The Other Guys

PG-13 for crude and sexual content, language, violence and some drug material.

Ever find the buddy, cop-action film annoyingly over-the-top? “The Other Guys” just might be an antidote to this condition. The film might have been called: “Another Cop-Action Movie, (but) A Parody” because it is just that.

The movie starts — erupts really — during a car chase involving some criminals and NYPD super-cops: P. K. Highsmith and Christopher Danson (played by Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson). The mega-destruction left in their wake hints that something is up. Eventually their hubris kills them…in a scene that is pretty funny, if shocking.

Then we have desk cops: Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) and Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell). Gamble is sort of a nerd; we know that because he wears glasses two decades past their prime. He also seems allergic to action and excitement. His partner, Hoitz, was a regular cop…until he accidently shot Derek Jeter in the leg. These guys certainly are not the proverbial movie-cop heroes.

“The Other Guys” is sort of a string of Saturday Night Live type comedy sketches, many of them hilarious. The case that the two odd cops investigate involves some financial shenanigans by an English shyster but, if you see it, don’t waste your time trying to follow the scheme, it is just a backdrop to the gags.

My favorite bit was when Hoitz meets Gamble’s zowie-hot wife (Eva Mendez). Hoitz is not able to absorb this and his reaction triggers at least three giggles and two guffaws (more or less). There is some other funny stuff about Gamble’s wooden gun and then there is his past as a pimp during his college years or that the duo have to run from assassins in a Prius rather than a “real” cop car. Their boss is played by Michael Keaton who has been traumatized by his bi-sexual son. However he seems to get some fulfillment from his part-time job at Bed, Bath and Beyond and his apparent appreciation of TLC lyrics.

Ferrell is his usual “Ferrell” but maybe a little less frenetic than usual while Wahlberg deadpans his way through the movie in a most endearing way. By the way, I like Wahlberg; I still can’t believe that Marky-Mark, the guy grabbing his junk in his Calvin Klein’s ad, has become such a versatile actor…and for the record…film and TV producer. Who knew?

The film may be ten minutes too long. The film seems a little disjointed and forced. On the other hand, I still think of some of the jokes and laugh. I also stayed to the very, very end, past the credits to see if there were any out takes. I was disappointed that there was only one. This kind of movie just begs to have some of this kind of material; too bad. Instead we get statistics about corporate and CEO greed and dishonesty. Interesting stuff but what a buzz kill.

Bottom line: this is a silly but funny and forgettable comedy; nothing to e-mail your pals about and beg them to see. It is just a fun way to pass the time. Maybe a good date movie, just not for a first, second, or third date. And when you plan a meal to go along with it, eat fun junk food; nothing

fancy — just like the movie.

The Other Guys earns three and a half bow ties out of five.