Indiscrétion assurée

Six years after the first "Stakeout" (1987), cameras catch detectives Richard Dreyfuss (as Chris Lecce) and Emilio Estevez (as Bill Reimers) on another mission. It's nowhere near as good as the first. The format is similar. We begin with an action-packed opening. In Las Vegas, mobsters want to kill Cathy Moriarty (as Luella "Lu" Delano) because she's going to testify against them. This leads to the explosion of what appears to be a small town. Police search the rubble, but can't find Ms. Moriarty...

They think the missing woman is going to contact a couple - Dennis Farina and Marcia Strassman (as Brian and Pam O'Hara) - so Mr. Dreyfuss and Mr. Estevez are recruited to pose as neighbors...

Madeline Stowe (as Maria), from the first film, appears only sporadically and her chemistry with Dreyfuss is gone. The crime and criminals being investigated are confusing. To make the ruse more realistic, assistant district attorney Rosie O'Donnell (as Gina Garrett) is added to the mix. Accompanied by her rottweiler "Archie", Ms. O'Donnell pretends to be Dreyfuss' second wife and Estevez' step-mother. It's a funny situation, providing this sequel with a little freshness. Otherwise, the story is stale.

***** Another Stakeout (7/23/93) John Badham ~ Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio Estevez, Rosie O'Donnell, Dennis Farina

Having just seen "Another Stakeout" for the first time since 1995, I decided to check out the online info about the locations that were used in the movie and, so far, haven't seen any credit given for the island off the BC coast where most of the filming was done. It was filmed on beautiful Bowen Island, a 15 minute ferry trip from Horseshoe Bay, just to the northwest of Vancouver. The initial scenes involving driving off the ferry were done in Snug Cove (they substituted the name 'Bainbridge Island'), and most of the exterior and interior shots were on the south side of the island in an area called Fairweather where, as you saw or will see in the film, the homes are gorgeous and perfectly suited for the plot (however meager you thought it to be). I've seen a number of comments about the filming having been done on an island in Puget Sound. A lot was shot in Seattle, but the majority was on Bowen Island - I should know - I was living there at the time. Just thought I'd set the record straight. (You can see the homes used for filming clearly on Google Earth, if you're interested.)

Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez are back on stakeout duty, six years after the original 80's classic "Stakeout" This time though the magic is missing for what I believe is two core reasons.

The first is, this movie does not focus on the natural chemistry between Dreyfuss and Estevez that made the first movie so enjoyable. instead they are teamed up with Rosie O'Donnell. The introduction of Joe Pesci in "Lethal Weapon 2" was great because he thereby became the Third Stooge, and the trio worked well. Unfortunately Estevez is pretty much relegated to supporting character and it becomes the Dreyfuss & O'Donnell show. I'm not saying it is O'Donnell's fault she is OK, and does the best with what she has.

I mention "Lethal Weapon" because the first movie in that franchise was released the same year as "Stakeout" and it's sequel followed two years later. If this movie was made two years after the original, we would have gotten a movie more in tone with the gritty at times, yet funny original. As it is we get a watered down PG version. And that I believe is the second problem.

The first movie had violence, language, nudity, and humour. This has O'Donnell and her naughty dog chasing cats. I'm not saying a movie has to be rated R to be funny. But if you've got a sequel to a classic buddy cop movie coming six years later, you need to get it right. Sadly they don't. If they went down the "Lethal Weapon" route (They dumbed down the third one, but not to this extent) I believe Stakeout could have been a Franchise, unfortunately we, got a great 80's movie, and a disappointing sequel.

If it's on TV on an lazy afternoon, it's worth a watch, but that's about it.

I watched the original Stakeout many times when I was 12 years old. I was 13 by the time the sequel hit the cinemas. I saw it at the now demolished UCI Cinema at Kinnaird Park in early 1994. The fact that it was a PG compared to the R-rated original didn't bother me (I wouldn't have been able to see it otherwise).

Chris and Bill are back, joined by then-closeted Rosie O'Donnell and her big dog. A mob witness may or may not visit old friends for protection on the beautiful Pacific-Northwestern Bainbridge Island. Our heroes are in the house opposite and their sit-and-wait chore is all the more difficult by their new third-wheel partner. The chemistry between Dreyfuss and Estevez is still perfect, and you really get the sense that these guys work together very well. Shame they don't have a lot to do.

The only big fault with Another Stakeout is that all of the action happens at the very beginning and very end, leaving a massive chunk in the middle for bumbling and low-brow amusement. It works, but it feels very underwhelming when compared to the original. For a belated, throw-away sequel it has a surprising amount of continuity with the first film, normally you don't get that. Stylistically however, this is completely different. Where Stakeout was dark, gritty, and rugged Another Stakeout is glossy with high-key anamorphic Panavision photography. Since the rating was lowered I guess it made sense to change the look of the film.

Another Stakeout languishes in a weird gray area. It's more than above average, but never really achieves any kind of greatness, and for that reason I have to rate it lower than the first.

Touchstone licensed the rights for the film to Mill Creek for release on Blu Ray and it's a big step-up from the DVD in terms of AV quality, this time presenting it in the correct 2.35:1 aspect ratio in lovely 1080p. The end credits claim the film was merely in 'Dolby Stereo in Selected Theatres' and the DTS HD-MA 2.0 soundtrack works just fine. There are no extras whatsoever, and the production design of the Blu Ray and the package is really quite poor. But what do you expect for a budget title? At least it doesn't come in a horrible eco-case.

Before we get started, a little caveat for the reader: this may not be the easiest film to find. Your standard video rental outlets will be hit or miss, as well as libraries. Your best bet will be an online rental service or a strong and fervent prayer. But if you ask me, it is worth it. You may also be scratching your head at the biographical information above. Why should you care about a 1993 sequel to a forgettable buddy cop flick?

Simple. It is a great film. Not only has it obviously influenced many contemporary films, but it also trumps these films on a variety of levels. Allow me to elaborate…

Prior to Another Stakeout, John Badham made a handful a good films (Wargames, Short Circuit). Shortly thereafter he helmed an unfortunate number of Hollywood films (American Flyers, Point of No Return) that may be considered guilty pleasures at best. He was also called upon by fellow director Peter Jackson to head up the second unit on all three Lord of the Rings films but declined. So what is the point of this little history lesson? Hollywood kills good directors (John Woo and Sam Raimi, prime examples).

But, I digress. Despite the a lackluster couple of decades, John Badham does have a grand if only marginally well known legacy in Another Stakeout. Science fiction and horror fans will recognize and appreciate the premise; Detective Chris Lecce (Richard Dreyfuss) wakes up one day, goes through the motions like any and every other day, and slowly realizes that he is, inexplicably, on another stakeout. The scenario plays out basically as is expected but it is the manner of the presentation and plotting that make it remarkable.

The film ultimately has only three characters, whose dynamic, touches on Alfred Hitchcock and Shakespeare without any pretense. Chris' subtle and deliberate decline into the reality of his new position in the world leads to him swinging from disbelief to depression to mania to megalomania to acceptance and back to disbelief. The storytelling and character interaction allow for empathy without distraction and the science fiction elements are beautifully woven into the fabric of the drama so that the one doesn't overshadow the other.

There are several mysteries involved in the story that are revealed with wonderful precision by the director through a series of well placed flashbacks and the subtlety of mood and movement, but you'll have to find the film and watch it to understand the full glory.

This is not a flashy film. It is however a master stroke. It is unfortunate that this film has all but vanished into obscurity, along with its director but they both still exist and there's always a second wind. Always.