I'm disappointed to see that this film still hasn't garnered the attnention it deserves. Even back when it came out it did so pretty quietly and was thus buried under other big budget flicks. Rarely though does a comedy keep you entertained and laughing throughout pretty much the entire film. Most comedies try and fail, or take breaks from the humor with someone else to preserve material. But Ferrell and Wahlberg play off of eachother perfectly in this film and have real chemistry to keep the film quality high. This is also one of the mostquotable films ever. 9 years later and my dad and I still shoot off a "I'm a peacock captain, you gotta let me fly", or a "if I were a lion and you were a tuna I'd swim out to the middle of the ocean and freakin eat you" every once in a short while. I definitely recommend this movie for fans of comedy
481 Reviews
Great ridiculousness
SnoopyStyle28 September 2014
P.K. Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson) and Christopher Danson (Dwayne Johnson) are the best action hero rock star cops in the NYPD. They get into outlandish chases for nothing arrests. Everybody loves them. Martin (Rob Riggle) and Fosse (Damon Wayans Jr.) are the jokers. Captain Gene Mauch (Michael Keaton) is in charge. Then there are the Other Guys. Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) is a naive paper pusher. His partner Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) is still trying to make up for shooting Derek Jeter. Gamble is eager to do paperwork for the heroes and Hoitz hates him for it. Highsmith and Danson finally kill themselves stupidly in a chase. Everybody wants to be the next hero cops. Hoitz forces Gamble to take on a high profile case. David Ershon (Steve Coogan) is an investment banker who lost $32 billion of Pamela Boardman (Anne Heche)'s fund. She demands that he replace the losses and he tries to go on the run. Gamble arrests Ershon on a scaffolding permit violation but a professional team takes him. On the personal side, Hoitz can't believe that Gamble is married to Sheila (Eva Mendes).
I would have loved a buddy cop movie with Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson. This is just as good in a completely different way. Ferrell is hilarious and Wahlberg is the perfect angry foil. The fighting partners have great chemistry. The angrier Wahlberg gets, the funnier the movie gets. Adam McKay has a great sense of the ridiculous. The story is stupid. The setups are insane. The dialog is hilarious. There are some gut busting laughs.
I would have loved a buddy cop movie with Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson. This is just as good in a completely different way. Ferrell is hilarious and Wahlberg is the perfect angry foil. The fighting partners have great chemistry. The angrier Wahlberg gets, the funnier the movie gets. Adam McKay has a great sense of the ridiculous. The story is stupid. The setups are insane. The dialog is hilarious. There are some gut busting laughs.
A hidden gem !
hkritikos200428 December 2015
A hidden gem ! Thats what I think about this movie while this is definitely not a 6,6/10 movie ! I have seen it many times and I can say that it gets better and better every time . Will Ferrell & Mark Wahlberg seemed to be a great duo with Michael Keaton as a surprise ! All of those 3 as main characters worked great in their roles giving as a result great laughs ! Michael Keaton was a blast in a role that reminded me a bit of " Mr. Mom " 30 years later .
This film served as great entertainment with its colorful cast and plot twists, while the plot was as good as it can get for this kind of comedy . After watching it for the first time years ago I hoped for a part 2 as the end of it could easily give birth a second part. I hope even after all those years a part 2 will take place so we could see all these great actors once again all together !
Overall, this is a great movie with a mix of a ton of laughs and some action all rolled into one. If you're looking for a pick-me-up or to laugh hysterically, this is undoubtedly the movie for you.
This film served as great entertainment with its colorful cast and plot twists, while the plot was as good as it can get for this kind of comedy . After watching it for the first time years ago I hoped for a part 2 as the end of it could easily give birth a second part. I hope even after all those years a part 2 will take place so we could see all these great actors once again all together !
Overall, this is a great movie with a mix of a ton of laughs and some action all rolled into one. If you're looking for a pick-me-up or to laugh hysterically, this is undoubtedly the movie for you.
An action spoof that hits most of its targets (if not all). Ferrell and Wahlberg are hilarious
dvc515915 October 2010
Will Ferrell is back since the disappointing "Land of the Lost"! Who knew Mark Wahlberg could be genuinely hilarious? "The Other Guys" is the latest comedy to poke fun at the buddy cop genre, but this one is one of the best because the actors and director knew what they were doing.
