Hmmmm. This movie isn’t bad. But it sure is weird. My inclination is to say “skip it”, but a lot of people laughed, a lot, during the course of this movie. They also groaned a lot, “ewwwwww”ed a lot, and said “Say Whaaaat?” a lot. So who am I to judge?
The Other Guys is basically a bizarre spoof of the buddy-cop action-adventure genre – filled with big guns, big explosions, big egos, and big boobs. Let’s just say the target demo appears to be boys, aged 12-45. But chicks can safely tag along for the ride without too much trepidation.
At first glance, the movie appears to be about NYPD super cops Christopher Danson (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) and P.K. Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson), a couple of bad-ass detectives who can do no wrong as they leave a trail of bodies, bullets and babes in their wake while fighting crime in the big city. They are the envy of all their colleagues, including the “other guys” in the squad room who are left to do the grunt work while Danson and Highsmith get all the glory. Two of those “other guys” are Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg), a couple of mismatched partners who stumble upon a case that could put them on the NYPD map, if only they could get a clue (in more ways than one). This movie is ultimately about them and their dysfunctional bromance.
The Other Guys seeks to turn every cop and buddy movie cliché on its head. Ferrell’s seemingly meek character is the inexplicable chick magnet with the hot wife (Eva Mendes), while tough-guy Wahlberg’s character is left to drool over his partner’s prowess and explain away his own predilection for ballet and other artistic endeavors. I told ya it was weird! 
If you’re inclined to see this movie only because you’re a fan of “The Rock” and/or Samuel L. Jackson, then be forewarned. They disappear from screen within 15 minutes, under circumstances both horrific and hysterical.
If you tend to like Will Ferrell movies, then you’ll like this one to some degree. And if you tend to like Mark Wahlberg, you’ll certainly appreciate his quirky ability to play it straight while dripping in sarcasm and satire. If you’re on the fence about either of them, definitely skip it. Or wait for the video.
One final casting note: Michael Keaton (where’s he been anyway?) puts in a strange yet entertaining performance as the precinct captain who moonlights as a store clerk at “Bed, Bath and Beyond” and has a penchant for quoting lyrics from TLC songs. Did I mention this movie was weird? Proceed at your own risk.