BEFORE: I know the title refers to the nickname for cops, but this also feels like good timing since it's been Africa-hot this week in NYC. The annual Italian feast has started, so we'll be outside more often - I can't wait to get back to San Diego and those cool ocean breezes. Also today was the 2nd 2014 occurence of "Manhattan-henge", when the sun sets exactly in line with the city's crosstown streets. I've been trying to see it for two or three years, and either it clouds over, or I forget about it and smack my forehead after watching the news. Technically the best viewing day is tomorrow, but I headed out a day early, figuring one day won't make much difference, and sure enough, it was cloudy. But the cloud cover parted at the very last minute, and I (along with some shocked pedestrians on 42nd St.) got rewarded with a killer view of the sunset and some choice photos. I'm going to go back tomorrow, but I have a feeling there will be more of a crowd - who cares, I've finally seen this semi-rare event.
Linking from "The Hard Way", Kathy Najimy was also in "Hope Floats" with Sandra Bullock.
THE PLOT: An uptight FBI Special Agent is paired with a foul-mouthed Boston cop to take down a ruthless drug lord.
AFTER: I'm on to you now, Hollywood, I get this "opposites forced to work together" thing you keep re-playing for us every couple of years. I mean, months. "The Other Guys", "Cop Out", "Red Heat", "K-9" and so on. "Lethal Weapon", "Rush Hour", "48 Hrs.", "Dragnet", "Tango and Cash", "Starsky and Hutch". Should I even bother thinking this one's going to be any different, just because the cops are women?
Actually, there is one difference - all of those other films had scripts, with lines that were planned, and a structure that was, umm, thought out. This one feels like it was mostly improv, and that's a bad idea for a crime film. Where's the structure here? Why does it seem like the story started in the middle - how did they know to go after specific drug dealers in the first place?
There's a telling moment where Bullock's character tries to connect the dots, represented by photos of criminals being pinned to a bulletin board - but how does she know in advance where the chain is supposed to end? Isn't that the point of making a chain, following the leads where they, umm, lead? Knowing the end in advance is not only impossible, it's kind of like cheating, from a story point of view.
The characters are similarly all over the place - the whole point of a character is that they have certain character traits. This one's messy, this one's organized, this one swears - but they have to be somewhat consistent. This film can't keep its own story straight - she's successful, right up until the time that she isn't. She can't get along with people, except for the times that she does. I can't help but think this was half-written, or someone changed their mind about what the characters should be like, and didn't bother to re-shoot what was already in the can.
Also starring Melissa McCarthy (last seen in "Bridesmaids"), Michael Rapaport (last seen in "Comic Book Villains"), Marlon Wayans (last seen in "Don't Be a Menace to South Central..."), Demian Bichir, Michael McDonald, Dan Bakkedahl, Taran Killam, Jane Curtin (last seen in "I Love You, Man"), Thomas F. Wilson, with cameos from Tony Hale, Bill Burr,
RATING: 4 out of 10 yearbook photos
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