Ferrell and Wahlberg have terrific chemistry and both of them have perfect comedic timing. But let's not forget the other supporting actors (too many to list here), as all of them have some memorable and quotable lines.
The jokes weave through slapstick and crude territory, while not being overly vulgar and overdone. The story is actually pretty engaging, as it is a genuine cop mystery at its core, but it is used as a vehicle for all the jokes to come in. And the jokes kept coming and had the entire audience laughing as well, this one the loudest compared to the previous Steve Carell entries "Date Night" and "Dinner For Schmucks". Sorry Steve, this year Will and Mark stole the audience.
Having said that, the production design, cinematography, editing, stunts/special effects are good, and the direction by Adam McKay is lighthearted and brisk. McKay is seriously becoming a big name in comedy film directors, and here is another memorable feather in his cap.
Overall, if you are in need of a laugh, see this movie A.S.A.P. This one is one of the funniest movies in years, and that's being honest.
Overall rating: 73/10
Ferrell and Wahlberg have terrific chemistry and both of them have perfect comedic timing. But let's not forget the other supporting actors (too many to list here), as all of them have some memorable and quotable lines.
The jokes weave through slapstick and crude territory, while not being overly vulgar and overdone. The story is actually pretty engaging, as it is a genuine cop mystery at its core, but it is used as a vehicle for all the jokes to come in. And the jokes kept coming and had the entire audience laughing as well, this one the loudest compared to the previous Steve Carell entries "Date Night" and "Dinner For Schmucks". Sorry Steve, this year Will and Mark stole the audience.
Having said that, the production design, cinematography, editing, stunts/special effects are good, and the direction by Adam McKay is lighthearted and brisk. McKay is seriously becoming a big name in comedy film directors, and here is another memorable feather in his cap.
Overall, if you are in need of a laugh, see this movie A.S.A.P. This one is one of the funniest movies in years, and that's being honest.
Overall rating: 73/10
Wahlberg - The angry cop
chelano13 August 2010
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.
I couldn't stop laughing
Clarets20165 June 2016
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.
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.
Funny start but fades fast
sidfargas19 August 2010
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.
Not nearly as bad as Step Brothers but not half as good as Anchorman. Probably Semi-Pro and Jackie Moon levels here.
Brilliant Movie - Gets Boring, But Still Brilliant
markborfes24 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Honestly, I came to this movie expecting A LOT. I got more than I expected in the first half of the movie, honestly, Wahlberg and Ferrell did extremely well in that half. Ferrell especially made me laugh hysterically, while Wahlberg was averagely good. Just that half of the movie makes it very good. It explained everything well, made me laugh so much and had funny and interesting twists and turns.
The second half (rather, the fourth quarter) is kind of boring. As soon as Ferrell loses his "loser" personality introduced in the first half, it becomes average funny but nothing interesting in it more than a Comedy flick - like "Burn After Reading", although the comedy was not bad, it wasn't enough.
Here's my final word: Watch it. You will love it and the movie will stick in your head for a lot of time. I liked it, many people liked it. But beware, at the last quarter of the movie, it gets kinda boring. With all that said, the finale was hilarious as well as the credits.
The second half (rather, the fourth quarter) is kind of boring. As soon as Ferrell loses his "loser" personality introduced in the first half, it becomes average funny but nothing interesting in it more than a Comedy flick - like "Burn After Reading", although the comedy was not bad, it wasn't enough.
Here's my final word: Watch it. You will love it and the movie will stick in your head for a lot of time. I liked it, many people liked it. But beware, at the last quarter of the movie, it gets kinda boring. With all that said, the finale was hilarious as well as the credits.
The Other Guys: An Excellent Action Comedy and Satire
monkeysgalore29 October 2018
I have to say, I did not expect this film to be as good as it was. Another great addition to the buddy cop genre, as well as a satire of it, this film has huge laughs, and good action sequences. I really can not for the life of me understand why this movie catches so much hate as I've seen in other reviews here. Yes, there are some weak points, as with any movie, but the good HEAVILY overshadows the bad.
Will Ferrel and Mark Wahlberg star as Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz, two under-achieving New York cops who, along with everyone else on the force, live in the shadow of the two super-cops, Christopher Danson (Dwayne Johnson) and P.K. Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson). When an unexpected turn of events puts Danson and Highsmith out of commission, Allen and Terry decide to step up and take on an investigation of their own, leading to a tangle with foreign operatives, and an arrogant billionaire.
