"Starsky Hutch" Movie Review
The Movie Reporter
Films Reviews from a Family Perspective
by Phil Boatwright
Starsky Hutch. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson. Warner Bros. 3/5/04Spoof of the '70s cop/adventure TV-series is mostly mock-ish comedy with the duo going undercover to nab a drug dealer. There are some laughs, but it's not smart enough to be considered satire. Most of the humor is devoid of subtlety, each gag hammered home, usually by crudity. Aimed at 14-year-old boys, my real objection is the repeated misuse of Christ's name throughout. PG-13 (Christ's name is treated as a mere expletive at least 12 times; there are also that many obscenities and several minor expletives throughout; there is the occasional sexual innuendo, with the sometime exploitation of the female anatomy; the violence is played for laughs, such as an Asian kid throwing knives at our heroes, the knives actually hitting the targets; some gunplay, a couple of explosions and of course, the inevitable finale car chase).
Video Alternative: For an example of true satire, try, "The Mouse That Roared." Every time I see a film that attempts satire, I come back to this Peter Sellers classic. This English comedy has a small country declaring war on the U.S. in order to get federal relief from the conquering America.
DEFINITIONS
Crudity
- A word or action lacking in culture, tact
Expletive
- A mild obscenity or needless expression
Obscenity
- Objectionable or repugnant to acceptable standards of decency or morality; indecent; pornographic
Profanity
- Irreverence toward God
Blasphemy
- To speak contemptuously of God
Adult subject matter
- Situations or subjects unsuitable for or difficult to comprehend by children
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. "Know Before You Go" reg;Philip Boatwright, Editor Film/Video Reviews from a Family Perspective, Email:
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