Feds (1988) User Reviews

The quest to be G women

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 20 October 2019]

In a way Feds is something of a historic film. Because back in the day there ain't no way J. Edgar Hoover would have allowed his men to have been satirized. They had been used as villains before now someone is poking fun.

Rebecca DeMornay and Mary Gross are a pair of female applicants and they're told up front they are a pair of affirmative action specials. No one expects them to last 16 weeks.

Both women complement each other. Gross is an academic wizard who is a klutz with the physical stuff. DeMornay is a Navy WAVE who is a match for her male counterparts but lacks the education. They are always looking to impress the brass.

The film is compared to police academy movies, but it is hardly as outrageous as that series. No outlandish or colorful characters are spawned from this movie as in Police Academy.

Still though it has lots of laughs and good entertainment value.

Satisfyingly Hilarious

[rebecca-20 · 7 February 2000]

I love this movie. I own this movie. I watch this movie whenever I need a quick pick-me-up. Rebecca DeMornay and Mary Gross play off of each other so well (Rebecca's the "straight-man" and Mary's the comic relief.) The girls are trainees in the FBI Academy--chosen because of their gender rather than their skills. Ellie (Rebecca)is the ex-marine who has no trouble with the physical requirements but can't do the academics. Janice (Mary) is the multi-degreed academic standout who can't pass the physical tests. Teamed up as roommates, they are forced to work together so both can realize the dream of becoming a Special Agent. Good clean fun for the whole family. Enjoy!

Not Even Funny!

[Fred-333 · 1/10 · 4 November 2001]

Leonard Maltin has this movie perfectly pegged with his 1/2 point rating. Rebecca De Mornay and Fred Thompson are much too good to be associated with a film of this caliber, which did not even come close to being anything comparable to a "Police Academy". Just to even watch the whole film tells you that I certainly did not have anything better to do.

DeMornay is beautiful. What else is needed?

[PredragReviews · 7/10 · 10 May 2016]

A great action film, but not as clever as the first film and not as tightly put together as the second. It lost its way a couple of times and I was left feeling that of the first three films, strangely this was seemed the most outdated. Still a good yarn and never boring. "Feds" was refreshing in the sense that it's a "female buddy" cop movie that didn't have to depend on vulgarity or sexuality to be entertaining unlike its modern counterpart "The Heat". Yes, both women have a crush on their respective male equivalents, but the movie didn't dwell on it so it didn't resort to being a rom-com either, which typically happens these days. Overall they just help each other become more competitive against their fellow classmates, there's no trickery involved, no toilet humor, no crudeness, and really no male-bashing either - the brainy Janis helps Marine Ellie become a better test taker and Ellie gives tips to Janis on how to pass the physical requirements. Good clean fun. I would've been satisfied if the jerks failed but oh well, good ending nonetheless.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

It makes me laugh !!!

[steed-5 · 8/10 · 2 December 2001]

It may not win any awards as one of the all time greats. However it is a fun movie to watch. Sometimes you don't want a movie that you have to think about. Like I said it makes me laugh!

An enduring favorite

[jlgille · 10/10 · 14 May 2008]

Hopefully Feds will be brought to DVD!

Feds is a unique "buddy" comedy. Two women are admitted to the FBI academy on the assumption that they will fail. Academically weak and physically strong Ellie pairs up with academically strong and physically weak Janice for mutual aid. Both have plenty of moxie and come up with unique solutions for overcoming roadblocks.

Casting Rebecca DeMornay as Ellie was genius; soft-spoken Mary Gross is exactly right as Janice. It's refreshing to see two women in these kinds of roles. Has one of the best funny bar-seduction scenes ever. Fred Thompson is the perfect FBI director Bilecki, with a hard-guy manner and that warm southern accent.

Family-friendly despite the bar scene.

Not too brainy, but fun

[Hessian499 · 10 June 2002]

Feds is not a cerebral type of film by any standard, but is still a lot of fun to watch. The two female agents in training complement each other well - one is in great physical shape but not the studying type, the other is a bookworm with no athletic skills, and they end up helping each other through training. Despite the possible premise, this film does not come across as a vehicle for feminism or political correctness; the male agents are not portrayed as bumbling or dumb, and the two women are by no means the perfect trainees, and in fact they realize they were signed up just because the FBI needed some female trainees. Though the plot may have some holes and it's obvious it was filmed no where near Washington, it's a funny movie and worth seeing.