The Other Guys knows what it wants to be, and it achieves its goal in spades. People should know what they're getting into with this, as it delivers exactly what it advertises; a spoof of the 'buddy cop' genre, and a fast-paced action comedy for anyone to enjoy.
I don't understand how a lot of people cannot find anything in this movie funny. From start to finish, I found it hilarious, and laughed out loud several times. There's just as much smart humor and witty interplay between characters as there is random, often weird humor that is present in many of Ferrel's films, and the writing manages to balance the smart humor and the random, sometimes dumb humor very well. There are definitely some loud, sometimes obnoxious moments, such as Ferrel's occasional outbursts, and his 'Gator' emotional episodes, especially the "Pimps Don't Cry" music number, but aside from those small instances, I really had a ball watching this.
The movie starts, and ends, with action, and in between are a bunch of great moments. There's an intense opening car chase, a parking lot fight scene, an office building shootout, and an intense-action-packed final car chase and standoff that I really enjoyed, especially considering the tone of the film. I think it's important to note that even though this film is, at heart, a comedy, the action remains serious, and it's never really slapstick or funny. The first and last car chases were especially entertaining, and they felt very "Bad Boys"-ish.
Ferrel and Wahlberg have great chemistry, and their constant bickering and clashing of personalities really is consistently funny. They both throw themselves into their roles, and their dedication made this movie that much more fun. Ferrell is hilarious, time and again proving himself as one of the best comedy actors out there (you can't help but laugh just by looking at him), and Wahlberg is one of my favorite actors, so it was a joy to watch them together. Michael Keaton also delivered a hilarious, underrated performance, so props to him.
Overall, I highly, highly recommend it, to both fans of the genre, and fans of the actors. 10/10.
Will Ferrel and Mark Wahlberg star as Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz, two under-achieving New York cops who, along with everyone else on the force, live in the shadow of the two super-cops, Christopher Danson (Dwayne Johnson) and P.K. Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson). When an unexpected turn of events puts Danson and Highsmith out of commission, Allen and Terry decide to step up and take on an investigation of their own, leading to a tangle with foreign operatives, and an arrogant billionaire.
The Other Guys knows what it wants to be, and it achieves its goal in spades. People should know what they're getting into with this, as it delivers exactly what it advertises; a spoof of the 'buddy cop' genre, and a fast-paced action comedy for anyone to enjoy.
I don't understand how a lot of people cannot find anything in this movie funny. From start to finish, I found it hilarious, and laughed out loud several times. There's just as much smart humor and witty interplay between characters as there is random, often weird humor that is present in many of Ferrel's films, and the writing manages to balance the smart humor and the random, sometimes dumb humor very well. There are definitely some loud, sometimes obnoxious moments, such as Ferrel's occasional outbursts, and his 'Gator' emotional episodes, especially the "Pimps Don't Cry" music number, but aside from those small instances, I really had a ball watching this.
The movie starts, and ends, with action, and in between are a bunch of great moments. There's an intense opening car chase, a parking lot fight scene, an office building shootout, and an intense-action-packed final car chase and standoff that I really enjoyed, especially considering the tone of the film. I think it's important to note that even though this film is, at heart, a comedy, the action remains serious, and it's never really slapstick or funny. The first and last car chases were especially entertaining, and they felt very "Bad Boys"-ish.
Ferrel and Wahlberg have great chemistry, and their constant bickering and clashing of personalities really is consistently funny. They both throw themselves into their roles, and their dedication made this movie that much more fun. Ferrell is hilarious, time and again proving himself as one of the best comedy actors out there (you can't help but laugh just by looking at him), and Wahlberg is one of my favorite actors, so it was a joy to watch them together. Michael Keaton also delivered a hilarious, underrated performance, so props to him.
Overall, I highly, highly recommend it, to both fans of the genre, and fans of the actors. 10/10.
Mindnumbing Fun. Ideally suited for kids. But adults could love it too.
imseeg31 July 2018
This is a mindnumbing fun detective action parody movie. Come on, if you know Will Ferrell you know what you are gonna get: ridiculous jokes. And the jokes are good. They are cheesy, corny, childish, but they are still good jokes. And that's what this movie is all about, just having some mindnumbing entertaining fun.
