Movie · 2010 · Comedy, Action · 1h 47m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 3.6/10 (675.2K ratings)
NY's finest were busy.
Overview
Unlike their heroic counterparts on the force, desk-bound NYPD detectives Gamble and Hoitz garner no headlines as they work day to day. When a seemingly minor case turns out to be a big deal, the two cops get the opportunity to finally prove to their comrades that they have the right stuff.
Ratings
Curator score: 3.6/10
IMDb: 6.7/10
Letterboxd: 3.28/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 78%
Metacritic: 64
TMDB: 6.3/10
Director
Adam McKay
Production
Columbia Pictures, Gary Sanchez Productions, Mosaic Media Group
Cast
Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Lindsay Sloane, Natalie Zea, Rob Riggle, Damon Wayans Jr., Derek Jeter, Larnell Stovall, Jalil Jay Lynch, Roy T. Anderson, Andrew Secunda, Sara Chase, David Gideon, Josh Church
Where to watch
Hulu, Starz, Philo
Curator Review
Verdict
A sharp, high-energy buddy-cop comedy that works best when it commits to absurd action-movie seriousness around very stupid people. The jokes are quotable, the chemistry is strong, and the film has more bite than its broad setup suggests.
Best for
fans of buddy-cop comedies
viewers who like quotable studio comedies
people who enjoy action parody with real stunt energy
audiences who like angry, mismatched comic duos
fans of satirical takes on policing, masculinity, and corporate crime
Skip if
you dislike broad, loud comedy
you want a tightly plotted action thriller
you prefer subtle or dry humor
you are put off by juvenile banter and repeated gag escalation
Overview
The Other Guys is one of those comedies that understands the joke lands harder if the movie around it is played with total conviction. It treats the police procedural and the action blockbuster as serious business, then keeps undercutting them with absurd behavior, petty rivalry, and escalating incompetence. That contrast is the engine of the whole film.
Worth noting
The pairing of the leads is the key: one is all bluster and rage, the other is deadpan self-importance and accidental confidence. Their friction gives the movie a steady comic rhythm, and the script keeps finding new ways to turn macho posturing into embarrassment. The supporting cast and throwaway lines add a lot of rewatch value, especially if you like comedies built on quotable bits.
Bottom line
It is not subtle, and not every gag hits, but the film has enough momentum, style, and comic aggression to make the misses part of the ride. Beneath the silliness, it also sneaks in a surprisingly pointed satire of greed, fraud, and institutional rot, which gives it a little more shape than a standard studio comedy.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Frandi Peralta (3.5★) · 3174 likes
The Aim for the bushes scene is one of the funniest things ever
Josh Lewis (4★) · 2563 likes
"You learned to dance like that sarcastically?"
Nakul (4★) · 1140 likes
the “aim for the bushes” shot is one of the best things in film history.
Where's the sequel?
George Carmi (4★) · 951 likes
One of the most quotable films out there.
Bryan Espitia (3.5★) · 942 likes
There wasn’t even an awning in their direction, they just jumped 20 stories.
2012 · Action, Comedy, Crime · 1h 49m · R · Curator 5.8/10 (1.8M ratings) · Where to watch: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, TNT, TBS, tru TV
Shares the same appeal of mismatched partners, self-aware genre play, and fast, quotable studio comedy.