‘NYPD Detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson) are the baddest and most beloved cops in New York City. They don’t get tattoos – other men get tattoos of them. Two desks over and one back, sit Detectives Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg). You’ve seen them in the background of photos of Danson and Highsmith, out of focus and eyes closed. They’re not heroes – they’re “the Other Guys.” But every cop has his or her day and soon Gamble and Hoitz stumble into a seemingly innocuous case no other detective wants to touch that could turn into New York City’s biggest crime. It’s the opportunity of their lives, but do these guys have the right stuff?’
Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson) and Danson (Dwayne Johnson) are the cheesy-limelight-stealing-alpha-males of the NYPD office. So, who are these ‘Other Guys’? The paper-pushers who help the office run, but never get any credit for it?
Allen Gamble (Ferrell) is one of them. He is a gentle giant, who seems quite content doing the mundane office jobs palmed off to him by the stars of the NYPD. The same cannot be said for his quick-tempered partner, Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg), who suffered from a serious momentary lapse in judgment, which resulted in him destroying the Yankees chance at winning the final, and secured him a place at a desk. Hoitz is desperately trying to redeem his reputation as a ‘real’ police officer, and needs Gamble on board to help him. What ensues is an overly dramatic police investigation, full of all of the good stuff that is normally found in action movies: interrogations, shoot-outs and high speed car chases (well, as high speed as a car chase can be when a Toyota Prius is involved).
The dynamic between Wahlberg and Ferrell is great. The seemingly mismatched pair work well together, and provide many comical moments. Gamble is a loveable character; his desperation for a ‘BFF’ is funny, and his tangents into detailed hypothetical situations are hilarious. Eva Mendes proves her comedic abilities, playing the role of Sheila, Gamble’s hideously plain wife.
‘The Other Guys’ is directed by Adam McKay, who is responsible for ‘Step Brothers’, ‘Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby’, and ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy’. All of which ( I think) are as ridiculous as each other!
This is an easy movie to watch. It is a fun movie that you can turn your brain off to, and enjoy it for what is – a comedy. To be completely honest, one hour and forty seven minutes was simply too long for me, and the laughs were few and far between by the end. However, it won’t be a disappointment for Will Ferrell fans; it definitely offers enough laughs to warrant a visit to the cinema.
THE OTHER GUYS is out in the States now and hits Australian Screens on the 9th September. I give this film 3 out of 5 Stars..