Short, very short cameo appearances (5minutes) by Samuel L Jackson and Dwayne Johnson. The other cop duo played by Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are the leading characters of this story and they are being portrayed as whimps. Anything that is dumb than dumber comes to mind when we see these 2 dumb detectives do their thing. Or aren´ t they that dumb after all? Nothing is what it seems in this hilarious action comedy in which Ferrell and Wahlberg discover a billion dollar scam by some pathetic crook from the stock market. Will they catch the crook?
Ideally suited for kids. But adults could love it too, because there are some more subtle parody jokes on the detective genre mixed into this movie. Just have a good laugh.
Short, very short cameo appearances (5minutes) by Samuel L Jackson and Dwayne Johnson. The other cop duo played by Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are the leading characters of this story and they are being portrayed as whimps. Anything that is dumb than dumber comes to mind when we see these 2 dumb detectives do their thing. Or aren´ t they that dumb after all? Nothing is what it seems in this hilarious action comedy in which Ferrell and Wahlberg discover a billion dollar scam by some pathetic crook from the stock market. Will they catch the crook?
Ideally suited for kids. But adults could love it too, because there are some more subtle parody jokes on the detective genre mixed into this movie. Just have a good laugh.
Boring, contrived and lacking imagination
siddharth-shankar21 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I typically only take the trouble to go watch a movie if it has an IMDb rating of greater than 7 out of 10 and fits my genre preferences. So when I saw a 7.1, I was expecting a fairly decent comedy out of two seasoned actors. However, the movie fails on a number of counts:
1. Parts of the script play out like a broken tape recorder i.e. mind- numbing repetition of the same lines and similar jokes. It's as if the script writer got permission to put only 10 funny lines in a comedy movie and tried to squeeze every last drop of humor out of them. Constant references to TLC, Wahlberg's "I'm a peacock" line, the constant portrayal of Will Ferrell as a paper-pushing dork etc. made me feel like my mind was turning to mush as the movie progressed.
2. They weren't kidding when they rated it PG-13 for "crude ...language". The movie is overwrought with misogynistic comments and jokes. It literally reminded me of being in school watching a bunch of prepubescent guys belt out one liners like:
"I didn't know they sold tampons on wheels" (referring to the Red Prius that Will Ferrell drives), or, "I feel like i'm sitting inside a v****a" (referring to the Prius again).
Orgy loving hobos, a grandma passing sexually explicit messages between her daughter and son-in-law etc etc etc. The list is long and I could go on all day. They really overdid it on that count.
3. The plot is weak and devoid of details. It looks like the filmmakers were hoping that no one would care about the story or central theme with the "in-your-face" "comedy". Ferrell and Wahlberg are paper pushing cops (for feeble reasons that are revealed in the movie, and really not worth my time to list) who accidentally stumble into a case far larger than either of them imagined. Contrary to what the plot summary says, nobody wants a part of this case, and the only reason they get into it is because Ershon forgets to file for scaffolding permits for a few buildings he owns. Their investigation ruffles a few feathers and everything goes downhill from there. All of this while these two mismatched cops try to "find themselves", resolve their differences, and fill the shoes of the two knuckle headed "red-bull high" macho cops who randomly jump off a building at the beginning of the movie. Throw in a few car chases, bullets flying willy-nilly, and a stupid wooden gun that Will Ferrell totes around (which is supposed to be soooooo funny for some reason), and that's the summary of this movie for you.
Don't waste your time with this one, unless.... actually, don't waste your time on this movie, period.
1. Parts of the script play out like a broken tape recorder i.e. mind- numbing repetition of the same lines and similar jokes. It's as if the script writer got permission to put only 10 funny lines in a comedy movie and tried to squeeze every last drop of humor out of them. Constant references to TLC, Wahlberg's "I'm a peacock" line, the constant portrayal of Will Ferrell as a paper-pushing dork etc. made me feel like my mind was turning to mush as the movie progressed.
2. They weren't kidding when they rated it PG-13 for "crude ...language". The movie is overwrought with misogynistic comments and jokes. It literally reminded me of being in school watching a bunch of prepubescent guys belt out one liners like:
"I didn't know they sold tampons on wheels" (referring to the Red Prius that Will Ferrell drives), or, "I feel like i'm sitting inside a v****a" (referring to the Prius again).
Orgy loving hobos, a grandma passing sexually explicit messages between her daughter and son-in-law etc etc etc. The list is long and I could go on all day. They really overdid it on that count.
