Other Guys, The MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +3 Content: -3

Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton. Action/comedy. Written by Chris Henchy, Adam McKay. Directed by Adam McKay.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Detective Allen Gamble is a forensic accountant who's more interested in paperwork than hitting the streets. Detective Terry Hoitz is a tough guy who has been stuck with Allen as his partner ever since an unfortunate run-in with Derek Jeter. Allen and Terry idolize the city's top cops, Danson and Highsmith, but when an opportunity arises for the Other Guys to step up, things don't quite go as planned.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Not known for his subtlety, Will Ferrell sticks closely to his cultivated (is that the right word for Will Ferrell?) screen persona: part gentle soul, part sneaky demonic. Here he is given his best part since Elf, and Mark Wahlberg proves himself adept as comic straight man. The opening sequence is the best, but while loaded with throwaway laughs, it never really lives up to that opening act. If you can deal with the occasional sexual not-so-innuendo, and if around fifty obscenities, mostly the s-word, don’t bother you, then you might have a good time.

I would like to be able to recommend the following: Dragnet with Dan Aykroyd hysterical as a comic reincarnation of Jack Webb’s Sgt. Joe Friday, and Tom Hanks keeping up as his more unorthodox partner. It is rated PG-13 for sexual references and some language, which if you have the new and improved TVGuardian (http://tvguardian.com/), won’t be a problem. But that still leaves the suggestive sexual situation or two. Though these situations are played for laughs, they’re still there. So, be warned. Too bad. Those guys are very funny.

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: Sony Pictures