The Pickup (2025): Cast, Ratings & Ending
The Pickup is a 2025 action comedy directed by Tim Story, starring Keke Palmer as Zoe, Eddie Murphy and Eva Longoria. It runs 1 hour 34 minutes. Critics gave it 24% on Rotten Tomatoes and 38 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.5/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 34m (94 min)
- Director
- Tim Story
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Amazon MGM Studios
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Pickup About?
The premise of The Pickup without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.
A seemingly routine cash pickup spirals into a chaotic situation when two armored truck drivers, Russell and Travis, find themselves ambushed by ruthless criminals. Led by the cunning Zoe, the criminals have a much larger plan than simply stealing the money. Russell and Travis must navigate the escalating danger and unexpected twists as they try to survive the encounter and uncover the mastermind’s ultimate goal.
The Pickup Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- two word title
- female pedal pumping
- armored truck
- north america
- money
- exploding dye pack
- held at gunpoint
- african american protagonist
- new jersey
- diner
- armored truck robbery
- mixed race couple
+38 more Show fewer
- ziptied restraints
- assault rifle
- casino
- highway
- african american antagonist
- pistol
- shot in the thigh
- united states of america
- threatened with a gun
- montage
- payback
- shot in the abdomen
- car ride
- airfield
- heist crime
- tv news
- atlantic city new jersey
- buddy comedy
- bullet wound
- married couple
- truck heist
- flashback
- gunshot wound
- female antagonist
- rolling over a car
- shot in the bulletproof vest
- telephone call
- wrist restraints
- car chase
- slow motion shot
- tear gas
- fixing a hole
- female african american antagonist
- security guard
- knocked unconscious
- car crash
- casino heist
- car repair shop
The Pickup Cast & Characters
Keke Palmer leads the cast as Zoe, with Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce and Eva Longoria as Natalie Pierce. Directed by Tim Story; 20 actors are credited in all.
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Director Tim Story
-
Keke Palmer as Zoe -
Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce -
Eva Longoria as Natalie Pierce -
Pete Davidson as Travis Stolly
Also Starring in The Pickup
· 16 more- Jack Kesy Banner
- Ismael Cruz Cordova Miguel
- Andrew Dice Clay Clark
- Lara Grice Waitress
- Charles Green Older Guard
- Joe Anoa'i MMA Fighter
- Marshawn Lynch Chop Shop
- Nelson Bonilla Casino Guard
- Regina Ting Chen Police Officer
- Jef Holbrook Mikey
- Christopher Davis Drill Sergeant at Police Academy
- Enoch King Service Entrance Guard
- Keith Adams Armored Truck Driver
- Laurence Chavez Mr. Coriano
- Ray Murphy Jr. MMA Manager
- Bethany Rachel Tull BNB Staff
More from Tim Story
More films directed by Tim Story, best-rated first: The Blackening, Barbershop, Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain and Think Like a Man.
The Pickup Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Pickup 24% on Rotten Tomatoes and 38 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.5/10. Our Echo Score gives it 38/100, strongest in art & craft (45) and weakest in rewatch factor (30).
The Pickup Echo Score Breakdown
The Pickup delivers a largely unsatisfying experience, marred by weak direction and a thin script that fails to capitalize on its comedic talent. While isolated action set‑pieces receive modest praise, the majority of critiques highlight generic storytelling, uneven performances, and a lack of memorable moments. The consensus across critics and users points to a film that struggles to engage beyond fleeting thrills, resulting in limited replay appeal.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 45
In terms of art and craft, the film showcases a handful of well‑executed car chases and stunt sequences that demonstrate competent technical handling. However, reviewers repeatedly note a generally cheap visual presentation and a direction that lacks a cohesive style, with editing and production design feeling perfunctory. Consequently, the craftsmanship is uneven, offering occasional highlights amid an overall modest execution.