3. The plot is weak and devoid of details. It looks like the filmmakers were hoping that no one would care about the story or central theme with the "in-your-face" "comedy". Ferrell and Wahlberg are paper pushing cops (for feeble reasons that are revealed in the movie, and really not worth my time to list) who accidentally stumble into a case far larger than either of them imagined. Contrary to what the plot summary says, nobody wants a part of this case, and the only reason they get into it is because Ershon forgets to file for scaffolding permits for a few buildings he owns. Their investigation ruffles a few feathers and everything goes downhill from there. All of this while these two mismatched cops try to "find themselves", resolve their differences, and fill the shoes of the two knuckle headed "red-bull high" macho cops who randomly jump off a building at the beginning of the movie. Throw in a few car chases, bullets flying willy-nilly, and a stupid wooden gun that Will Ferrell totes around (which is supposed to be soooooo funny for some reason), and that's the summary of this movie for you.
Don't waste your time with this one, unless.... actually, don't waste your time on this movie, period.
Can't believe this is currently 6.6
portmanlas20 August 2019
Unfunny, unoriginal, and lame.
jc1305us23 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
One of the worst, if not the worst movie I had the forgettable experience of actually paying to go see. I don't know what everyone here is smoking, but has to be good, because this movie was as lame as a day at the doctors office. First, the plot. We've seen it so many times, it's gotten to the point of insanity. Two cops, one the straight edge, the other the wild man are teamed up and miraculously solve a crime that has confounded top investigative for years. Not only is the plot terrible (something about a ponzi scheme looting the NYPD pension fund, *yawn*) boring but this movie commits the cardinal sin of movie comedies: IT'S JUST NOT FUNNY! The jokes get old 5 minutes in. The running gag about how beautiful Will Ferrel's wife is and him not appreciating it wasn't funny the first time, and was even less so the fifth time! The two main characters have zero chemistry, and Mark Wahlberg is really annoying in this movie. The supporting cast tries, but they can't do much with this terrible script. I was hoping Michael Keaton would steal the show as the duo's boss, but it wasn't meant to be. The best part is, is that the scriptwriters of this dud and the executive who greenlit this project will be hailed as heroes in Hollywood. That says it all!
A solid comedy in the main but I found some of the absurd and silly dialogue to be very funny
bob the moo5 April 2011
If movies have taught us anything it is that the best cops are those that take the risks, do the outrageous and shoot their way through any problem while also coming up with a wise-crack kiss-off line. These guys are the heroes in the action movie cliché, along with the grizzled but tired boss, the paper-pushers and, of course, the other guys who make up the squad room. When misfortune meets one pair of tough cops, one such "other guy" sees the chance to step up into this role. He is Hoitz (trapped in a desk job due to shooting baseball player Derek Jeter and costing his team the title) and his partner is a dull accountant type who weirdly has amazing luck with women. Hoitz is disappointed that their first big case is over expired scaffolding permits, but it is not long before they discover more to the case.
I heard so-so things about this film so I decided to give it a miss in the cinema, plus although I like Ferrell, he isn't the most consistent with his films and this looked like it won't be that good. In reality though it was actually pretty funny and it just seemed to hit my sense of humour right when I watched it. It is ridiculous stuff though and a lot of the dialogue and banter is absurd but to me this is part of the charm of it. One could argue that it doesn't really work as it was intended because, as a spoof of action movie excess from the point of view of "the other guys" it doesn't really work and isn't clever enough; sure it can laugh at the Hollywood excess at the start, but it isn't that smart beyond that point. Likewise one could also point to the final thirty or so minutes where the action aspect does rather take over and the comedy takes a backseat; or even one could question why the end credits decide that the film should suddenly become some sort of documentary against corruption in the financial sector - something it didn't do up till that point, despite being set in this world to a point. All of these would be true because the film is not a brilliant one and these flaws and weaknesses are all reasons why.
The thing is though that when the film revels in the silly comedy dialogue it is really good fun. The writers have a good ear for it and the cast deliver them well; it isn't clever but it seems full of surprising and engaging nonsense dialogue that did make me laugh. The nonsense relationship between the lead two, the nonsense college background of Gamble, the nonsense conversations between the characters, the nonsense events that happen to the red Prius, I found them all really funny and it was always a shame when plot had to come and do some things to move the film along.
