Filed under: Reviews
With a cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Damon Wayans Jr., Rob Riggle, and Michael Keaton, how does action, comedy, and romance work in one film?
Well, leave up to comedic director Adam McKay and screenwriter Chris Henchy to make 'The Other Guys' a fun, laughable comedy caper. Where 'Cop Out' failed to bring folks to laugh out loud, this ensemble brought out the barrel of jokes to keep audiences entertained for the ride.
Ferrell and Wahlberg play bumbling NYPD detective partners Gamble and Holtz who don't get along. Holtz wants to get back in on major cases after being demoted for mistakenly shooting New York Yankees player Derek Jeter while on duty at the stadium. Gamble is a straight-by-the-books former accountant who stays by his desk doing paperwork than carry a gun and get in the field.
When superstar detectives (played by Jackson and Johnson) are no longer a factor in making the big busts, it's up to Gamble and Holtz, with competition coming from rival colleagues (played by Riggle and Wayans Jr.), to step up to the plate and stop being 'the other guys.'
Meanwhile, Holtz can't get over the fact that Gamble is married to someone (played by Mendes) who's as beautiful as any model he's ever seen and treats her like a doormat.
In a case that involves financial investors (played by Anne Heche and Steve Coogan), Gamble and Holtz seem to hit roadblocks, and their captain (played by Keaton) doesn't do much to help things along.
Jackson and Johnson set the tone for the film, providing enough comic relief in their brief cameos for the rest of the cast to keep the laugh meter constant throughout the film.
Wahlberg, who was amazingly funny in 'Date Night' with Tina Fey and Steve Carell, brings the same wit to this film and with Ferrell to compliment him, the film is better than your average buddy comedies.
The chemistry between Ferrell and Mckay after working together on 'Step Brothers ,' 'Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,' and 'Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,' is so great, that Ferrell knows how to be step back a notch and let others make their mark in the film by bringing their own gags to the mix.