Iffy for 13+
Quirky buddy comedy mixes action, some raunchy stuff.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this offbeat Will Ferrell/Mark Wahlberg comedy is an irreverent send-up of buddy cop movies that will likely appeal to older tweens but is more age-appropriate for teens. Although the tone is light and comic overall -- and it isn't quite as raunchy as previous Ferrell hits like Anchorman -- the movie does include plenty of bone-crunching, guns-a-flying action sequences. There isn’t a lot of gore, but there’s plenty of cartoonish violence. There’s also a fair bit of strong language (including several uses of "s--t") and risque sexual innuendo/banter (including one exchange that gets pretty detailed), plus one scene involving cocaine and a drug bust.
- Families can talk about how this movie compares to more typical buddy cop movies. Why does Hollywood love these pairings? And why are they mostly male?
- Is the violence in this type of movie gratuitous? What is this comedy saying about them? Is it paying homage or lampooning -- or a little bit of both?
The good stuff
-
Messages: The movie is very silly, but underneath the goofy stuff is the message that promise and heroism hide in the most surprising of personalities -- and that teamwork rules. There's also a key subplot about corruption and stealing, but they're not presented as admirable behavior.
-
Role models: The two main characters are bumbling types who just can’t get much right. But when they do, it’s amazing. They’re also fiercely loyal to each other, even if they don’t see eye to eye, and to their girlfriends/wives.
What to watch for
-
Violence: Plenty of violence, though much of it is played for laughs. Shootouts, explosions, fistfights, traffic accidents, a suicidal jumper, two men falling to their deaths. A car slams into a double-decker bus full of tourists.
-
Sex: A couple exchanges some fairly detailed, raunchy sex talk, with her mother serving as go-between; plenty of risque one-liners and references. A woman practically demands sex from a character while her husband is in another room. A man ogles his work partner’s wife’s cleavage. Discussions about how one character was a pimp in college. Ferrell's character sings a song called "Pimps Don't Cry."
-
Language: Many uses of "s--t," “hell,” "ass," "bitch," and “a--hole,” plus occasional uses of "damn," "hell," "goddamn," and "d--k."
-
Consumerism: Mentions of VO Hot Oil treatments, Febreze, Grand Theft Auto, Toyota Prius, and more. Logos/signage for Bed, Bath & Beyond, Mister Softee, USA Today, and many more.
-
Drinking, drugs and smoking: Cops race to a drug bust and wind up running over a big bag of cocaine, which explodes and coats their car.
Fan Reviews provided by
5
TRUE COMEDY by Camman10
This movie is a true comedy. Some movies fall within the structure of reality and happen to be funny. This one pulls no punches and leaves reality behind from the very first scene. You would think that the repeated use of several bits might get old, but somehow it just works here. As with any movie there is bound to be a couple slow spots, but for the most part this was a grade A laugh fest. My sides and face hurt from laughing and smiling for an hour and a half. If you love comedy and don't have a stick up your A**, you will love this film.
4
A Charmingly Ridiculous Comedy. by Paradoxically
Walking into the theater, I will honestly say that I was not expecting much from The Other Guys. After a few utterly ridiculous jokes and booming laughter from the (clearly) entertained crowd, however, I began to thoroughly enjoy this movie. I will not go as far to say that this movie was the best of the year, or even the summer, but I will say one thing: I had a fantastic time watching it. Will Ferrell, who in my opinion is generally a wild card, was an outstanding compliment to Mark Wahlberg's expertly executed (and hilarious) portrayal of a man struggling to prove in his career (as well as his manhood). This unlikely dynamic duo is what makes this movie unique and entertaining. Unlike most comedies which have maybe two good moments (which, conveniently were already shown in the commercials), The Other Guys was filled to the brim with lines and moments that will keep you laughing all movie long. Even better? The Other Guy's has a message that does not over-power the movie. (4.5)
5
Laugh Out Loud Riot by jmccloy77
This movie was soooo hilarious. You will be laughing throughout the whole movie. Its funny how i read what others thought, and i guess some get offended by some of the jokes that were made against certain races. I guess they dont watch other movies. Its comedy people. Nothing wrong with it. But the movie was funny. I guarantee you will be laughing throughout the whole movie. It was fun to watch. Definately go see it.
5
Abosultely Hilarious! by Kate L
The other Guys is a send-up of cop dramas that makes fun of all the cliches. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg pay it straight while being very funny. The movie manages to be a cut above the usual laugh-a-minute crude joke fest and even attempts to educate, although you might not even notice.
2
Terrible, way too political by chasicle
There were a few quality jokes where I laughed pretty hard. The rest, not very funny. Mark Wahlberg tried to be funny, but wasn't. Will Ferrell was ok, but his jokes got stale as the movie went along.
Without spoiling the movie, the bad guy is portrayed as a greedy capitalist which they somehow manage to compare to ponzi schemes. Yeah, I know, there's zero connection, yet these hard core libs managed to make the comparison. During the credits, they didn't do outtakes, funny stuff, or anything related to the movie. They did a powerpoint on ponzi schemes and somehow compared it to the bailout and put a bunch of numbers up about how much CEOs make on average compared to the average worker.
Seriously? Why not go into how much Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg made ($15-$20 million each) compared to the lowly workers who worked on the movie. Effing HYPOCRITES.
4
A Surprising Night With The Other Guys by judemovies
I wasn't expecting a movie quite like this. It was a pleasant surprise and relief that I didn't waste my money on another loser summer movie. No 3D was needed here to enhance what isn't there. The movie held it's own and kept the audiences' attention with the new one liners and comeback lines that I had never heard of before. These phrases will soon become a standard in our sarcasm vocabulary. Wahlberg and Ferrel at first don't seem to click as a pair but they grow on you as the movie goes on. Ferrel maintains the comedy part while Wahlberg sticks to his action/serious side.
The plot of the movie is not unusual but it's presented in a very original way with lots of great stunts and car scenes, motorcycle stunts and high falls and great pyro. A liitle bit of everything done well. It's very funny with new humour and a still action shot scene that is very well executed.
The credits are combined with economic stats that are worth staying to the very end. Don't leave. Surprise sleeper
4
Five Word Review by michelleroethle
will Ferril Was pretty funny
4
Five Word Review by The Boondock Saint
Pretty Funny Movie Worth Seeing
4
The Other Guys by puffyfox
Very funny! Not for young ages though. The iffy for 13 plus rating is very accurate. Will Ferrell is awesome as usual and has a style of humor that no one else has. Markie Mark is fantastic too. Some cheesy parts in the movie, however overall it is very funny.
1
Five Word Review by trufflelady
stupid wasteoftime slow lame typicalwillmovie