Film reviews

Starsky & Hutch, Dir; Todd Phillips, Cert; 15

Set in 'Bay City - The 70's', where? Oh well, artistic license and all that. This is the long awaited, homage more than a re-make based on the cop-pairing of Dave Starsky and Ken 'Hutch' Hutchinson. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, another familiar pairing have taken up the lead roles in this 'laugh-a-minute' adaptation that once set rolling is going to be hard to stop.

I found that coming from a background of a true fan of the original TV-series, I came with high expectations that were not at first satisfied. Starsky and Hutch had always been the best of friends in my mind, but starting out from a position where the two were in fact pre-becoming partners, was difficult to justify. However remembering that this was in fact an original production, can see where this uneasy beginning had come from and in hindsight was both acted and scripted very well.

With Stiller and Wilson in the driving seat, it was fair to assume that comedy wasn't going to be far behind. The two who have made themselves as inseparable as the roles they were portraying in such films as 'Royal Tenenbaums', 'Zoolander' and 'Meet The Parents', have a chemistry that I'm sure director Todd Phillips was hoping to capitalise on. This happened naturally, as from a shaky start where both Starsky and Hutch were finding themselves as two men with opposing views on law and order. A Starsky who was too wired and precise in everything he set out to do and a laid back Hutch, who was just as easy at comitting a minor infringement, as his partner was to arrest him. In hindsight this was a nice touch that when the two eventually did find themselves as both colleagues and friends, made the initial journey not just filler.

The film is over flowing with downright weird moments that'll make you laugh just as much as those you can see coming with the starved anticipation of the two, when the cheer leader undresses, full frontally before their very eyes. Extra mention should go out to a Snoop Dogg, who although not visually comparing himself to the Huggy Bear of Antonio Fargas, carried the role off with a lazy air that I'm sure the original actor would pay his dues to, sporting an afro that will surely be considered for a 'best supporting actor' nomination. In summation, this new movie based on the theme of 'Starsky & Hutch' is to be considered a well rounded presentation, with even the two actors who made the series what it is today stepping in for a short cameo along the way. 7/10

Nick James

Odeon Online