The Other Guys

I don't normally write reviews but after reading some of the awful reviews some people wrote about this film I had to come to its defence.

This film had me laughing from start to finish. If you like the silliness of Will Ferrell films or the humour in Ted then you will love this film. The comedy can be played very deadpan despite the surrealness (is that a word) of the situation. The comic timing is great and the chemistry between all the main characters is excellent. When I saw this film only had a 6.7 IMDb rating I was a little reluctant to watch it but I saw the trailer and that drew me in. I didn't regret it.

If you want some great laughs, watch this film.

I tend to have mixed feelings about Will Ferrell films. Ferrell is a likable guy and plays likable characters, but often his films feel a little too much like extended Saturday Night Live sketches; even if they're funny, they just don't have that much to them.

But I love The Other Guys. The premise is unexceptional, a mismatched buddy movie about two undistinguished cops who stumble into a big case, but the movie is wildly funny.

One of the things I love about this movie is how everyone plays it straight. Ferrell is almost as low key here as a cop-accountant as he was in Stranger Than Fiction, and while the movie is often extremely silly, no one in it ever gives a hint that they know it (although Ferrell has a few over-the-top moments that have that SNL cartoonish feel to them that I could have done without). Wahlberg doesn't act like he's making a cop movie parody, he acts like he's making a cop movie. There is a certain odd realism in moments where the heroes pull off something clever or dazzling and take a moment to be impressed with themselves.

Mainly though, this movie is just really, really funny. I could not stop laughing.

OK first off I will say that the story was just OK. But that usually happens in comedies. So you have to rely more on the film trying to make the viewer laugh. If you are a fan of Will Ferrell's comedy and Mark Wahlberg, then you will pretty much laugh throughout the film. Ferrell really gets to act like himself in this film. I mean he is playing a character, but he gets to use his typical humor. Wahlberg plays a really angry cop and some of the things that come out of his mouth will really get you laughing. I actually laughed more at Wahlberg than Ferrell. Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson are in the film a bit as the head cops; like a newer Starsky and Hutch. They were entertaining. Eva Mendes plays Ferrell's wife and she is actually entertaining. Then the chief of the police station is played by Michael Keaton. Throughout the movie he kept quoting from the group TLC. He was actually also pretty funny. You will find yourself laughing a lot throughout the film. But there are some parts where they do try to be serious and most of the time it can be a turn off in a good comedy. There are some great one liners and scenes that will stick in your mind. So a pretty good comedy and I will end by saying, I want to see Mark Mahlberg do more comedic roles, because he is pretty good in them.

Really good watch, will watch again, and can recommend.

This is weird proof that Will Ferrell can do (some level) of action, and (as always) he's hilarious alongside Mark Wahlberg (see also "Daddy's Home").

To me, this is a testament of how good Will Ferrell is, not only can he elevate a bad premise (it just wasn't that strong), but he can elevate another actor (not saying Mark Wahlberg is bad, he's just not Will Ferrell).

With the on screen chemistry, a slew of supporting actors, including Michael Keaton, and some actually good action scenes, the onslaught of comedy sugar definitely helps any of the weaker jokes go down.

While I think the weak point is the villains: its a very bland "greedy millionaire business" trope, but even they get some good jokes in.

The movie is funny to start and rolls along nicely but quickly loses all steam and finishes quite weak. Having every single character be an off center borderline nutjob loses something without any straight men to set them up or play off of. Mark Wahlberg played the straight man part well for the first half of the movie but turns as loony as everyone else before it's over. A few laugh out loud moments save the entire experience but it really could've and should've been a better film in general and certainly funnier across the board.

Not nearly as bad as Step Brothers but not half as good as Anchorman. Probably Semi-Pro and Jackie Moon levels here.