart and chaotic charm are completely thwarted by Seth every step of the way, and as they become fast friends while facing their immortal enemies, they become an unstoppable force of nature, which is just what you need when an ancient evil masquerading as a real estate agent tries to wipe out humanity’s pre-housing development one fabric at a time.
While my grade varies from most Netflix Originals, Day Shift it holds back by taking an absurd premise and matching it to a tried-and-true cop formula. It’s not high art, but it’s a strange adventure through the San Fernando neighborhood filled with vampires and day-trippers alike.
Day Shift is a Netflix Original and can be streamed with an active subscription.
