The Other Guys

The Other Guys Information

The Other Guys is a 2010 action comedy film directed and co-written by Adam McKay, starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, and featuring Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson.

This film is the fourth of five collaborations between Ferrell and McKay, following Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Step Brothers (2008), and followed by Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013). The Other Guys is the only one not to be co-written by Ferrell.

Plot

Detective Allen Gamble is a mild-mannered forensic accountant. Hot-tempered detective Terry 'Yankee Clipper' Hoitz is partnered with Allen ever since he mistakenly shot Derek Jeter during the World Series. Allen and Terry receive no respect from the other officers, particularly detectives Martin and Fosse. All but Terry idolize cocky detectives Chris Danson and P.K. Highsmith, who are considered the city's best policemen even though they frequently cause millions of dollars in property damage catching petty criminals. During a pursuit, Danson and Highsmith leap to their deaths after misjudging their ability to survive a fall, which causes the precinct to wonder why they did it and who will take their place.

Allen and Terry investigate a scaffolding permit violation by multi-billionaire David Ershon but wind up uncovering a much bigger plot by Ershon to cover his losses to his client Lendl Global. Lendl CEO Pamela Boardman hires a team of mercenaries led by Roger Wesley to make sure Ershon pays her back. During their investigation, Allen confides in Terry about how he ran a college dating service, though he disputes that he was a pimp. When Allen's life spiraled out of control, he was sent to the hospital where he met his future wife Sheila, and he promised Sheila that he would never get out of control again. When Sheila tells Allen that she's pregnant, Allen reverts to his old dark personality, and she kicks him out. Meanwhile, Terry unsuccessfully attempts to reconnect with his ex-fiance Francine, who walked out on him due to his temper.

Their investigation comes to a halt when Ershon's attorney, Don Beaman, learns of his plan to cover his losses, leading Wesley to kill him and make it look like a suicide. Angered at their lack of progress, Capt. Gene Mauch splits up Allen and Terry, sending Terry to traffic duty and Allen to beat patrol. Despite Terry's anger, Allen still works the case on his own. After Allen learns that Danson and Highsmith died investigating a staged theft during which Wesley broke into an accounting firm next door, he finds credible evidence and earns his gun back from Mauch. Allen then convinces Terry to rejoin him. They meet Capt. Mauch at Bed Bath & Beyond, his second job, where the police captain admits he has been holding off on the case because Ershon has high-profile connections that could ruin him, and he allows them to finish the case off-the-books.

They go to an investment meeting Ershon is having and realize that the $32 billion Ershon seeks is really coming from the New York Police Department pension fund. They escape with Ershon to his private apartment, and Ershon tells them that the money for the pension fund is already in his account, ready to be transferred. Later that night, Allen and Terry finally reconcile with their loved ones. Allen apologizes to Sheila and she welcomes her husband back. Terry also apologizes to Francine for letting his anger rule his life.

The next morning, they drive to the bank to stop the transfer, evading Wesley's team, groups of Chechen and Nigerian investors to whom Ershon owes money, and police officers who are told Allen and Terry have gone rogue. They reach the bank and halt the transfer. Wesley arrives and as a delaying tactic, shoots both officers and Ershon in their arms. Mauch finally arrives with police backup, rescuing the two and arresting Ershon for his embezzlement, and Wesley for multiple counts of murder. Ershon's arrest leads to a stock market crash and the subsequent federal bailout of Lendl Global. Terry marries Francine, and although he asks Sheila to be his best man, she declines. Sheila reunites with her husband. The narrator finishes off by stating that the true heroes are the everyday people who work to make a difference, not the ones who appear in the newspaper or on TV.

Cast

Will Ferrell as Detective Allen "Gator" Gamble
Mark Wahlberg as Detective Terry Hoitz
Eva Mendes as Dr. Sheila Ramos Gamble
Michael Keaton as Captain Gene Mauch
Steve Coogan as Sir David Ershon
Ray Stevenson as Roger Wesley
Samuel L. Jackson as Detective P.K. Highsmith
Dwayne Johnson as Detective Christopher Danson
Lindsay Sloane as Francine
Natalie Zea as Christinith
Rob Riggle as Detective Evan Martin
Damon Wayans, Jr. as Detective Fosse
Michael Delaney as Bob Littleford
Viola Harris as Mama Ramos
Rob Huebel as Officer Watts
Brett Gelman as Hal
Bobby Cannavale as Jimmy
Andy Buckley as Don Beaman
Adam McKay as Dirty Mike
Zak Orth as Accountant
Ben Schwartz as Beaman's Assistant
Zach Woods as Douglas
Oliver Wood as Captain Salty
Chris Gethard as Clerk
Shakiem Evans as Dancer
Brianne Moncrief as Susan (Ershon's assistant)
Will Lyman as Frontline narration app
Simon Freeman as Policeman

