The moral of The Other Guys can be summed up by a line said by Captain Gene Mauch (played by the movie’s comedic dark horse, Michael Keaton):
You can stop shaking your dicks, this pissing war is over.
I may have misquoted, but the “memorable quotes” seciton on this movie’s IMDB page is not accessible. Nonethless, you get idea.
Actually, this really doesn’t have anything to do with the moral of the movie directed by Adam McKay (Anchorman, Talladega Nights). That is the line that has been echoing in my head all week (not to mention my Facebook statuses and tweets) – and that is a good thing. No – it is a great thing. You can just imagine the ovation I get when I walk into a room and say this.
But I digress…
The unlikely detective duo of Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) serve as the funny bone and overloaded adrenal gland of the movie. Allen, a smart dim-wit with a humming problem, is satisfied with doing desk work and his “normal-looking” hot wife (Eva Mendes). Terry, on the other hand, has an affinity for shark screensavers and is still trying to cope (angrily) with a one-sided shootout with Derek Jeter. Needless to say, Terry hates Allen, yet both of them remain loyal to each other as partners – one more than the other.
The combination is a recipe for blatant odd couple hilarity – Ferrell and Wahlberg give plenty of it, especially when they keep on trying to solve a case that isn’t theirs to solve. The movie is front loaded with tons of laughs and trying to let out as much as a chuckle towards the end gets exhausting. With a menagerie of feminine hygiene product-based Prius jokes and irreverent cop movie references, you will have a dim-witted smile pasted on your mug for the entire second half of the movie – but I ain’t complaining.
The movie is as funny as the trailer suggests. Wahlberg should be in demand for more comedies and Ferrell continues his reign as a 21st century clueless clown with awkward nuances. That said, it succeeds as one of the best buddy cop movies that we have seen in a while (sorry Cop Out). Perhaps a sequel is on the horizon. Again, it’s something I wouldn’t mind.
Ferrell and Wahlberg could have possibly re-awakened this cop genre. If anything, it may have set a new standard for the by-the-book good cop/crazy-ass bad cop formula. That said, here are some of the best cop duos in film and TV that The Other Guys can join:
Lethal Weapon: How could I not mention Riggs and Murtaugh? They are one of the best cop duos ever. Plus, it was before Mel was so…Mel.
Bad Boys: Martin Lawrence and Will Smith gave this cop franchise longevity and they gave us Mike LAAAWWWry.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: Some of the best writing in a noir-ish detective comedy. Plus, Robert Downey Jr. is in it. And Val Kilmer plays a gay detective. And it’s just damn funny.
CHiPs: Ponch and Jon showed the importance patrolling the highways of California with flowy locks.
Follow the jump for more…
Training Day: Sure, it’s not a comedy, but I am just scared of what Denzel Washington would do if I didn’t put this on the list.
Hot Fuzz: A Brit comedy starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost is always fun. Mix in some police officer action and you got yourself some good stuff.
Cagney and Lacey: Because matronly-dressed women can handle detective work too.
Double Impact: Question: Who would be the best partner for Jean-Claude Van Damme? Answer: Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Rush Hour: Even though it has turned into a cliché of a movie, it remains in the cop comedy zeitgeist. Do you understand why? Do you? Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth?
Stop or My Mom Will Shoot: The title alone is epic.
Are there any other pop culture cop duos that can be added to this list?
- Excited
- Fascinated
- Amused
- Bored
- Sad
- Angry
