Irreverent Other Guys Doesn’t Close the Case
New York Detective Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) is a Forensic Accountant who just loves to do paperwork and to applaud the overblown exploits of the department’s two biggest stars P.K. Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson) and Christopher Danson (Dwayne Johnson). His partner Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) just wants to have the opportunity to step into the spotlight and redeem himself for an inexplicable mistake involving Yankee great Derek Jeter. Together they’re the most mismatched pair of police officers ever assigned to work with one another, doomed to spend their days until retirement belittled by their peers and openly ridiculed by just about everyone else.
Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg and Michael Keaton in The Other Guys © Sony Pictures
But when Highsmith and Danson take their crime solving high flying antics a bit too high, the door is suddenly open for these two other guys to step in and actually become heroes. Even more amazing, it is Gamble who has maybe cracked open a case bigger than the Big Apple itself, the spreadsheet obsessed detective renowned billionaire investor David Ershon (Steve Coogan) isn’t so squeaky clean. Now the two detectives must put aside their differences and work together to bring about justice, and even with their even tempered Captain (Michael Keaton) these two forgotten officers are ready to bring the heat.
The Other Guys is a definite step up from the ever so slightly similar Cop Out. It is also a far superior piece of comedic entertainment than co-writer and star Ferrell director Adam McKay’s last effort together the odious Step Brothers. Heck, as far as their partnership is concerned (they also made Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby together as well) I think this one actually might just be their most inspired and creative yet, the pair hardly resting on their laurels even if the genre they’re attempting to parody isn’t exactly a difficult one to find the comedy in.
That being said, this is one case where I respect the effort far more than I actually enjoyed the finished product. I liked that Ferrell stepped a little outside his comfort box to portray the character of Allen Gamble. I like that the pair has given Wahlberg such a wonderful comedic role right inside his wheelhouse. I like that they’ve given Keaton and Coogan the best lines and the best moments in the picture. I like the fact that, by and large, that even with a relatively benign PG-13 rating they still refuse to play things safe.
I like all of that and more, but the simple fact is I just didn’t laugh all that much while watching The Other Guys. Instead I sort of sat there, nodding my head, thinking to myself that these were all fairly solid ideas pretty well executed but for whatever reason they just weren’t tickling my funny bone. While I was never bored I was also seldom interested, and this really was one of those cases where everyone in the audience seemed to be having a grand old time while I just sat stewing in my own silence.
Well, not for the entire movie. There are some notable exceptions, but the thing is I don’t really want to go into them in any detail in fear they could end up ruining the jokes for some people if I do so. What I will say just about all the scenes between Ferrell and Eva Mendes (playing Gamble’s ultra sexy wife Dr. Sheila Gamble) are a complete hoot, especially when they also include Viola Harris (whom I’m going to say no more about as not to ruin the surprise). Additionally, a running gag involving Keaton and a few notable TLC hits is a total gas, a penultimate one happening just before the third act climax so awesome actually laughed so hard I had a little bit of Diet Coke coming out my nose.
Even so, I can’t say that The Other Guys did it for me. Like all of Ferrell and McKay’s collaborations (the cinematic ones, not the brilliant skits they join forces for on their Funny or Die website) this movie is easily a good 15 minutes too long, and there are more than a few times where they get particularly obsessed with a semi-decent gag only to run it so far into the ground it loses its potency.
I will say once again the audience seemed to eat this picture up, and I will also just as strongly admit that the pair (along with co-writer Chris Henchy, Land of the Lost) have put a lot more time and care into this particular concept than say Adam Sandler ever would have with one of his typical scattershot comedies. There are plenty of original sight gags and ideas, and they definitely know the genre they’re spoofing inside and out, offering up just enough tasty goodness to keep their fans exuberantly happy.
But Hot Fuzz this movie ain’t, and anyone expecting the same level of inspiration, silliness and innovation had better look someplace else because they’re not going to find it here. But Ferrell and McKay do try, and there are definitely moments here where they certainly succeed. I just didn’t think that there were quite enough of them, and although the effort is a good one The Other Guys in my opinion remains a law and order police department parody that doesn’t quite make the grade.
Film Rating: êê1/2 (out of 4)
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