The Other Guys

Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Rob Riggle, Damon Wayans, Jr., Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Anne Heche (uncredited), Lindsay Sloane
Directed by: Adam McKay
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Action
2010

Times Seen:
Tim: 1


Summary: Two New York cops (Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg) who have always played second fiddle get their shot when they investigate a web of corruption.

Review:

Tim: The Other Guys is an interesting film. When I first saw trailers for it, I thought it looked incredibly stupid. And then, over the course of months of seeing the same trailers over and over again, it grew on me and I thought it looked funnier and funnier. I was actually really looking forward to it. The movie isn't horrible, but it is closer to my original estimation of the film. That's too bad.

I like this film's intention- it was trying to be a very funny comedy that was perfectly blended with serious action sequences. While this has been done before, there's always room for a good action comedy. I was also interested to see Will Ferrell doing something different than his typical shtick. The movie actually does a pretty good job of this- the action scenes are quite well choreographed and are pretty exciting, and there are some very funny moments as well. Ferrell has a different movie here, and it's refreshing to see him doing something even slightly different. And yet, despite all this, the movie itself doesn't quite work as well as was hoped.

The big problem with this movie is that the story was fairly weak. It often seemed as if the writing was done purely to get our characters from one joke to another. The story never really comes across as believable or effective. It all seemed a bit silly and poorly thought out. The film's events were oftentimes confusing and mostly forgettable. The story is easily the weakest aspect of the film.

I liked the pairing of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. They made an unlikely duo (and reminded me a bit of Nick Nolte-Eddie Murphy in 48 Hrs.) and worked well together. I know Wahlberg felt a little uncomfortable as this is his first true starring comedic role, but he pulled it off quite well. I liked the back-and-forth between these two actors, although I have to admit their banter did occasionally get a bit tiresome. Still, they are the funniest part of the movie, and I really liked the casting. Ferrell is comfortable in this kind of film, and is mostly enjoyable in the role. It was nice seeing Wahlberg try something different, and I think he's good in these kinds of film. I hope he embraces more comedies in the future.

The supporting players are pretty good. I loved the casting of Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson as two super-cops. I do wish they had more screen time- they were scene stealers, and I wanted more time with them (or possibly a prequel featuring them?). It was such brilliant casting, and one of the best aspects of the film. Eva Mendes was good, but wasn't on screen long enough. I also liked seeing Michael Keaton here, but I wish his role was bigger.

I thought The Other Guys was a decent comedy. There are some very, very funny moments. However, there are also long stretches where the jokes just don't connect. I think this film was a very good attempt that falls short of its potential. It's a decent movie, but not a particularly good one.


Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



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