Other Guys, The (12/14/2010)

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

Directed by Adam McKay (Step Brothers, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy)

Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson

I almost hate to admit how much I laughed during this movie.

NYPD Detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson) are the baddest and most beloved cops in New York City. Not too far away, sit Detectives Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg). Gamble is more comfortable pushing pencils than busting bad guys, as the meticulous forensic accountan. Hoitz is his reluctant partner whose embarrassing encounter with Derek Jeter has left a sizable black mark on his permanent record. They're not heroes – they're “the Other Guys.” But when a seemingly harmless case turns into New York City's biggest crime, will these two rise to the occasion?

With movies like Step Brothers, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, I expected one crude joke after another when I sat down to watch The Other Guys. But this is director Adam McKay’s tamest film to date. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a PG-13 film and the language and crude material is still there…just not to the level as his other films.

What’s not missing are the laughs. But in order to fully appreciate the jokes, check your brain at the door along with any maturity past 6th grade you possess – it is still a Will Ferrell/Adam McKay movie. There were plenty of times that I found myself saying I shouldn’t be laughing…but I just couldn’t stop myself.

This film doesn’t break a lot of new ground, in fact there are plenty of rehashed scenes like: encouraging a man attempting to commit suicide to jump, the bad-cop/bad-cop mix up, driving accidents. But somehow Ferrell still got me to laugh and for that I applaud him.

Wahlberg is just as good as the amped-up-I-hate-everyone cop with a huge chip on his shoulder. He’s actually the perfect balance for Ferrell…thus the buddy cop formula.

I’m giving this a Rental because it’s the “cleanest” (yes that’s in quotes) of the McKay/Ferrell films, but with a couple of edits, it could have been Theater Worthy.

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is still plenty of crude content and language. That being said, it is clear they tightened the reigns a little on this one and stayed away from the sex and nudity.

Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):

Q: What was the theme (or the message) of this movie?

A: Both of these guys (Ferrell and Wahlberg) play characters with “interesting” pasts. One of the cop buddies has angst over his job; after all, he accidentally shot Derek Jeter. The other has made some regrettable decisions in his life, namely sexual ones, and seems to enjoy the rather mundane tasks of police work hoping they will redeem his past failures.

In short, these guys are losers. They want to be taken seriously, but they’ve messed up so many times in the past, and nothing seems like it’s gonna change.

Q: As Christians, what should our reaction to this movie be?

A: Like I said earlier, there were several elements included in the film that constituted “low hanging fruit,” and the movie could have been better without them. That being said, the struggle that Gamble and Hoitz find themselves in – overcoming their past – is a common one that many people in real life deal with.

Can we, or can we not, move past our previous failures? Can we trust God to forgive us and move on? Will we continue to live in the shadow and regret of our sin? Will the past shape the future, or will God shape the future?

When it comes to dealing with past failures, we should heed the advice found in Psalm 32:

1 Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Selah
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD “—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

Sin cannot be hidden, covered up, or ignored. It has to be dealt with accordingly. But when we confront our sin, and ask God to forgive us of it, He does, and our lives are restored.

Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?

A: We must not let our past get the best of us. Each of us has fallen short of God’s expectations and requirements, but He has already offered us forgiveness for these shortcomings through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Now, we must put our trust in God’s plan…or continue to wrestle against the past on our own.

We need to be honest about what we’ve done (and what we’ve failed to do). We need to acknowledge our sin in light of God’s holiness. We must ask God to forgive us so we can serve Him through new life. And finally, we must not allow anyone to dredge up the past in a negative or harmful way. If God has forgiven us, so should others.