Ferrell and Walhberg work really well together and the film seems to be aware of this because it does give them plenty of time together (perhaps contributing to the film running a tad longer than it should). They both have great comic delivery here - in particular deadpanning some great dialogues sequences and making them funnier through their delivery. Coogan is pretty good in a supporting role while Keaton, Mendes and others all let themselves be used as jokes and also deliver the comic material well.
It isn't a great film by any means but it had a great sense of absurdity and nonsense to it that I really enjoyed a lot. The plot I can take or leave and the decision at the last minute to make it try and have substance just doesn't work but otherwise it is very funny and the central relationship and banter would be one I'd be happy to see again.
I heard so-so things about this film so I decided to give it a miss in the cinema, plus although I like Ferrell, he isn't the most consistent with his films and this looked like it won't be that good. In reality though it was actually pretty funny and it just seemed to hit my sense of humour right when I watched it. It is ridiculous stuff though and a lot of the dialogue and banter is absurd but to me this is part of the charm of it. One could argue that it doesn't really work as it was intended because, as a spoof of action movie excess from the point of view of "the other guys" it doesn't really work and isn't clever enough; sure it can laugh at the Hollywood excess at the start, but it isn't that smart beyond that point. Likewise one could also point to the final thirty or so minutes where the action aspect does rather take over and the comedy takes a backseat; or even one could question why the end credits decide that the film should suddenly become some sort of documentary against corruption in the financial sector - something it didn't do up till that point, despite being set in this world to a point. All of these would be true because the film is not a brilliant one and these flaws and weaknesses are all reasons why.
The thing is though that when the film revels in the silly comedy dialogue it is really good fun. The writers have a good ear for it and the cast deliver them well; it isn't clever but it seems full of surprising and engaging nonsense dialogue that did make me laugh. The nonsense relationship between the lead two, the nonsense college background of Gamble, the nonsense conversations between the characters, the nonsense events that happen to the red Prius, I found them all really funny and it was always a shame when plot had to come and do some things to move the film along.
Ferrell and Walhberg work really well together and the film seems to be aware of this because it does give them plenty of time together (perhaps contributing to the film running a tad longer than it should). They both have great comic delivery here - in particular deadpanning some great dialogues sequences and making them funnier through their delivery. Coogan is pretty good in a supporting role while Keaton, Mendes and others all let themselves be used as jokes and also deliver the comic material well.
It isn't a great film by any means but it had a great sense of absurdity and nonsense to it that I really enjoyed a lot. The plot I can take or leave and the decision at the last minute to make it try and have substance just doesn't work but otherwise it is very funny and the central relationship and banter would be one I'd be happy to see again.
Buddy Cops, Buddy Cops: What they gonna do?
Kamurai2518 June 2020
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.
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.
Ferrell and Wahlberg are flying peacocks
Samiam37 August 2010
The Other Guys doesn't bring anything new to the screen, but as a buddy movie, it is pretty solid. Writer/director Adam McKay milks the formula for as much comedic value as possible, and it is enough to sustain the viewer for a hundred minutes. It starts to fly off the handle (a bit) around the end, by going into action mode, but even here, the presence of comedy is evident. It kind of makes you wonder how Michael Bay would fare if he tried comedy.
Scene one has a little too much Michael Bay in it. It's a sequence designed to make sure the audience is listening, It is a bit overdone, and is certainly the wrong type of sequence to put opening credits over. We are not sure which to watch, the film or the names of the people who made it. From there on, The Others Guys, runs nicely.
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are a great mixed matched couple. Not only are their personalities different (mostly), but they could not be more physically dissimilar. It never occurred to me just how big Will Ferrell is (then again the last time I saw him was a few years ago, in Stranger than fiction)
I got a kick out of this one. The Other Guys is pretty good for its type, and offers enough laughs to be worth your money.
Scene one has a little too much Michael Bay in it. It's a sequence designed to make sure the audience is listening, It is a bit overdone, and is certainly the wrong type of sequence to put opening credits over. We are not sure which to watch, the film or the names of the people who made it. From there on, The Others Guys, runs nicely.
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are a great mixed matched couple. Not only are their personalities different (mostly), but they could not be more physically dissimilar. It never occurred to me just how big Will Ferrell is (then again the last time I saw him was a few years ago, in Stranger than fiction)
I got a kick out of this one. The Other Guys is pretty good for its type, and offers enough laughs to be worth your money.
