Starsky & Hutch (film)

Starsky & Hutch is a 2004 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Todd Phillips. The film stars Ben Stiller as David Starsky and Owen Wilson as Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson and is a film adaptation of the original television series of the same name from the 1970s.

Two streetwise undercover cops in the fictional city of Bay City, California in the 1970s, bust drug criminals with the help of underworld boss, Huggy Bear. The film functions as a sort of prequel to the TV series, as it portrays when Starsky was first partnered with Hutchinson. The film also switches the personalities of the title characters. While in the TV show, Starsky was curious and streetwise, and Hutch was by-the-book, in the film, Starsky is the serious cop, and Hutch is laid-back. There are four Frat Pack members in this film, although not all are in major roles.

Plot
In the 1970s, Bay City Police detectives David Starsky and Ken 'Hutch' Hutchinson are forced to work as partners. The macho Starsky (Ben Stiller) loves his Ford Gran Torino and recklessly pursues minor offenders, while the easy-going Hutchinson (Owen Wilson) often works alongside criminals to investigate their activity. Jewish-American drug kingpin Reese Feldman (Vince Vaughn) and partner-in-crime Kevin Jutsum (Jason Bateman) develop a new type of cocaine untraceable in scent and taste. When one of his dealers botches an operation, Feldman kills him.

The body washes ashore a few days later, and Starsky and Hutch investigate the scene. A clue leads them to Feldman, who denies any knowledge of the crime, but his wife mentions the dealer had been dating a cheerleader. After meeting cheerleaders Stacey (Carmen Electra) and Holly (Amy Smart), the detectives learn from cheerleader Heather (Brande Roderick) that the dealer's jacket was made by Big Earl (Will Ferrell). Their street-wise informant Huggy Bear (Snoop Dogg) directs the pair to Big Earl's motorcycle bar. Disguised as "Captain America" and "Billy" from Easy Rider, Starsky and Hutch learn Big Earl is in jail, where they question him on his connection to Feldman's illicit dealings. Big Earl, implied to be gay and obsessed with dragons, forces the detectives into humiliating acts in exchange for a packet of what they believe is cocaine. Captain Doby (Fred Williamson), angered by their wild interrogation, tells them the packet contains artificial sweetener and takes them off the case.

The duo invite Stacey and Holly to Starsky's place where Starsky puts the “sweetener” in his coffee while Hutch sings Don't Give Up on Us (first recorded by David Soul, the original "Hutch"). The four visit a disco where Starsky, suffering the effects what proves to be Feldman's modified cocaine, loses a dance-off. Hutch takes him home and puts him to bed, then proceeds to have a threesome with Stacey and Holly.

Feldman remains the duo's main suspect, and they deduce that Feldman stores the drugs in his garage. They go undercover as mimes at his daughter's Bat Mitzvah; confronting Feldman, Starsky shoots the lock off his garage door, inadvertently killing a pony inside that had been a gift for his daughter. Doby indefinitely suspends both detectives, and though Starsky defends Hutch, Doby reveals a complaint Starsky filed against his partner weeks ago. Starsky tries to explain himself to Hutch, but an argument leads to a split in their friendship.

Hutch's young neighbor Willis (Jeffrey Lorenzo) is injured by a bomb meant for Hutch. Starsky and Hutch visit Willis in the hospital where they reconcile and decide to put an end to Feldman's drug business. With help from Huggy Bear, who grudgingly serves as Feldman's golf caddie, they learn that the kingpin plans to sell the drugs at a charity ball by hiding them in Volkswagen Karmann Ghias to be given away to other dealers.

The duo enter the party in disguise with Stacey and Holly as their dates. Deducing Feldman's plan, they and shoot open a VW's trunk, discovering a large stash of cocaine. Feldman takes Hutch hostage, and Starsky accidentally shoots Captain Doby in the shoulder, though Hutch declares Reese was responsible. In the confusion, Feldman and his girlfriend Kitty (Juliette Lewis) escape with the money from the cocaine deal, leading Starsky and Hutch on a car chase through a golf course.

As Feldman and Kitty take off in his yacht, Starsky and Hutch try to ramp Starsky's beloved car off a pier in pursuit, but land in the sea. Huggy, hiding on board, knocks Feldman out and takes one of Feldman's money briefcases for himself.

Celebrating the capture of Feldman, Jutsum, and Kitty, Starsky mourns the loss of his car. Huggy surprises him with another Gran Torino (bought from the original Starsky and Hutch duo, David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser). The two partners roll out on another case in their new ride.

Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 62% based on 193 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "It's uneven and occasionally somewhat aimless, but Starsky & Hutch benefits from Stiller and Wilson's chemistry and a surprisingly warm-hearted script." On Metacritic the film earned a weighted average score of 55 out of 100 based on 40 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade B on scale of A to F.

Roger Ebert awarded it 3 out of 4 stars. Ebert called it "A surprisingly funny movie, the best of the 1970s recycling jobs, with one laugh ("Are you OK, little pony?") almost as funny as the moment in "Dumb and Dumber" when the kid figured out his parakeet's head was Scotch-taped on." Brian Lowry of Variety magazine wrote: "Blessed with sporadic moments of cheeky fun, isn't painful but seldom advances beyond costumes and hairstyling in terms of creativity."

Ben Stiller earned a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Actor. Carmen Electra earned a nomination for Worst Supporting Actress.

Box office
In the film's opening weekend, it grossed $28,103,367 in 3,185 theaters. Starsky & Hutch has had gross receipts of $88,237,754 in the U.S. and Canada and $82,030,996 in international markets for a total of $170,268,750 worldwide.