The other guys
By Lisa Miller 08/05/2010
Directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson
Gamble (Ferrell) and Hoitz (Wahlberg) are cops riding a desk when the precinct hotshots (Jackson and Johnson) pull a stunt that puts them out of commission. Gamble and Hoitz are subsequently assigned to investigate a Bernie Madoff-inspired Ponzi scheme, but their constant bickering prompts Gamble to worry more about surmounting his partner’s “anger wall” than about solving the case. Keaton portrays the precinct captain and Mendes shows up as Gamble’s incredibly hot wife during a comedic first act that spotlights Ferrell’s comic contributions. As the action ramps up, the film increasingly trades on Wahlberg’s quiet intensity to sustain its tension. Watch for end credits doubling as a hilarious primer on economics. (2 stars out of 4)
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