If making this week’s BEC has taught me anything, its that buddies love to point guns at bad guys, empty space, and even each other. With Stuber coming out this weekend, we wanted to take a look back at all the other buddy comedies we’ve loved. Hopefully no one gets their eye shot out.
“Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?” Can I get “Hilarious Actors who Didn’t Do Enough Movies?” for 500? Chris Tucker has a direct line to my funny bone. Everything he says and does lands for me. I am prone to being a little dramatic and high energy myself, so maybe I just see him as a kindred spirit. Rush Hour has all the comedy it needs in Tucker and then grabs all the inventive action you could want with Jackie Chan. I grew up absolutely loving Jackie Chan Adventures so having these two together was middle school Blake’s dream. I owned the full franchise set and would watch them for hours on road trips. In my book, this is the true buddy comedy pairing to beat and a franchise you should definitely rush to check out. (Blake Hodges)
This week’s theme is buddy comedies. I could gush on these guys for hours, but I think I’ll let the movie speak for itself with some of my favorite quotes from it. (Aaron Schweitzer)
- You get back here and have sex with my wife!
- If I were a lion and you were a tuna, I’d swim out to the middle of the ocean and freaking eat you! Then I’d bang your tuna girlfriend.
- Anything you do or say can be used… as a flotation device.
- Did you just yell “America!” when you slammed your foot on the accelerator?
- Arnold Palmer alert! Honey, this one is the one with the vodka.
- You thinking what I’m thinking? Aim for the bushes.
When I think of buddy comedies I think of the modern day classic 21 Jump Street. To this day, I’ve never laughed harder in a movie theater than I did when I saw this film for the first time. This movie could have easily been just another throw away dumpster fire comedy. What we got instead was a smart, hilarious, delightful, and witty comedy about two people who are polar opposites being best friends. What makes this movie so special—besides the fact that this shouldn’t have worked at all—is that this was the feature that made the world take the directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller seriously. It’s because of their sharp direction that this movie works so well. Not to mention the excellent chemistry between Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. This was Channing Tatum’s coming out party to comedy as he proved he was far more than just a capable actor, but a fantastic comedic actor. This is not only my favorite buddy comedy, but my favorite comedy of all time. (Ben Davis)
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle successfully accomplishes what every buddy comedy film sets out to do by creating a hilarious story completely dependent on the two main characters both presenting different perspectives on the overall plot of the film. The character of Harold Lee, a “by the numbers” accountant dedicated to doing the right thing and desiring a romantic relationship with his neighbor, plays perfectly off of his friend and roommate, Kumar Patel. Kumar is the polar opposite of Harold in that he is care-free and runs away from his responsibilities despite showing massive amounts of potential. However, both Harold and Kumar’s love for marijuana and (the resulting crave for) fast food leads them on a journey that takes advantage of both personality types. Where this film succeeds where others fail is that both “buddies” are the stars of the film and the viewer gets to see both characters’ perspectives on each situation they get into. The viewer gets to see how distinct differences between people can lead to internal growth; furthermore, Harold shows Kumar that denying responsibility and potential can hold someone back from true success while the latter shows the former that standing up for oneself and using heart over head with confidence can lead to happiness. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle is a “buddy stoner” comedy by nature but is also a character study of how opposites can meet on a common ground (the common ground in this film being weed and burgers) and their differences can reveal similarities that lead to growth. (Dylon Turner)
Bad Boys, Bad Boys, what’cha gonna do. What’cha gonna do when they come for you? This 1995 action comedy film stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as partners investigating $100 million dollars of seized mafia heroin that was stolen from a secure police vault. They are immediately on a time crunch when Internal Affairs believes the theft to be an inside job and threatens to close down the entire department in five days. They race against the clock, trying to solve the case and it’s definitely action-packed and thrilling, along with the jokes in between. For it being Michael Bay’s directorial debut, he did a good job of giving us another taste of the buddy cop genre before he was all about explosions, explosions, and more explosions. I find Bad Boys to be a classic and Smith and Lawrence are a great team that show us what it means to be partners and friends. Ride together, die together, Bad Boys for life. (Chantal Ashford)
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is a seminal film of a seminal era for popular entertainment, a definitive moment of sorts for its stars, behind the scenes talent, and the genre. Coming off youth film sensations like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles, John Hughes had reached the height of his popularity, and taking a hard left turn into a road trip buddy comedy was a risky move to say the least. The film was based off a real experience Hughes had, leading to him writing the script in only three days. The authenticity of these events bleeds through every scene of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles; even with the wacky antics and comic bits, there is always a sense of truth and pathos beneath the laughs. Paired with Hughes painfully hilarious screenplay was a comic duo that would serve as the benchmark for all comic duos for years to come; Steve Martin and John Candy, as the straight man on the edge of sanity and the goofy oaf, respectively. Their anti-chemistry and growing bond simultaneously radiates and simmers onscreen. The structure and characters of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles have been oft-imitated, in everything from Tommy Boy to Due Date. Yet nothing has come close to recapturing the magic and blistering honesty (and occasional sly cynicism) of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles; they may have the big names and fast cars, but sometimes nothing can make up for experience. (Devan Meyer)
