Reel Review: The Other Guys

Sorry for not getting this one out until today guys, but it was a busy weekend as I prepped for my road trip to Waco to visit a friend and see Scott Pilgrim vs. The World later this week. I did see The Other Guys on Friday and hoped to get a review up then but life got in the way, but I promise in the future I will always have a review of a new movie I’ve seen by the Monday following. So that’s enough stumbling around with apologies, how about I get into the buddy cop comedy that is The Other Guys.

So lets start off with the obvious, the people a part of this film that make draw you to it to begin with. First off, it is directed by Adam McKay who also directed the much loved Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy, and the also enjoyable Step Brothers, as well as being co-creator of FunnyOrDie.com. This movie, as well as the previously named McKay films, stars Will Ferrell who is the other co-creator of Funny or Die, along with Mark Walberg who has been in countless action movies such as Shooter, The Departed (a personal favorite) and of course The Italian Job. There is also a solid supporting cast here of Michael Keaton as their captain, but is probably best known for playing the title role in Batman (1989), Rob Riggle of The Daily Show is partnered with Damon Wayans Jr. probably best known from Dance Flick as the cops who are total dicks to Ferrell and Walberg.We also get some good comedy with Steve Coogan as the target of their investigation, but you would likely know him from Hamlet 2 and as the “director” character in Tropic Thunder as well as Eva Mendes from Training Day and Ghost Rider as Ferrell’s wife.. Lastly Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, probably best known from Doom or The Rundown, is teamed with the “Bad Motherfucker” himself, Samuel L. Jackson who you know from the likes of Iron Man 1 & 2 as Nick Fury and his great role in Pulp Fiction, as the amazingly badass cops who destroy city blocks and get commended, but who essentially die after a bit leading to a gap for a new “Top Cop Team” that our main characters try to fill.

The cast is undoubtedly solid, but that has failed many a movie, but I gotta say it didn’t fail this one. Now, I was shocked when one of my top review sites panned this film but it seemed to be wholly out of a dislike for McKay’s work, but while not a devoted lover of his films I found nothing but solid laughs out of here. Jackson and Johnson as the top cops were hilarious with their machismo arrogance for the first bit radiating as we got to know the rest of the cast. Will Ferrell’s character for the most part is really downplayed compared to his usual loud obnoxious character as he is a pencil pusher who is happy with his life which is a nice change. He is partnered with Walberg who wants to go out and be a real cop but needs Farrell to go with him and is only stuck with him because he made a rookie mistake and ended up shooting New York Yankees star shortstop Derek Jeter…during a game. This moronic tough guy and pansy pencil pusher is the classic odd couple matching but Walberg plays a great straight man to Farrell’s clear pussy-footing and Farrell plays straight man when Walberg makes his absurdest theories on the case at hand. Their comic compatibility is something that many had hoped for out of Cop Out that came out earlier this year to mostly critical and theatrical disdain.

The rest of the cast is great as Riggle and Wayans make a great comedy team, always giving our heroes the hardest time imaginable while still being morons themselves. One of the best is a whisper fight scene at the wake at a funeral that will have you cracking up. Another great supporting role is Michael Keaton as the captain who doesn’t really lead well and really just tries to keep the peace amongst his men. He has a great running joke involving the pop singing group TLC that I won’t ruin for you as if you get it you will be laughing your ass off. A film that can hold a supporting cast that could be an ok movie in themselves is a always a pleasure.

The action here isn’t to bad either, as we get the over the top insanity in the beginning with our “Top Cops” and then as our heroes, the Other Guys, are on the beat they get into their own trouble. No, their stuff isn’t over the top like earlier, but it is zany while still believable and really hammers home that feel of the classic buddy cop film. The only problem I found is that there isn’t really enough of it I feel and we sometimes rely to much on just the humor aspects and as a buddy cop film you really want that action feel. There is a great fight scene in a board room that is ruined a little in the trailers but is still great here, as well as a wild driving sequence toward the end in Ferrell’s pitiful little Prius.

It should be pretty clear that I liked this movie, and aside from a few gripes like not enough action scenes it really was worth the price of admission. If there was one joke I felt that was over used, I would have to say it was Walberg’s character being obsessed with Eva mendes, Ferrell’s wife, but you know what that was part of a bigger joke about how Ferrell’s character constantly attracted hot women so I could let it go.

Rating: 3.5/5

Reelization:

I can’t say it is at all a perfect film, nor as good as the likes of Inception(not even close) but I can put it pretty damn close to the quality of The A-Team so if you want a good popcorn movie to laugh at and not being upset with shelling out $10 for see this.