The Other Guys

The Film: The Other Guys

The Actors: Derek Jeter (yes, that Derek Jeter), Samuel L. Jackson (ditto), Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, Mark Wahlberg, Will Farrell, Eva Mendez, Michael Keaton, etc.

The Dealio: Farrell (as desk cop, Allen, whose heart clearly belongs to forensic accounting rather than crackin' skulls and arrests) and Wahlberg's Terry (playing a beat cop in line for a meteoric rise in the department, until, in the heat of the moment, he accidentally shoots Jeter during a play-off game) are partners. Allen has a lovely wife, brand new Prius, a glorious home-life, and out Pollyannas Pollyanna. Terry has lost pretty much everything, except his desire to be top dog again.
Allen uncovers some interesting book-keeping going on, but can get no one to pay attention to him. Meanwhile, Terry is trying to horn in on some of the action that falls so readily into the laps of the super cop duo played by Jackson and Johnson. Michael Keaton- tongue firmly in cheek- plays their long-suffering captain, who moonlights at Bed, Bath and Beyond, running the bath mat department with the brio of the desk sergeant from Hill Street Blues.

The Grading Session: 4.03 pengies out of 5. Here, you get what you pay for: a light as a souffle comedy/action-er just meant for the summer. Soundtrack operates on a wink-wink, nudge-nudge principle, inviting the viewer to chuckle or nod his/her head in agreement, as suits their personal musical prefs.

Lessons Learned: Someone in law enforcement keeps forgetting how Al Capone went down. And putting bad guys away, whatever the crime, still counts as taking out the garbage. Did no one learn from The Untouchables?!
Also- I would like to see Wahlberg doing more, so, whoever is in charge of such things, make it so.
Last: Will Farrell showcases so many natural, kid-style ways to get on a person's nerves- not just in this movie, but in many- that I can't help but wonder: is he just a wizard actor getting inside the character's skin or is this the way he was as a child, maybe still is? Or....da-da-da-DAAAAAAA: perhaps, both.