When The Other Guys hit the theaters, I thought it looked pretty funny. I have liked most of what Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg have done in their film careers thus far. The film also boasts a laundry list of great stars: Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, as well as the attractive Eva Mendes.
My like or dislike for a movie directly corresponds to whether or not it keeps my interest enough to keep me from falling asleep. I started watching this movie at around 9:30 pm last night, definitely not late for me. I would say I was asleep by 10:30 pm. Not too promising. I finished watching the movie this morning, and here are my observations:
It seems like with all the star power in this film, there was a lot of potential for hilarity to ensue. This was not the case. Although the film did have several funny moments, and many catchphrases (pimps don't cry) and on-liners that may be memorable, the film fell flat in its delivery. The dialog seemed forced. Not a good trait for a comedy. It seemed very much like the actors were trying so hard to make it funny. You can almost see it. When delivering lines, you could actually tell that what you were hearing was meant to be funny. For the most part, the humor did not register.
The film focuses on the antics of two disgraced New York City cops Allen Gamble (Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg) that have been funneled into jobs as paper pushers at their local precinct. The two characters hate each other, and are forced to look past their differences when they take on a high-profile investigation as partners.
The film was directed by Adam McKay, who prior to film directing was known primarily for his comedy writing for several Saturday Night Live sketches, as well as for creating several comedy shorts on the website Funny Or Die. He also wrote and directed a pair of Will Ferrell's previous films: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, both of which I thought were pretty funny.
This movie wasn't horrible. If I had to sum it up, I would say it was a mediocre letdown. It could have been much better. My favorite part of the film is the characters that Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson play, and they are only in the first 30 minutes or so of the movie.
My recommendation is, when it hits Netflix streaming or cable, go ahead and give it a watch. I would recommend saving your rental and purchasing dollars for better movies.
My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars
