Dir.
Todd Philips, US, 2004, 100 mins
Cast:
Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Snoop Dogg, Vince Vaughn, Fred Williamson, Carmen Electra
After the success of Charlie's Angels it was only a matter of time before the boys favourite of the 70's was dished up for today's audiences. And what a task for the filmmakers, having every thirtysomething's boyhood heroes to both re-invent and re-deliver. Let's all be thankful then for the casting of the already successful comedy team of Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson as the iconic crime fighting duo.
Stiller plays Detective David Starsky, a serious, committed undercover cop living in the shadow of his dead mother, an A1 member of the Bay City Police Department, if ever there was one. His over zealousness causes him to screw up from time to time, much to the exasperation of Police Captain Dobey (Fred Williamson). Dobey has another problem - Detective Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson (Wilson), whose laid back approach, and desire to make a quick buck, doesn't always get the job done. Solution? Hey, let's team these star-crossed officers.
It is the chemistry between the two leads, and the loving reverence to the original series, that makes this film work. The opening bars of the theme tune and the re-enactment of the opening credits immediately catapults the fans back to their youth, allowing for a much more faithful adaptation than the aforementioned Charlie's Angels, and it is nigh on impossible to imagine any other actors recreating these roles.
Stiller does resemble Paul Michael Glaser, but it is his characterisation and serious, uptight attitude that lets us buy into his portrayal, while Wilson's happy-go-lucky Californian blonde, with that trademark drawl, might not exactly look like David Soul but certainly captures the essence of "Hutch".
Starsky & Hutch plays it for real. The style of filming, the acting, the wardrobe, the set design - all are executed as if the film was actually being made in the seventies, allowing the humour to come through naturally, hitting the funny bone of the sensibilities of today's audiences. "Go get another perm" says Hutch at their first meeting "It is not a perm" retaliates Starsky, "it's naturally curly - feel". The bad guys wear polyester suits with wide lapels and geometric patterns, wide ties, and proudly display their new digital watches. Did we ever really dress like that back then? Did we really think it was cool? And look - there's a telephone with a dial; a pool of typewriters that you don't plug in; those horrible teacups with flowery designs; a transistor radio; and the weirdest personal stereo you can imagine.
And then there's the car. The red and white Ford Gran Torino. It makes its entrance with Starsky literally flying it out of the parking lot, and screeching into a prolonged handbrake turn. Starsky loves his car, the ultimate boy's toy. The macho image is diffused as he tells his impressed partner: "There are rules. Don't put coffee mugs on the roof of the car. In fact, no coffee in the car, ever!"
On the first day out, they discover a dead body - a "floater" - washed up on the beach and are soon on the case. Snoop Dogg takes on the Huggy Bear role, the king of bling, the guy on the street who can help them along the way. As the plot begins to unravel, the clues point to a wealthy businessman, Reese Feldman, played to seventies perfection by a sleazy Vince Vaughn, complete with handlebar moustache. Nailing the crimes on him proves hard and the duo have to resort to all manner of scenarios to do their job. This includes dating a couple of ever so keen stereotypical cheerleaders ("oh they're so cute - I've never dated a cop before" giggle giggle), and pretending to be mean, moody half-naked dragons for a prisoner who might be able to give them some information, as long as his lust for Hutch is satisfied - a brilliant attempt at dealing with the long-held subtext that there may be a homosexual element to their relationship.
Throw into the mix Hutch singing "Don't give up on us baby" to the girls, and Starsky recreating all the right moves in his own re-enactment of Saturday Night Fever, what you have is a loving homage to the era. It is also very funny, with plenty of action, and a winning appeal that touches all audiences, regardless of whether you're old enough to enjoy the nostalgia, or laugh at your parents expense.
Jean Lynch
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