Movie review of Starsky & Hutch, Starsky & Hutch DVD review

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Buy your copy from Amazon.com Starsky & Hutch (2004) Starring: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Snoop Dogg, Vince Vaughn, Will Farrell, Carmen Electra, Molly Sims, Amy Smart, Juilette Lewis, Chris Penn, Fred Williamson, Brande Roderick, Jason Bateman
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: PG-13
Category: Comedy

In the tradition of taking old 1970s television shows to the big screen, director Todd Phillips (of "Old School" fame) strikes nostalgic gold, managing to squeeze just enough comedic material from the buddy cop show “Starsky and Hutch” to keep it afloat for its 95-minute runtime.

Dave Starsky (Ben Stiller) and Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson (Owen Wilson) have just been assigned to one another as partners working in the Bay City Police Department. Starsky, a by-the-books straight cop, has some issues with Hutch’s loose cannon attitude, but they begin to form a workable friendship as they track down a high-class drug dealer (Vince Vaughn) who has just created an undetectable form of cocaine about to enter the market. Driving around in an exact replica of the show’s trademark 1974 Ford Torino, the duo goes undercover with the help of their street informant Huggy Bear (Snoop Dogg) and a sexually deranged con played with customary wit by Will Ferrell.

“Starsky and Hutch” doesn’t rely too heavily on its weak plot, but rather on the dynamic relationship between Stiller and Wilson that has been a winning combination over the past years in films like “Zoolander” and “Meet the Parents.” The action sequences are well shot, but don’t clutter the movie’s satirical intent and are only there to remind the audience that they are watching a cop movie. Vince Vaughn is entertaining as usual and Snoop Dogg brings it down a few levels in playing the loveable street pimp.

Phillips gives “Starsky and Hutch” brilliant life by saturating the movie with the music, fashion and lingo of the ‘70s. The film isn’t the ideal remake nor does it aim to be, but it successfully recreates the show’s characters and style in a humorous celebration of a TV classic.

~Jason Zingale