Review: 'Starsky & Hutch' Is Groovy Good Time
Director Todd Phillips Wisely Chooses Camp, Comedy
POSTED: 1:53 pm CST March 5, 2004
'Starsky & Hutch' (PG-13) 
(out of four)Director Todd Phillips wisely chose to not take "Starsky & Hutch" too seriously. The 1970s cop series was a television staple and falls into the same cheeky category as "Charlie's Angels" and "Hawaii Five O." Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson star in the send-up of the 1970s hit series about two undercover cops, a streetwise informant and one cool car.TV's "Starsky & Hutch" was a bit more bent on serious crime solving than these two guys are, although Stiller remains straight-faced, but with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek throughout.In the latest version, Stiller's David Starsky has a poster of "Dirty Harry" on his wall and practices karate moves on the beach.On the flip side, Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson," played with surfer-dude aplomb by Wilson, is a bit too close to the underground and waffles between super hero and petty criminal.As far as eye candy goes, fans of '70s kitsch will rejoice when a duel turns into a disco showdown, David Soul's classic "Don't Give Up On Us Baby" gets its due, and KC & The Sunshine Band performs as a nightclub band.Big, red and full of power, nine Ford Grand Torinos stand in for the fancy striped tomato. The car gets put through its paces, even ending up in the ocean in a glorious climactic scene. Car coordinator Mike Walsh said he had to retool the car to make it ecologically friendly by removing the fluids in the car.In the acting department, Vince Vaughn is dastardly with a thick mustache and an even thicker thug accent as a cocaine kingpin and Juliette Lewis in a hilarious bit part as his "doll." And Will Ferrell is side-splitting in a recurring appearance as a prison inmate who really likes meeting Hutch. I mean, really likes meeting Hutch.But stealing the show is Snoop Doggy Dogg as the infamous Huggy Bear.Starsky: "I like your Lincoln."Huggy Bear: "It's a '76. It won't be out until next year, but I know some people that know some people that rob some people."Speaking of cars, Snoop who has his own fleet of 27 cars, used his own 1976 Lincoln for that scene. The name of the car? Huggy Bear, of course.When Starsky wires Huggy Bear for a day on the golf course with Vaughn's villain, there's not a better scene in the movie."Starsky & Hutch" stands the test of time with this smartly done big-screen version. It's too bad David Soul (who makes an appearance in the film) doesn't hold up as well.So, pack up your platform shoes and get ready for a groovy, hilarious good time.
(out of four)Director Todd Phillips wisely chose to not take "Starsky & Hutch" too seriously. The 1970s cop series was a television staple and falls into the same cheeky category as "Charlie's Angels" and "Hawaii Five O." Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson star in the send-up of the 1970s hit series about two undercover cops, a streetwise informant and one cool car.TV's "Starsky & Hutch" was a bit more bent on serious crime solving than these two guys are, although Stiller remains straight-faced, but with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek throughout.In the latest version, Stiller's David Starsky has a poster of "Dirty Harry" on his wall and practices karate moves on the beach.On the flip side, Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson," played with surfer-dude aplomb by Wilson, is a bit too close to the underground and waffles between super hero and petty criminal.As far as eye candy goes, fans of '70s kitsch will rejoice when a duel turns into a disco showdown, David Soul's classic "Don't Give Up On Us Baby" gets its due, and KC & The Sunshine Band performs as a nightclub band.Big, red and full of power, nine Ford Grand Torinos stand in for the fancy striped tomato. The car gets put through its paces, even ending up in the ocean in a glorious climactic scene. Car coordinator Mike Walsh said he had to retool the car to make it ecologically friendly by removing the fluids in the car.In the acting department, Vince Vaughn is dastardly with a thick mustache and an even thicker thug accent as a cocaine kingpin and Juliette Lewis in a hilarious bit part as his "doll." And Will Ferrell is side-splitting in a recurring appearance as a prison inmate who really likes meeting Hutch. I mean, really likes meeting Hutch.But stealing the show is Snoop Doggy Dogg as the infamous Huggy Bear.Starsky: "I like your Lincoln."Huggy Bear: "It's a '76. It won't be out until next year, but I know some people that know some people that rob some people."Speaking of cars, Snoop who has his own fleet of 27 cars, used his own 1976 Lincoln for that scene. The name of the car? Huggy Bear, of course.When Starsky wires Huggy Bear for a day on the golf course with Vaughn's villain, there's not a better scene in the movie."Starsky & Hutch" stands the test of time with this smartly done big-screen version. It's too bad David Soul (who makes an appearance in the film) doesn't hold up as well.So, pack up your platform shoes and get ready for a groovy, hilarious good time. Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
