Hot Pursuit (8/11/2015)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, violence, language and some drug material.

Starring Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara

Directed by Anne Fletcher (The Proposal, 27 Dresses, Step Up)

Hot Pursuit is a hot mess.

In Hot Pursuit, an uptight and by-the-book cop (Witherspoon) tries to protect the sexy and outgoing widow (Vergara) of a drug boss as they race through Texas, pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen.

We all love a well crafted “buddy film.” You know the movies that pair two polar opposites in extremely unlikely scenarios that lead to side hurting laughter. Films like Toy Story, Lethal Weapon, Midnight Run, and my personal favorite, Tommy Boy are staples in the “Buddy Film” genera.

Unfortunately, Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara have zero chemistry between them. Instead of playful banter, it felt more like annoying nagging…a lot of annoying nagging. They try to create some memorable laughs, but the jokes never seem to land…at least not for me.

Hot Pursuit is a movie that looked like it could be charming and fun, but at every turn it’s just so obnoxious and flat. So scenes involving Witherspoon and Vergara pretending to be lesbian lovers and when Witherspoon accidentally sniffs a bunch of cocaine are completely unfunny.

I rarely turn off a film and almost never walked out of the theater, so I’m thankful I only wasted $1 at redbox… Hot Pursuit is a “Coaster.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is no sex or nudity, but there are several sexual references and a couple mild gunfights. The language is also pretty mild for a PG-13 film.

CONVERSATION STARTER:

1. How would you describe Rose in the beginning of the film?


2. What makes her “good”?


3. Does she always follow the rules?


4. What happens when we don’t follow the rules?

Read Romans 3:10

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;”

And Romans 3:23

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,


5. What do these verses tell us about trying to “be good”?

Read Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–

Instead of trying to be good we need to accept the amazing free gift of God’s grace.