The Other Guys (second review)

Reviewed by Steve Kochems

To say that this was a film I had high hopes for would certainly be a true statement, but I hadn’t anticpated it would also be a fairly smart film. What some might see as a loss in laughs, The Other Guys makes up for with solidifying characters and a concrete plot, two things lost by many films in this day and age (see Dinner for Schmucks).

The Other Guys follows two very real characters and wisely decides to not follow a common buddy cop trend, one misfit and one wild card. Instead, Terry (Mark Wahlberg) is an emotional train wreck disguised by a tough guy facade and Alan (Will Ferrell) is an action figure confined to a box but once he’s opened up runs wild a la Frank the Tank. When the two super cops of New York City (Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) have a tragic, and hilarious, accident, our two average Joe’s see their opening to become heroes.

Now, I certainly wouldn’t say that the film wasn’t funny. Walhberg and Ferrell are a great comedic team and the supporting cast works nicely, from Rob Riggle’s ball busting top cop to Michael Keaton’s Captain Gene, whose side job brought laughs to a slowing finale. For the average American, it may get too slow. To me, it’s a necessary drop that even the best buddy comedies go through to maintain a well structured film. That being said, it has noticeable sag in the middle.

The amount of mockery this film brings was certainly expected, but Director Adam McKay goes for all out by streamlining their investigation along with the moral center of the movie. This is really all brought back around at the end credits, which could come off as preachy but instead are more of a revelation that no one would’ve expected from the guys who last served up the shit-sandwich Step Brothers.

Overall, my expectations for this film may have been too high. What it lacks in huge laughs, it makes up for with a quality plot, theme, and characters that will have you kicking the chair in front of you when you are laughing. If it’s not a theatre must-see, I’m sure the DVD will be even better with gag reels and outtakes. Other Ferrell/McKay projects like Anchorman or Talladega Nights gave me a similar initial feel but grew with each viewing, so I’m going to learn from my mistakes and trust in a second time around.

3.5 out of 5 stars