Corporate Line: Set in the 1970s in a metropolis called “Bay City,” this is the tale of two police detective partners, Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson (Wilson), and Dave Starsky (Stiller), who always seem to get the toughest cases from their boss, Captain Dobey, rely on omniscient street informer Huggy Bear (Dogg) and race to the scene of the crimes in their souped-up 1974 Ford Torino hot rod, telling the story of their first big case (as a prequel to the TV show), which involved a former college campus drug dealer (Vaughn) who went on to become a white collar criminal.
The Good: The casting was key to this films success. Ben Stiller is hilarious as the uptight Starsky and Wilson is dead on as the bad-boy Hutch. S&H is scene after scene of laughs. The biggest surprise is Snoop Dogg as Huggy Bear. There is no Snoop-speak with snizzle-my-izzle. It’s Snoop going back three decades and you’ll be surprised just how comfortable he seems.
On the bad side of the law is Vince Vaughn. His character is perfectly suited for his wise-ass self. Even Will Ferrell drops by as a completely twisted bad guy. And then there is Snoop’s sidekicks dropping knowledge.
There are classic scenes such as Starsky’s disco dance-off, Easy Rider, Will Ferrell’s dragon fetish, and Starsky’s run in with a lizard.
The Bad: It’s not long enough, okay it is, but is it so bad that I wanted more?
Frankly: Both Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson are hit and miss with movies; Starsky & Hutch is a hit. What may go over viewer’s head is how this film is making fun of everything that was campy about the original television show Starsky & Hutch. Anyone that has seen the original Starsky & Hutch remembers the car and nothing else; the car is now a footnote. Starsky & Hutch is the funniest movie of the year. Absolutely hilarious. Starsky & Hutch is the rare buddy movie where you actually yearn for a sequel.
+ Charlie Craine
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