Starsky & Hutch (2004)

Paul Greenwood reviews

Starsky & Hutch (2004)

• Cert:
• Running time: 101 minutes
• Year: 2004
• Released: 19th March 2004
• Widescreen Ratio: 2.35:1
• Rating: 8/10

Director:

Todd Philips

(Bittersweet Motel, Frat House, Hated, Old School, Road Trip, The Six Million Dollar Man (2005), Starsky & Hutch (2004))

Cast:

David Starsky: Ben Stiller
Ken Hutchinson: Owen Wilson
Huggy Bear: Snoop Dogg
Captain Doby: Fred Williamson
Reese Feldman: Vince Vaughn
Kitty: Juliette Lewis
Friday: Jason Bateman
Holly: Amy Smart
Staci: Carmen Electra
Manetti: Chris Penn

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At the risk of sounding like someone on one of those “I Love the 1970s” programmes,if like me you can remember The Incredible Hulk and World of Sport and TomBaker was your favourite Dr. Who, chances are you’ll be a bit excited by a Starsky andHutch movie. To be fair, I was probably only 7 or 8 when the TV show left ourscreens, but it still has a place in my heart. Now Bay City’s finest law enforcement teamare back in the guise of the mismatched buddy movie.

David Starsky is the by the book detective and Ken Hutchinson the laid back wise-asshe’s partnered with. As far as a subsequent plot is concerned, I’m not sure if there evenwas one. There was something about untraceable cocaine and Vince Vaughn as the badguy but, really, such things are of little consequence. We’ve paid our moneyfor tyre squealing Gran Torinos, four inch thick cardigans, perms, shades and jivetalking informants in purple pimp outfits. Just imagine what we’ll be like when thefilm starts!

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Carrying on the recent tradition of spring blockbusters being better than the summerones, Starsky and Hutch is an absolute hoot. If a funnier film is going to be released thisyear, I’ll need to stock up now on clean pants. The casting of Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller simplycould not have been improved upon and it’s got to be hoped that they’ve signed up for asequel. Snoop Dogg could just have turned up to do an impersonation of Huggy Bear,but he’s actually quite funny, while Vaughn carries his usual presence.

The triumph of Starsky and Hutch lies in the fact that, while those of a certain vintagecan appreciate a lot of the nods and winks, there’s a whole ton of stuff that’s funnybecause it’s funny – the knife throwing Korean kid will warm you up nicely, the lockerroom fight will leave you sore and the disco dance-off will end you.

And yet for all its silliness and spoofery, it’s really not a piss take. Instead there’saffection for the source and a healthy sense of the ludicrousness of the ‘70s, combinedwith note perfect period detail and a groovy soundtrack. By the time David Soul andPaul Michael Glaser show up for their obligatory cameos, those of us who’llnever see 29 again will be positively misty eyed.

Review copyright © Paul Greenwood, 2004.E-mail Paul Greenwood

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