THIS MOVIE IS A PEACOCK AND YOU GOTTA LET IT FLY
coopdogg745117 November 2020
This comedy is golden! Almost every scene had me cracking up! My friends and I still constantly drop funny quotes from this movie to this day. AHHH ITS SO HILARIOUS! This is Ferrell and Marky Mark at their best! Do not hesitate to turn this one on
Ridiculous
petesmithhome16 December 2021
Incredibly funny comedy
masonsaul5 April 2020
The Other Guys is an incredibly funny comedy that's gleefully stupid and over the top as well as effectively playing with the conventions of buddy cop movies. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are perfect together and have perfect chemistry. Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson are ridiculously funny together in their brief scenes. Michael Keaton and Steve Coogan are both great. It's consistently funny with plenty of hilarious moments throughout. It's also extremely well paced. Adam McKay's direction is excellent and the action scenes are surprisingly well filmed. The soundtrack is really good.
actually 7 and a half
tk98303 July 2020
The sax parts replicating something between a film noir atmosphere and detective b-movie from the 80s are really hilarious. just for those moments it deserves all the praise.
perceive it more like a social critique rather than a comedy. it makes much more sense that way.
Was I watching the same movie?
Westeire24 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Saw some reviews saying this movie was Hilarious. I like a comedy but the whole thing just seemed to be a very long advertisement for a Toyota Prius. It started OK, but then the same dry humour seemed to repeat itself. I suppose seeing about 20 people leave the cinema before the movie ended made me understand it was not just me that found it extremely boring. Maybe this is a cultural thing and people in the states like this type of comedy, in Ireland the whole thing just seemed pathetic. I can't understand how Mark Wahlberg made it to play in a comedy. Script bad... Just because you see Samuel L. Jackson on the list of actors does not mean he is in the movie (5 mins .. not much)
breathlessly funny
cherold16 May 2011
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.
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.
First third HILARIOUS, rest of movie tries and fails
abacaba13 April 2020
What a strange experience. I was laughing out loud in the first minutes and kept laughing during the first thirty or forty minutes -- a rarity in a comedy film for me. The characters are great, the comedy superb, I was thrilled to be watching this gem.
And then it sort of died. It was like the writers ran out of good jokes and the movie felt uncomfortable, stale, and tiresome. Very very strange.
You want some great laughs to make you feel really good? Watch the first part of this movie! When it stops being funny, stop the film and imagine it will end the way you think it will and be satisfied with that.
First part of film: 9/10. Second part of film: 3/10.
And then it sort of died. It was like the writers ran out of good jokes and the movie felt uncomfortable, stale, and tiresome. Very very strange.
You want some great laughs to make you feel really good? Watch the first part of this movie! When it stops being funny, stop the film and imagine it will end the way you think it will and be satisfied with that.
First part of film: 9/10. Second part of film: 3/10.
If ever a preview did not deliver with a good movie, this is it
redbirds-813-6010218 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
We went to see The Other Guys following a funeral. We were looking for something funny and uplifting, and had very low expectations of The Other Guys. The Other Guys failed to deliver on any positive level. Let's go through the reasons why. 1. When 2 of your 6 best actors are "killed off" in the first 5 minutes, you minimize the number of actors left to carry a movie. 2. When your only funny interaction between actors is between the male lead and the female lead, and it lasts for only 5 minutes of the movie, you minimize the number of laughs your comedy can have. And finally, 3. when you put every single laugh into the trailer, and leave absolutely zero remaining laughs for the other 102 of the 107 minutes of the movie, the audience will not laugh and will look for a way to leave the theater. I personally saw at least 2 separate groups of people leave and never return. My wife asked me numerous times, "Is this ever going to get funny". This movie failed on so many levels, with what should have been a great cast. Wahlberg was terrible, Mendes only was on screen for 5 minutes, Michael Keaton was given very little to work with and Ferrell was lost in a pool of "Huh?" This movie left me with questions though... why didn't they keep Samuel L. Jackson and The Rock alive, and have them compete against the other guys? Why didn't they have Mendes on screen more? Why didn't they remember to include any laughs in the movie? Questions, all left with no easily found answers. To say this movie is a waste of your money is one thing, but to know that it was a waste of almost two hours of your life, much worse.
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