The Other Guys is a buddy cop movie that puts two actors who you never thought would share the screen together to create comedy gold. The movie co-written and directed by Adam McKay (who has directed Will Ferrell in Step Brothers, Talladega Nights and Anchorman) teams with Ferrell once again and with Mark Wahlberg, who gave us a taste of his comedy earlier this year in Date Night. These two guys have great chemistry and hilarious back-and-forth conversations. The dialogue/improv is the real treasure in this movie.
NYPD Detectives Danson (Dwayne Johnson) and Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson) are the baddest cops on the streets. Raising hell and causing destruction while capturing the bad guys is what they are all about. When it comes to being a detective, they do not get any bigger or better than Danson and Highsmith and they know it. Then there are the guys who sit behind the desk and fill out paper work. This is exactly what Allen Gamble (Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg) do. They are detectives but they certainly do not look like it.
Detective Gamble is a forensic accountant who really enjoys what he does. While most people see paper work as a waste of time, he views it as a valuable part of law and order. Unlike Gamble, his partner Hoitz itches to be back in action and a part of the excitement. But after an accidental shooting, he has been locked up inside and is waiting for another opportunity to be the detective he knows he can be. After a tragic incident, Gamble and Hoitz get that chance and have to step up and stop being the other guys and become the guys.
This movie is one of the best comedies of the year for sure. This is one of Ferrell’s best. He is not outrageous or over the top like he has been in his other roles. It is a subtle, controlled performance and it goes so well with his character. Wahlberg plays the tough guy still, but really lets loose as Hoitz. Ferrell and Wahlberg work well off each other and set each other up for every joke. They are all executed quite nicely.
The plot is thin and gets kind of crazy. It involves a white collar crime that could ruin the financial status of New York City. The movie does poke fun at our economic situation and the bailouts, but it keeps the material relevant.
Ultimately, The Other Guys is about the laughs and those will occur throughout the movie. There is a great supporting cast including Eva Mendes as Ferrell’s wife and Michael Keaton as Ferrell and Wahlberg’s boss, and I must say Keaton has great comedic timing. There are more than a couple of scenes in which he steals the show.
The movie is funny and its humor is constant and consistent. It mixes action with verbal and physical comedy. Every person plays it serious in the movie. No matter how ridiculous things appear to be, the actors keep it grounded with a straight face. That includes the action scenes in which the bad guys are shooting who knows how many bullets, but never seem to hit the good guys.
The Other Guys is a movie in which the action is exciting and the comedy hits every note. Every cast member is given a chance to provide some laughs, which makes the movie that much better. After the disappointing Blades of Glory and the box-office bomb Land of the Lost (which I personally enjoyed), Will Ferrell is back with the help of Mark Wahlberg. These guys seem so different, which makes The Other Guys so good.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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