- Character & Emotion 40
When evaluating character and emotion, the cast’s charisma provides occasional uplift, with moments of lively banter between the leads. Nonetheless, criticism centers on shallow character development, uneven chemistry, and performances that often feel restrained or overacted. The lack of depth and inconsistent emotional resonance prevents the ensemble from delivering a compelling or engaging dynamic.
- Story & Flow 35
The narrative suffers from a predictable plot structure riddled with holes and implausible twists, which reviewers describe as generic and forgettable. Pacing fluctuates, with sections dragging while action set‑pieces briefly engage the audience. Overall, the story’s originality and coherence are limited, resulting in a disengaging viewing experience.
- Sensory Experience 45
The sensory components, including sound design and visual effects, receive mixed remarks; while the action sequences display competent choreography, overall production values appear low‑budget and the soundtrack is unremarkable. Critics point to cheap-looking set pieces and a lack of distinctive audio cues, leading to a sensory experience that feels serviceable but uninspired.
- Rewatch Factor 30
Rewatch potential is limited, as the film lacks memorable humor, a compelling story, or distinctive style to encourage repeated viewings. While a few high‑energy chase moments may entertain on a second watch, the overall blandness and uneven execution diminish lasting appeal, resulting in low incentive for audiences to return.
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IMDb 5.5 /10
19227 votes
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 24% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 35%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 38 Metascore
User score 4.1
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 64% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 2.3 /5
34432 ratings
See on Letterboxd
The Pickup Plot Summary & Ending Explained
What happens in The Pickup from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
On duty, Russell Pierce, Eddie Murphy — a veteran armored car driver nearing retirement — is paired for the first time with Travis Stolly, a rookie who dreams of becoming a police officer, played by Pete Davidson. The two men come from different ends of the spectrum, but they share a stubborn commitment to doing the job right as they roll out for a routine route that soon spirals into something far more dangerous.
Full summary
The whole story of The Pickup, scene by scene, with the ending explained
The Pickup Trailers & Videos
8 videos: 1 trailer, 4 clips and 3 featurettes.
- Clip Heist Clip
- Clip Russell Meets Travis
- Clip Pete Davidson & Eddie Murphy’s Insane Highway Chase
- Clip Keke Palmer’s Mega Heist Gameplan
How Well Do You Know The Pickup?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the veteran armored car driver nearing retirement?
Cars in The Pickup
1 car on screen: the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek.
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2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
The Pickup Also Known As
32 alternative titles, including “The Pickup: เดอะพิคอัพ” and “Інкасація”.
- Also known as
-
- The Pickup: เดอะพิคอัพ
- Інкасація
- 意外收获
- 致命劫持
- A Última Missão
- El último encargo
- 더 픽업
- Il blindato dell’amore
- A Fuvar
- Azken lana
- L'últim encàrrec
- A recollida
+20 more Show fewer
- Jaf fără voie
- Kurýři
- Η Χρηματαποστολή
- האיסוף
- الاستلام
- द पिकअप
- த பிக்கப்
- เดอะพิคอัพ
- ద పికప్
- ദി പിക്കപ്പ്
- ದಿ ಪಿಕಪ್
- ザ・ピックアップ ~恋の強盗大作戦~
- Le blindé
- 玩命情劫
- Пограбування
- Ограбление
- Пикапът
- محموله, ძარცვა
- Pikapas
- Phi Vụ Chuyển Tiền
Seen The Pickup?
Movies Like The Pickup
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Pick-Up, Pickup and Pick-up.
The Pickup FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Pickup, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Pickup?
The Pickup runs 1 hour 34 minutes (94 minutes).
When was The Pickup released?
The Pickup was released on August 6, 2025.
Who directed The Pickup?
The Pickup was directed by Tim Story.
More films by Tim Story Who is in the cast of The Pickup?
The Pickup stars Keke Palmer as Zoe, Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce and Eva Longoria as Natalie Pierce, among 20 credited actors.
How is The Pickup rated?
The Pickup has 5.5/10 on IMDb, 24% on Rotten Tomatoes, 38 on Metacritic and 64% on TMDB.
Does The Pickup have a post-credit scene?
No. The Pickup has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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