| The Other Guys | |
|---|---|
Theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Adam McKay |
| Produced by | Adam McKay Will Ferrell Jimmy Miller Patrick Crowley |
| Written by | Chris Henchy Adam McKay |
| Narrated by | Ice-T (uncredited) |
| Starring | Will Ferrell Mark Wahlberg Eva Mendes Steve Coogan Michael Keaton Samuel L. Jackson Dwayne Johnson |
| Music by | Jon Brion |
| Cinematography | Oliver Wood |
| Editing by | Brent White |
| Studio | Gary Sanchez Productions Mosaic Media Group |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 6, 2010 |
| Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100 million[1] |
| Box office | $170,432,927[1] |
The Other Guys is a 2010 American action comedy film directed and co-written by Adam McKay, starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, and featuring Dwayne Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes, Steve Coogan, and Ray Stevenson.[2] This film is the fourth collaboration between Ferrell and McKay, following Anchorman (2004), Talladega Nights (2006), and Step Brothers (2008).
Contents |
Detective Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) is a mild-mannered forensic accountant who is more interested in paperwork than hitting the streets. Hot-tempered detective Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) has been stuck with Allen as his partner ever since he shot Derek Jeter during the World Series and losing his privileges of field work. Allen and Hoitz often receive no respect from the other officers, particularly detectives Martin (Rob Riggle) and Fosse (Damon Wayans, Jr.). Allen and all the policemen at the precinct (except Terry) idolize cocky detectives Chris Danson (Dwayne Johnson) and P.K. Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson), who are considered the city's best policemen even though they frequently cause millions of dollars in property damage catching petty criminals. During a pursuit of a group of jewelry robbers, Danson and Highsmith leap to their deaths after agreeing to aim for the bushes twenty stories below them [there were no bushes], leaving almost everyone wondering who's next to take their place.
Allen and Terry begin to investigate a scaffolding permit violation by multi-billionaire David Ershon (Steve Coogan), but wind up uncovering a much bigger plot by Ershon to cover his losses to his client Lendl Global. Lendl CEO Pamela Boardman (Anne Heche) hires a team of mercenaries led by Roger Wesley (Ray Stevenson) to make sure Ershon pays her back, and to make sure no one stops him from doing so.
During their investigation, Allen confides in Terry about his college life running a dating service under the guise of "Gator," adamantly refuting Terry's accusation that he was a pimp. When his life spiraled out of control, he was sent to the hospital where he met his future wife Sheila (Eva Mendes), and he promised Sheila that he would never get out of control again. However, when having dinner one night with Sheila, she tells Allen that she's pregnant, causing Allen's old dark personality to re-emerge and she kicks him out of the house. Meanwhile, Terry tries and fails to reconnect with his ex-fiance Francine (Lindsay Sloane), who walked out on him due to his reckless behavior.
Their investigation comes to a halt when Ershon's attorney learns of his plan to cover his losses, leading Wesley to kill him and make it look like a suicide. Angered at their lack of progress, Capt. Gene Mauch (Michael Keaton) splits up Allen and Terry, sending Terry to traffic duty and Allen to beat patrol. Despite Terry's anger at him and his personal life, Allen still tries to solve the crime on his own and after learning that the jewelry robbery that Danson and Highsmith died over was staged so that Wesley and his team could break into an accounting firm next door, he finally gets credible evidence and earns his gun back from Mauch. Allen then convinces Terry to rejoin him.
They meet Capt. Mauch at Bed Bath & Beyond, his second job, where the police captain admits he has been holding off on the case because Ershon has high-profile connections that could ruin Mauch, and he allows them to finish the case off-the-books. They go to an investment meeting Ershon is having and realize that the $32 billion Ershon seeks is really coming from the New York Police Department pension fund. They escape with Ershon to his private apartment, and Ershon tells them that the money for the pension fund is already in his account, ready to be transferred. That night, Allen and Terry finally reconcile with their loved ones. Allen professes his full love for Sheila. Sheila welcomes her husband back, and Terry apologizes to Francine for letting his anger rule his life.
