Let's just say it: it's not been the greatest stretch of comedy for Will Ferrell. His last three films, "Land of the Lost," "Step Brothers" and "Semi-Pro," were all unmitigated disasters, and "Blades of Glory" before that was mediocre at best.
"The Other Guys," Ferrell's buddy cop action comedy, is salve for Ferrell fans' wounds, if not a complete return to the glory days. Ferrell plays Allen Gamble, your stereotypical by-the-books desk jockey cop whose career highlight is his captain replacing his gun with a wooden replica after he fires it inside the station. His partner Terry (Mark Wahlberg) is sort of a denser Martin Riggs, a wannabe hotshot without the brains to complete the package.
When a horrible accident involving the force's two supercops (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson, who make a spectacular exit) leaves an opening for new Officer Badasses, Terry and Allen hope to seize the opportunity. Their captain (Michael Keaton) and just about everyone else on the force, doubt they can do it.
Ferrell plays his signature just-smart-enough-to-be-dangerous routine, playing an educated cop with no street smarts and is the antithesis of your typical movie cop. Wahlberg adds an an urgent, half-cocked, angry seriousness that surprisingly draws laughs opposite Ferrell.
They uncover a plot involving the police officers' pension that is frankly mostly boring, and most of the action sequences are less than stellar, but the laughs, including a subplot where beautiful women are inexplicably drawn to Allen (his wife is played by Eva Mendes), work well.
Ferrell is, as when he's typically at his best, restrained, allowing just enough silliness to complement his character rather than overwhelming it. Gags involving Ferrell's Prius (and it tainting a crime scene) work well, and while both his and Wahlberg's characters are dumb, they're not too dumb so as to be unlikable.
"The Other Guys" won't go down as Ferrell's best film, but it is his best over the past few years, and is certainly worth a rental. If you're a Ferrell fan, buy it.
Blu ray extras include an unrated version of the film, deleted scenes, and assorted featurettes including a gag reel, "line-o-rama," and a video for the song "Pimps Don't Cry," which is featured in the film.
Film: 3.5 Yaps Extras: 4 Yaps