It's been the trend in Hollywood over the last decade to delve into the archives of old TV shows and to update them on the big screen.
There have been successes (The Brady Bunch, Charlie's Angels and Mission: Impossible) and there have been complete failures (The Avengers and Scooby Doo). Starsky and Hutch appears to fall into somewhere between.
Ben Stiller stars as David Starsky: a by-the-book cop who has trouble working with others. Owen Wilson is Ken Hutchinson: a reckless cop who takes pride in being on both sides of the law.
The two are teamed together in an attempt to sort out both of their dwindling careers. Their first job together is to catch the perpetrators of a massive coke deal which seems to lead to wealthy businessman Reese Feldman, played by Vince Vaughn.
The emphasis is very much on comedy and the main target of most jokes is the 1970s. Filled with dodgy haircuts, dated technology and cheesy lines, the film thankfully never takes itself too seriously. However, there are only so many times you can be expected to laugh at Ben Stiller in a perm (it's only mildly amusing the first time).
The comic set-pieces reek of familiarity. Oh look, someone's unwittingly taken drugs, thinking they were something else and they're acting strange! Someone's taking part in a dance-off!
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Ben Stiller is watchable as ever, although what with this and with last month's distinctly average Along Came Polly, his nervy shtick perfected in Meet The Parents is beginning to grow old. Far more entertaining is the usually annoying Owen Wilson. Their rapport is good, perfected by 5 other films together, and they do make the film better for being in it. Familiar faces crop up with Will Ferrell, Har Mar Superstar and a depressingly underused Juliette Lewis. And not forgetting Snoop Dogg, who is surprisingly credible as the pimpish informant Huggy Bear.
Don't get me wrong, I was perfectly entertained by Starsky and Hutch. It'll surely be a smash and sequels will follow, but there was far less wit than expected. It produces a couple of smiles when it should be garnering belly-laughs. A good night out but nothing more.
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