In the morning, they drive to the bank to stop the transfer, evading Wesley's team, groups of Chechen and Nigerian investors to whom Ershon owes money, and police officers who are told Allen and Terry have gone rogue. They reach the bank and halt the transfer, but Wesley arrives and shoots both officers and Ershon. Mauch finally arrives with police backup, rescuing the two and arresting Ershon for his embezzlement, and Wesley for multiple counts of murder. Ershon's arrest leads to a stock market crash and the subsequent federal bailout of Lendl Global. Terry gets married to Francine, although he is infatuated with Sheila. Sheila is happily back with her husband and eventually gives birth to her baby (though not shown).
The narrator finishes off stating that the true heroes are the ones who make the world a better place, not the ones who appear in the newspaper or on TV. The movie ends when an attractive woman passes by and gives a compliment to Allen, and Terry asks him "What is it with you and hot ladies?". Also, a peacock is shown flying around New York City at the ending scene.
The ending credits are accompanied by a series of visual displays of the magnitudes, methods, and principal actors of various licit and illicit financial doings of the financial crisis, such as the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme or the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Principal photography for the film began on September 23, 2009 in New York City,[3][4] with additional scenes filmed in Albany, New York.[5]
Practical visual effects work, including the helicopter crash scene, was done by KernerFX.[6]
In July 2010, both Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell appeared at the San Diego Comic Con to promote their film. Beginning around 2000, the Comic Con has become an important venue where the Hollywood studios present sneak previews of major theatrical releases, mainly science-fiction or comic-book oriented, with celebrities present to promote their films.
During an episode of Big Brother, the house guests competed in a luxury challenge to see an advance screening of the film. Although they weren't actually in the house, both Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg made an on-screen video appearance.
Also, during the August 4, 2010 episode of America's Got Talent, the week's contestants saw an advance screening of the film and got to meet both Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in person.
Ferrell and Wahlberg also made a cameo appearance on an episode of WWE Monday Night Raw to promote the film.
During the week leading up to the release date, the film was promoted on TruTV programs, specifically The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest.... During the Season 2 premier for the MTV reality series Jersey Shore on July 29, 2010, special segments were shown during the commercial breaks of the show's cast broken down on a highway, discussing several movies, as part of a promotional tie-in; with The Other Guys being one of them.
They also appeared in on screen advertising on broadcast sports events like MLB and NASCAR.
In its first night of release, The Other Guys made $13 million, placing first for Friday.[7] It had a large opening weekend take of $35,600,000, placing it at number one for the weekend of August 6–8, 2010, finishing Inception's three-week lead.[8] The film ended up grossing $119 million in North America and $51 million internationally, making for a total $170 million.[1]
The Other Guys has received generally positive reviews from critics, garnering a 78% "Certified Fresh" rating from top critics on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes the consensus being "While not the best collaboration between Will Ferrell and Adam Mckay, The Other Guys delivers bursts of comedy during a summer devoid of laughs."[9] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone praised the film, saying, "Don't let anyone spoil the wildly hilarious surprises. Ferrell and Wahlberg will double your fun. Guaranteed."[10] Some critics praised The Other Guys as the best police film of the year, comparing the film to the critically panned Cop Out, with Richard Roeper stating, "Note to Kevin Smith: THIS is how you do a spoof of the buddy-cop genre,"[11] and Stephen Whitty of The Star-Ledger said in his mixed review, "Measured against this year's other police farce -- remember Cop Out? -- it looks absolutely heroic."[12]
The Other Guys also received the "Best Comedy Film" award for 2010 at the first annual Comedy Awards.[13]
2010 Comedy Awards
Director Adam McKay stated in an interview with MTV that if the film does a good job at the box office and a fanbase grows, then a sequel could be possible.[14]
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