A bad action-comedy, which still manages to evoke laughter.
A rookie officer is teamed with a hardened pro at the California Highway Patrol, though the newbie soon learns his partner is really an undercover Fed investigating a heist that may involved some crooked cops.
Ever since 21 Jump Street was remade as an adult comedy in the mid 2000s the trend has taken over Hollywood. Now, 70s comedy Chips is up. Dax Shepard writes, directs and stars and it’s his first major picture behind the camera. The plot of the script isn’t terrible, you can see Shepard is trying - the mystery/premise isn’t the issue, is the poor ham-fisted humour. One in every five jokes lands. The rapport between Michael Peña and Dax Shepard is actually funny, Peña is a very clever comic talent and this is clearly below him. That can be said though for much of the cast, especially Vincent D’Onofrio and Kristen Bell.
Overall it’s not a great film, some parts are funny and the mystery is enough to hook you. Not something to race to, but it passes.
2 Stars
Review by Benjamin Maio Mackay
Screening courtesy of Roadshow Entertainment