The Other Guys

Detained Comedy

[Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan]

image from media.entertainment.sky.com

RANT: It finally happened. One of my constant readers needed one of my reviews in order to make an informed decision about what movie to take his family to... and I didn't have all of my reviews loaded for them. Well, long story short, he may have spent his money on a film not appropriate for a 10 year old. Or did he?

SYNOPSIS: Allen Gamble and Terry Holtz are desk jockey New York City detectives working in the shadow of super cops P.K. Highsmith and Christopher Danson. When Highsmith and Danson die in the line of duty, the department finds that it has a vacuum to fill. And it may be up to "the other guys" to answer the call!

Director Adam McKay and Will Ferrell get together again for another go round in comedy, previously hitting the silver screen with "Step Brothers", "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby". And this time they brought Mark Wahlberg along for the ride.

Fans of the aforementioned list of films will undoubtedly like this movie too. New moviegoers drawn to the theater by Wahlberg, Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be both pleased and disappointed. Jackson as P.K. Highsmith and Johnson as Danson serve as crimefighters in the classic vein of other buddy super cop flicks like "Lethal Weapon". But in the "real" world, their antics get them both keys to the city and nails in their coffins. Highsmith's and Danson's final moments are both surprising and funny, changing the audience's expectation of what cop films are supposed to be like.

McKay, along with co-writer Chris Henchy, put other popular buddy cop film conventions on their ears as well. The trailers already let us know that people can not simply walk calmly away from an arson explosion, as Ferrell's Allen Gamble quickly points out as he writhes in pain in the parking lot.

Ferrell's Gamble plays a detective formerly assigned as a forensics accountant, while Mark Wahlberg plays Terry Hoitz trying to do the right thing and making all of the wrong moves. His big promotion was thwarted when he takes part in a bad shooting. Wahlberg's misery is actually funnier than Ferrell's naivety. Gamble's wife, Dr. Sheila, played by Eva Mendes, provides great moments with Wahlberg. And Gamble's red hybrid is the cause of several chuckles.

The case that Gamble and Hoitz get themselves into involving David Ershon (Steve Coogan), a financial investor, and head of security Roger Wesley (Ray Stevenson) seems to take a back seat in importance in the story, although the subject matter is timely.

Sometimes a comedy, sometimes an homage to buddy cop films, sometimes a parody of the same buddy cop films, this flick is in hot pursuit with laughs, than arrests you with slow dramedy. If your already a fan, take a shot at this target. If you are looking for some breaking and entering of Ferrell and McKay, keep a lookout for something better.

Worth: Matinee or Netflix

I am also trying out a new rating system shown below based on reader reaction to my somewhat complex monetary rating scale. I will give both ratings and see what kind of reaction I muster. A movie can receive up to 5 popcorn buckets. Why popcorn buckets? Because I am a slave to the thousand + calorie delight! Enjoy!