FORGETTABLE FARCE

By: B

It is important to note that Starsky and Hutch, the latest from director Todd Phillips, is not a spoof but rather a tribute to the 70's buddy cop sitcom. This explains the accurate attention to detail- any more would have been an attempt to make fun, yet any less would have been lazy and disrespectful. While the mood was accurately captured, the story wasn't strong enough to make this homage memorable.

Within the first five minutes of the film, we learn why the partners are first paired together. David Starsky (Ben Stiller) is an intense, worrisome cop who alienates his partners and does more harm than good with his fussy attention to each and every law. Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson (Owen Wilson) is the easygoing ladies man, prone to illegal activities in an attempt to get the information he needs. As a punishment for prior problems, Starsky and Hutch are partnered together.

Their first case, a murder with no initial suspects, is the basis for the entire movie. Starsky and Hutch set out trying to solve the case, but the real story involves the relationship between the two cops. As expected, they don't get along at first, but throughout the movie their friendship grows and a bond is formed. Using their different but complementary styles, Starsky and Hutch eventually solve the mystery. The storyline is clichéd and obvious, but isn't that the point? If it were a taut, smart thriller, the tribute would be inaccurate.

The highlight of Starsky and Hutch is far and away the performance by Snoop Dogg as police informant Huggy Bear. Because of his unique persona, Snoop is essentially playing himself. With his eccentric wardrobe and laid-back style of speaking, Snoop steals nearly every scene he is in.

The rest of the cast is sharp, but nearly everyone is underused. Stiller is allowed to demonstrate his hissy-fit personality, and Wilson is expectedly charming, but the others are woefully ignored. Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell show very little of their talent, and Jason Bateman (Arrested Development) most definitely could have shined bright given the opportunity.

There are undeniably some very funny moments in Starsky and Hutch. Wilson and Stiller are great in their roles, using their (worn-out?) styles to milk humor out of passing conversation. The straight-from-the-70s montage with “We've Only Just Begun” in the background is hilarious.

However, the poor editing in this film is to blame for other failed or weak jokes. A great scene in which Starsky mistakenly takes cocaine goes on for so long that it detracts from the rest of the movie. The latter part of that scene includes a “dance-off” with Minnesota's own Har Mar Superstar, but the scene never takes off. It seems the editor didn't have the comedic sense to know which scenes would work and which would not. The focus is off in many scenes, which is disappointing given the potential.

While the basis of this film is to pay homage to the sitcom, one main problem is its obvious references to last year's Old School. And try as he might, Phillips cannot repeat the hilarity found in the frat-boy comedy. Vaughn, Ferrell and Juliette Lewis all return in Starsky, but none are half as funny as they were in Old School. The same wedding band makes an appearance here, but is equally disappointing. These combine to distract the audience and remind them where this film lands compared to its director's previous movie.

All this, combined with the weak screenplay and poor editing, makes for an under-whelming result. The mood, setting and cast are spot-on, but the amount of jokes is disappointing given the ample opportunities. Starsky and Hutch isn't a bad movie by any means, in fact it is decent, but with great comedic actors and plenty of fodder, it is quite evident how great it could have been.

POP RATING: 6

CRITICAL RATING: 6

B'S RATING: 6

TAKE ME TO THE TOP