Detective David Starsky is the most dedicated undercover cop working the mean streets of Bay City, California. Maniacally devoted to his job, when he's on duty no crime goes unpunished--and he's always on duty. And that's a good thing, because he has some metaphorically big shoes to fill: his mother was a legend on the force, .. Read more
| Starring | Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Carmen Electra |
|---|---|
| Director | Todd Phillips |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Comedy |
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Detective David Starsky is the most dedicated undercover cop working the mean streets of Bay City, California. Maniacally devoted to his job, when he's on duty no crime goes unpunished--and he's always on duty. And that's a good thing, because he has some metaphorically big shoes to fill: his mother was a legend on the force, one of the best cops in the history of Bay City. But while his mom stuck with the same partner throughout her entire career, due to his extremely zealous brand of police work, Starsky burns through partners faster than his beloved Gran Torino goes through spark plugs. Detective Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson is having career issues of his own--he's a good cop, but his hazardously laidback personality and desire for a quick buck don't always get the job done. He has excellent instincts, he just needs a little bit of focus to keep him on the admittedly less profitable side of the law. Exasperated Bay City Police Captain Dobey has found the perfect solution for two of his biggest problems: pair up Starsky and Hutch and put them out on the streets. As soon as the two mismatched crime fighters unhappily begin their first day on the beat as a team, a "floater" turns up on the Bay City coastline. With the help of Hutch's dynamite, street-savvy informant Huggy Bear, the two begin to unravel the mysterious murder case. Investigating their first clue, the boys meet Staci and Holly, Bay City Cheerleaders who are more than eager to help--in any way they can. All signs seem to point at wealthy businessman Reese Feldman, but Starsky and Hutch just can't seem to make a case against him. Unbeknownst to them, Feldman has cooked up a plan to foil the DEA and is plotting the biggest and most lucrative drug deal of his career. The unlikely duo will use their canniest undercover skills, hardcore street smarts and striking good looks to solve the crime and make sure the criminal does the time.
| Starring | Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Carmen Electra, Amy Smart, Jason Bateman, Paul Michael Glaser, David Soul, Snoop Dogg, Will Ferrell |
|---|---|
| Director | Todd Phillips |
| Studio | WALT DISNEY STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 41 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 41 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Collections | 100 Cops & Robbers |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Comedy |
| Language | DVD: English Blu-ray: English |
| Released | DVD: 19 Jul 2004 Blu-ray: 18 Feb 2008 Production year: 2004 |
| Format | DVD |
Word on the street is that, by cleverly respecting his source material while simultaneously skewering some much-loved clichés, co-writer/director Todd Phillips (Old School) nails the big screen version of TV cop show Starsky and Hutch. The casting of Ben Stiller as by-the-book detective David Starsky and Owen Wilson as laid-back chancer Ken Hutch Hutchinson couldn't be better. Both are clearly having enormous fun in this hugely entertaining buddy movie that neatly captures the 1970s film-making style and adds some hilarious homoeroticism to their relationship. Grudgingly paired up, the mismatched duo learn to rely on each other while bringing a drugs lord (Vince Vaughn) to justice for peddling a cocaine variant that even sniffer dogs can't detect. Rap star Snoop Dogg delivers a great Huggy Bear and Will Ferrell is sidesplitting in a cameo as a dragon-obsessed convict. But it's Phillips's eye for the disco decade's details and the show's kitsch iconography that ensures a good time is had by old fans and newcomers alike.
Although the two leads complement each other well, and might well be effective in a revival of the TV series, this feature length version of the 70s cop show is overextended, with the emphasis on comic set pieces.
If you are looking for the type of movie that will make you laugh see this, if you are the type of person who wants a good plot, acting and script than don't. Despite the one liners in the movie, there is little else to be said for it. Ben Stiller (Starsky) and Owen Wilson (Hutch) are average, yet the roles they play are well suited to them. Basically, the two cops discover a drug ring yet all their attempts to shut it down fail, mainly due to the leader who is a cunning devil. I won't give the rest away as it is rather formulaic and any hint may well spoil the rest of the movie. However, if you happen to be a die-hard fan of the original TV series, then you are best to avoid this one. There are little, if no, references to the original series. Yet for people who have been unfortunate to have missed out on the seeing the original, then I would suggest this one. I was unsure as to why Carmen Electra was cast in this movie, apart from being the typical cheerleader, she didn?t really help the film as her acting skills are limited to say the least. There are many action set pieces that sometimes go slightly over the top, but always seem to have some sort of witty punch line about a dead body(!). The true star has to be Huggy Bear (Snoop Dog). Whenever he is on screen he steals the show and really knows how to deliver one-liners, I would see this movie more or his acting than anyone else?s. Out of ten I would give it 6, but it did make me laugh!
Just watch it and find out for yourselves. Sheer comedy from start to finish.
Let’s begin at the end: the credits sequence is the funniest, and the most outrageous finale in ages. I’ve rarely seen an audience sent out on quite such a high. It’s such a spectacular coup, it puts a flattering gloss on a surprisingly ingenious but nevertheless uneven black comedy. This is the third movie in six months produced from a screenplay by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, and it’s so much better than either Four Christmases or The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past that... Read more