Cameos

Brooke Shields as herself
Rosie Perez as herself
Derek Jeter as himself
Ice-T as Narrator (uncredited)
Anne Heche as Pamela Boardman (uncredited)
Josef Sommer as D.A. Louis Radford
Tracy Morgan as himself
Edward O'Dowd as Fast food manager
Jake Quinn as Precinct detective
Zoe Lister-Jones as Therapist

Production

The end credits are accompanied by a series of visual displays of the magnitudes, methods, and principal actors of various licit and illicit financial doings of the financial crisis, such as the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme, Goldman Sachs, AIG or the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Principal photography for the film began on September 23, 2009 in New York City, with additional scenes filmed in Albany and Staten Island, New York.

Practical visual effects work, including the helicopter crash scene, was done by KernerFX.

Stunt coordinator Brad Martin said in a Wall Street Journal interview that for Gamble's car they used three Priuses, including one with a racing engine so large it had to go in the back seat.

Promotion

In July 2010, both Wahlberg and Ferrell appeared at the San Diego Comic-Con International to promote their film.

During an episode of Big Brother, the house guests competed in a luxury challenge to see an advance screening of the film. Although they weren't actually in the house, both Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg made an on-screen video appearance.

During the August 4, 2010 episode of America's Got Talent, the week's contestants saw an advance screening of the film and got to meet both Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.

Ferrell and Wahlberg also made a cameo appearance on an episode of WWE Raw to promote the film.

During the week leading up to the release date, the film was promoted on TruTV programs, specifically The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest.... During the Season 2 premier for the MTV reality series Jersey Shore on July 29, 2010, special segments were shown during the commercial breaks of the show's cast broken down on a highway, discussing several movies, as part of a promotional tie-in; with The Other Guys being one of them.

They appeared in on screen advertising on broadcast sports events like MLB and NASCAR.

Reception

Box office

In its first day of release, The Other Guys grossed $13,124,233, placing first for Friday. It had a large opening weekend take of $35,543,162, placing it at #1 for the weekend of August 6-8, 2010, unseating Inception. The film ended up grossing $119,219,978 in North America and $51,212,949 internationally, making for a total $170,432,927.

Critical response

The Other Guys received positive reviews from critics, garnering a 79% "Certified Fresh" rating from critics on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes; the site's critical consensus reads: "While not the best collaboration between Will Ferrell and Adam Mckay, The Other Guys delivers bursts of comedy during a summer devoid of laughs." It has been called "a highly entertaining movie filled with witty dialogue and over-the-top action." Peter Travers of Rolling Stone praised the film, saying, "Don't let anyone spoil the wildly hilarious surprises. Ferrell and Wahlberg will double your fun. Guaranteed." Some critics praised The Other Guys as the best police film of the year, comparing the film to the critically panned Cop Out, with Richard Roeper stating, "Note to Kevin Smith: THIS is how you do a spoof of the buddy-cop genre," and Stephen Whitty of The Star-Ledger said in his mixed review, "Measured against this year's other police farce -- remember Cop Out? -- it looks absolutely heroic."

The Other Guys also received the "Best Comedy Film" award for 2010 at the first annual Comedy Awards.

Accolades

2010 Comedy Awards

Best Comedy Film (won)
Best Comedy Actor Film - Will Ferrell (nominated)
Best Comedy Director Film - Adam McKay (nominated)

2011 Teen Choice Awards

Choice Movie-Comedy (nominated)
Choice Movie Actor-Comedy - Will Ferrell (nominated)
Choice Movie Actress-Comedy - Eva Mendes (nominated)
Choice Movie Chemistry - Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg (nominated)
Choice Movie Hissy Fit - Mark Wahlberg (nominated)

Sequel

In the extended DVD edition, the film concludes with a second cameo appearance by Jeter, disguised as a homeless man, who hands Terry and Allen a manilla folder containing details on "their next case," providing a set-up for a sequel. Director Adam McKay stated in an interview with MTV that if the film does a good job at the box office and a fanbase grows, then a sequel could be possible.