The Other Guys

  • Review Date: August 4, 2010
  • PG-13
  • Genre: Comedy
  • 2010
 Review

Common Sense Media says

Quirky buddy comedy mixes action, some raunchy stuff.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

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.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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."
  • Many uses of "s--t," “hell,” "ass," "bitch," and “a--hole,”  plus occasional uses of "damn," "hell," "goddamn," and "d--k."
  • 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.
  • Cops race to a drug bust and wind up running over a big bag of cocaine, which explodes and coats their car.

What's the story?

In the criminal justice system explored in THE OTHER GUYS, the people are sometimes represented by bean-counting police officers and their deeply frustrated partners: These are their stories. (Cue droll voiceover by Law & Order veteran Ice-T.) Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) is an NYPD forensic accountant who’d rather file paperwork than be caught in the thick of action. His partner, Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg), is a “peacock” who just wants to “fly,” but he’s been sidelined after erroneously shooting at none other than Derek Jeter. When the precinct loses its superstar cops (Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson) in an oddball accident, a vacuum is created. Hoitz wants to be a hero, but Gamble doesn’t want to, well, gamble. But a seemingly nerdy case involving a famous finance whiz (Steve Coogan) and purloined billions just may get Hoitz the moment in the sun he’s seeking -- and Gamble a familiar taste of the thrills.


Is it any good?

 

Let’s get the basics out of the way: The plot of The Other Guys wouldn’t hold up in any court of law. That’s annoying, yes, and at times even distracting; the movie loses momentum in the end as it grapples with tying up the thin storyline’s dangling ends (and there are many) and winds up giving the audience a tutorial on corporate fraud. And Anne Heche as a testy financier is woefully underused.

But all of that’s a small-ish price to pay to watch Ferrell’s singular and witty absurdity unspool onscreen. He milks every moment, no matter how it strains credulity and humor, and often pulls it off. He’s paired perfectly with Wahlberg, whose air of danger is channeled into edgy hilarity. Some successes: A running bit about Gamble’s seemingly unexplainable ability to lure ridiculously attractive women like Eva Mendes (who plays his wife) and the bizarre fate that awaits a pair of celebrity cops who indulge in Bourne Identity-like action sequences, complete with explosions and gunfire and macho, canned repartee. Hoitz and Gamble are unlike most other guys, and what a gift that is.


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What families can talk about

  • 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?


This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Kid, 13 years old
January 10, 2011
 
movie is good but some parts are not for little kids

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Adult
April 15, 2011
 
Suitable For Experienced Teenagers, Not For Young Children
I found "The Other Guys" to be somewhat humorous. It is most definitely your average new film with quite a bit of cursing and quite a few sexual innuendos. Both Will Ferrel and Mark Wahlberg did decent jobs acting, however I did find Will Ferrel to be lacking in good humor. Wahlberg just lacked in character, period. If you are the kind of person who likes semi-humorous films that you don't have to be locked on the screen to understand, this would probably be the movie for you. It is all together quite simple to follow; it just lacked in gut-busting humor. All together, the movie was not horrible, but I probably wouldn't recommend it to any comedy buff who is looking for a good laugh or two.

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Teen, 14 years old
March 14, 2011
 
Suitable for ages 10 and up
A good film, don't let any restricting parent stop you from watching it ( Ja Mom )

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Parent of 8, 12, and 13 year old
January 13, 2011
 
really awful story - we turned it off

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Teen, 14 years old
April 26, 2011
 
Great for teens, sooo not for younger kids!
There were good messages including loyalty, good over evil, etc... as well as some good role models. There was a lot of sex, and some pretty bad cursing. They also had a bunch of product placement! In a few scenes there is also visible alcohol, and cocaine, but all in all it's a pretty good movie for teens, and adults.

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Teen, 14 years old
February 12, 2011
 
This a movie of absolute haliarty. This is the only movie that I thought was stupid whin I first saw it but after I recently saw it, I laughed my ************** off! (made up swear word X) Mark is the best in the movie putting the best funny quotes of the decade with a streight face is insane! Will is great with his usually quirky style but now with a great script to work with. Will ferrell is only stopped from making a great movie every time is a bad SCRIPT. Writers write better! Now. Watch this movie. (ps, the unrated version is just more dirty dioluge ( no extra swear words) This is the best comedy of the decade ever! Watch it okay?

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Parent of 5, 11, and 13 year old
January 15, 2011
 
waste of time
What a waste of time. Pimping? not funny. Shooting your gun in the office? not funny. Accepting bribes? not funny. This movie? NOT FUNNY.

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Teen, 15 years old
April 23, 2011
 
other guys
I love watching this movie with a bunch of good friends! its very funny. although my friend and i have this game where when we see product placement we will yell it and we yelled it a LOT. the sex stuff was everywhere in this movie but that was what made it hillarious

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Teen, 15 years old
February 6, 2011
 
A violent movie with a need for substance
it needs a little more plot, but there are gunshots and some mature things.

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Parent of 14 year old
August 11, 2010
 
Buried underneath the car crashes and amazingly vulgar language is a clever mystery and a good story about two ordinary cops who do non-glamorous jobs in an effort to protect the people. But what my son took away from the film was the fact that it was loaded with some very salty language and lots of embarrassingly graphic sex jokes. Does PG-13 mean ANYTHING anymore? Or is it just a way to get more bodies into seats at what should be an R-rated film?!

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This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Studio:Columbia Pictures
Director:Adam McKay
Cast:Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Mark Wahlberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Will Ferrell
Genre:Comedy
Run time:107 minutes
Theatrical release date:August 6, 2010
DVD release date:December 14, 2010
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:crude and sexual content, language, violence and some drug material

This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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