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.
