Weekend Buff

The Other Guys (2010)

The Other Guys           

What a week.  It was one of the most consequential 7 days in American politics.  An attempted assassination, the selection of a young and atypical vice-presidential candidate, and the selection of an old and atypical presidential candidate.  A major federal law enforcement agency has proven itself to be opaque and incompetently led. And the week isn’t over yet.  We are still waiting to see if the current president will bow to pressure to withdraw from the 2024 election, and possibly resign his presidency.  Oh, and all the computers crashed. 

If your internet is still functioning and you have any shred of sanity left, it’s time for a break.  A little brain candy comedy should do the trick.  How about The Other Guys with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.  This slapstick, rip-roaring comedy will give you a nice break from Trump, Biden, the fall of society, and your inflation stressed, zero-dollar bank account. 

The Other Guys is a buddy cop comedy/action movie that delivers some belly laughs along with a good bit of excitement.  Writer and director Adam McKay (Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers) hits the nail on the head with this NYPD detective story. 

Detective Allen Gamble (Ferrell) is a mild mannered and inept forensic accountant. Detective Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg) is a hard charging detective with some anger management issues and an itchy trigger finger. Although obviously outsized caricatures, we feel that we have worked with these guys before. 

Holtz accidentally shoots Derek Jeter in a dark and foreboding Yankee Stadium tunnel as The Captain is heading to take the field for the World Series (a bat’s a deadly weapon!).  His career over, he “gets put on the shelf” (to use an NYPD phrase) and gets teamed up with Gamble. 

The two are assigned to busy work to stay out of the way.  While investigating a scaffolding permit violation they stumble upon a deadly corporate fraud scheme.  Gamble and Hoitz dive into the case and hilarity ensues. 

Ferrell and Wahlberg are fantastic.  They are supported by an all-star cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Damon Wayans, and an unbelievably stunning Eva Mendes.  All are great. 

Surprisingly, the film does a good job of capturing the vibe of an NYPD squad room.  Obviously, some dark humor and serious ball breaking.  Requirements if you want to survive a police career. 

The duo determinedly stumble their way through the case, with Gamble’s analytics and Hoitz’s daring.  The pair are hysterical, providing a laugh a minute. 

The Other Guys runs an hour and 45 minutes.  You can catch it for free on Hulu or rent it for the usual $4.  You can’t go wrong with this film.  Take a couple of hours, put down the phone, and have some laughs.  Politics will still be there when you get done. 

On a side note, we met Mark Wahlberg at an event a few months after 9/11.  He was a complete gentleman.  “Great guy, loves cops” some might say.  He took the time to shake hands and take photos with all the cops at the event, telling the paparazzi that they should be taking pictures of NYPD officers instead of celebrities.  We appreciated it, thank you!

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