We really can rest at night knowing comedy is safe with Mary Gross

[LeeDRothstein · 9/10 · 5 June 2003]

This is one of my five favorite comedy movies.

Mary Gross gives an inspired and hilarious performance as the nerdy, neophyte, near-Fed.

Rebecca De Mornay is perfect as the straight foil for Mary, and Fred Thompson did a much better job of impersonating an FBI instructor than he ever did at impersonating a Senator.

Tony Longo as the sailor in the bar was also outstanding.

It also had a great beat, and was easy to dance to. I give it an 80, Dick.

This is how comedies should be

[xenazues · 9/10 · 17 April 2017]

I normally don't out any 10's in movie's. I think the godfather maybe got a 10 from me. And i think thats the best movie of all time. But that is the godfather. There were plenty of movies about the Italian mob that was out. There is nothing like this movie period. You check the trivia for this movie and it credits policy academy with being the start of these so called rookie training police force comedy's. I can see that but it quickly is not the same.

Don't get me wrong rebecca D isn't even in the same league as beauty as kim catrall was in the 80's. I don't care how good kim's acting was, she was fine. But with that said rebecca also showed some toughness in this movie which is more like comedy.

Now the real killer her is the brunette. She killed it. When I first watched this in 1988 all I heard was about rebecca cause she was a star then. But the brunette really made this movie funny. Every scene she was in she delivered with precision from when they were trying on the dress told her "the only visit you are going to get is from the fashion police" to the part where rebecca's character said she failed a bunch of times and she told her "maybe you can write a book on it".

It is much harder playing a nerd, then acting tough. I have never seen any woman pull off that role and make me like her as a person. Nor was she funny.

Also to this was sort of an action comedy. If you watch movies like commando its action move turned into comedy from one liners. In this movie its just an comedy movie with some action.

And the most important thing about this movie. There is women wanting to move forward in life and nobody is making men look stupid, or has to make anybody else look bad to portray women as people who can hold a job. You don't have to down others to achieve success. Sure she had to put a few men face to ground. But that is only after they were laughing at her, and it made you feel like "hey they deserved it"

I'm so proud of the director for not trying to get a womans point of view on this. She just stuck to the topic of comedy and she actually mixed in action. Thats where I feel it differs from all the other police training movies. The action in those movies sucks. We have two women propelling from a building breaking out tear gas canisters, forging signatures of FBI agents? Need I say more, thats some mission impossible stuff right there. And they did with a smile and were funny.

There is also a bar seen where shes trying to take home a sailor after slamming down many tequila shots. And no, the guy didn't take her home and sleep with her. No it doesn't make her seem victimized. It was just your typical woman I had too much to drink talking a lot and going home by herself cause her friend saved her and the guy typically as like "i'm good". Which usually is what always happens. But movies makes it seem like women are victims and every guy is out to bang every woman and not the other way around. Its okay Hollywood to show women as people who can make mistakes and make up their own mind and go own with their lives without accusing anybody else of anything.

To all who said this movie was a waste of time. you are wrong. You can't and wont find a movie which is about 2 women getting ahead in life beating the odds which is funnier and has more action. And you wont find a better actor who played her part than the brunette.

I Love this movie!!

[PsyDtoBe · 9/10 · 10 November 2005]

Affirmative action says there have to be female cadets. Nobody says that the old boys network has to like it.

Mary Gross is a perfectionist with more degrees than a thermometer. However, she's the proverbial 98 lb. weakling. Rebecca DeMornay took a couple of classes at a community college, however, she just got out of the Marine Corps and can kick the butt of anything or anyone that crosses her. Together, they're the ultimate agent, however, they've got to pass separately.

The things they get into, the mistakes they make and the things they do spectacularly (and sometimes accidentally) right will keep you laughing and cheering to the end. Mary Gross getting beyond drunk and coming onto a sailor in a bar is worth it by itself.

Favourite movie

[rroy12 · 9/10 · 7 May 2005]

Feds is great! So much humour and wit mixed with butt-kicking.

The movie really is empowering for any woman who works in a male-dominated field. They really do show many of the guys how to do the job right.

There is also a great showing of support for each other that really helps make the difference.

I wish they would release it to DVD. VHS is really a sad medium for film now. I want to add Feds to my DVD collection.

If you haven't seen Feds, do yourself a favour and rent it if you still own a VCR.