Claim: Jake Gyllenhaal is in End of Watch as an actor.

End of Watch is a 2012 American crime drama film written and directed by David Ayer . It stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña as Brian Taylor and Miguel Zavala , two Los Angeles Police Department officers who work in South Los Angeles . The film focuses on their day-to-day police work , their dealings with a certain group of gang members , their friendship with each other , and their personal relationships .   Ayer , who had written several police procedural films previously , wanted the film to focus more on the friendship between partners and honest police work rather than corruption . Gyllenhaal , Peña , and other cast members underwent an intensive training program to prepare for their roles as police officers . Filming took place in Los Angeles in August 2011 with a budget of $ 7 million .   The film premiered on September 8 , 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival and was released in American theaters on September 21 , grossing over $ 57 million at the box office . The film was well received by critics and received a number of accolades , including two Independent Spirit Award nominations .