Do you want to see two A-list actors in a buddy cop comedy that takes a satirical look at 1970s Los Angeles? Then look no further than The Nice Guys. This is a film that features one of the most unexpectedly awesome performances Ryan Gosling has ever given, with Russell Crowe playing his excellent counterpart. In a match made in heaven, these two private detectives try to solve the case of the murder of an actress. The two leads play off each other so perfectly, with Gosling being a hapless detective, and Crowe always at his side rolling his eyes. The film’s black comedy is able to bring about some excellent satire on the entertainment industry, while scoring huge laughs along the way. An excellent film anchored by its two leads, The Nice Guys is the perfect showcase for the range of these actors (Robert Bouffard)
When someone talks about buddy comedies, it is almost impossible to bring up the buddy cop subgenre. You know the deal, right? Two cops, one straight-laced and by the book and the other is a loose cannon. Where did this cliché start? Lethal Weapon sure made it famous! The expert chemistry between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover makes for a pitch black and hilarious romp. Mel Gibson is perfection with his unhinged performance and we all feel for the soon to be retired Danny Glover. Let’s not forget the intense and creep Gary Busey as Mr. Joshua. That ending fight with him and Gibson is intense and satisfying. But the comedy comes in full measure from the wonderful writing of Shane Black. Black creates great characters and finds the humor in the darkest of places. This film gets the big stamp of coolness from Eric Clapton’s smooth score. Trust me, you will never be too old for this shit. (Shane Conto)
As film fans, we all have those films we watched so many times that you could quote it from start to finish. For me those films were Shrek & Shrek 2, a collection of Adam Sandler films, and Holy Schnike there was Tommy Boy. Chris Farley was a treasure who was taken away so young. He had a knack for all kinds of comedy from sarcasm, idiotic humor, and slapstick. Tommy Boy is the culmination of all of his skills which were paired expertly with the snarky humor of one David Spade. Tommy and Richard are our buddies for this buddy comedy and it is a delight watching this friendship slowly grow. So many lessons are learned from this fun little film as well. Did you know Herbie Hancock was a Founding Father? Did you ever wonder how to make a sale? Did you ever wonder how to fool the cops into not arresting you for a DUI? But most importantly, there is a valuable motto to live by that I have always taken to heart. Always remember, brothers don’t shake hands…brothers gotta hug! (Shane Conto)
Edgar Wright’s follow-up to Shaun of the Dead and the 2nd installment of the infamous Cornetto Trilogy, Hot Fuzz is a prime example on how to construct a phenomenal Buddy Cop Comedy. Shaun of the Dead was a difficult act to follow, but Wright proved that he was more than up for the challenge. This film once again showcases the talents of real life friends Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. They have unmatched chemistry in this homage/parody of the Buddy Cop Film formula. Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is an overachieving and dutiful London Police Officer who is transferred to a small Britsh Village. There he finds that things are not so quaint and quiet in this small town when he slowly discovers something nefarious taking place with the assistance of his bumbling partner, Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). The film combines elements of mystery, comedy and action effortlessly and shows the knowledge that Edgar Wright has as a director and film fan alike. He is able to create compelling, mystery story beats with laugh out loud dialog and editing choices. Wright’s use of clever cuts and editing really makes his films pop and Hot Fuzz is no different in this regard. There is a frenetic energy that always permeates throughout this film and you can’t wait to see how the overall story will unfold. The Buddy Cop Sub Genre is utilized in this film and elevated in many respects due to Wright’s knowledge of action films and how to shoot them effectively. While most of the film is a murder mystery procedual film, the final act ramps up to be a full blown action film with every action movie troupe used for comedic effect, but never comes off as cheap. This portion of the film is wonderfully framed and has hints of John Woo mixed with other famous action film set pieces. Hot Fuzz is a comedy and action tour de force that it is a must watch for fans of either genre. (Joseph Vargas)
Honorable Mentions
Wayne’s World
Wayne’s World is one of my favorite comedies growing up. It’s lightweight, zany and has an unbelievably awesome and hilarious cast. Lead by the titular Wayne Cambell played by Mike Myers and his best buddy Garth Algar (Dana Carvey), these two dudes just want to have an awesome time sharing their love of rock and partying. Though the plot isn’t heavy, there’s never a dull moment with awesome cutaways, a never-ending list of quotable lines and great music that keeps your toe tapping till the very end. I can’t overstate how much I love Wayne’s World. If you haven’t seen it yet, what are you doing? Stop reading this and go watch it, you won’t regret it. Party on! (Evan Lucken)
Also See:
48 Hours, Midnight Run, Men in Black, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, Dumb and Dumber, Sideways, Step-Brothers, The Heat, White Men Can’t Jump, 22 Jump Street, Keanu, The Blues Brothers, The Odd Couple (1968), Baby Mama, Thelma and Louise