The Other Guys

Adam McKay's 2010 comedy The Other Guys opens with a jaw-dropping chase through New York City. Detectives Danson and Highsmith, played by Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson, leap across rooftops, destroy a dozen police cars, and cause millions in damages before jumping off a building to their deaths. They are the NYPD's heroes. The film then pivots to the detectives who don't make headlines: Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell), a forensic accountant who loves his desk job, and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg), a hothead whose career derailed after he accidentally shot Derek Jeter. When they stumble into a financial conspiracy involving a missing $32 billion, the mismatched pair must navigate corrupt bankers, trigger-happy mercenaries, and their own deep-seated insecurities.

Produced on a $100 million budget, the film grossed $170.4 million worldwide. Critics praised its sharp satire of buddy-cop tropes, though some found the tonal shifts between slapstick and financial commentary jarring. The cast includes Eva Mendes as Gamble's improbably beautiful wife, Michael Keaton as their beleaguered captain who moonlights at Bed Bath & Beyond, and Steve Coogan as the slippery financier David Ershon. McKay, who co-wrote the script with Chris Henchy, later channeled the film's anger about corporate greed into his Oscar-winning drama The Big Short. [edit]

On any given day in New York City, the NYPD's finest are detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith. They drive vintage cars, fire their weapons with abandon, and make spectacular arrests that cost the city millions in collateral damage. Their final bust ends with both men leaping off a building, convinced they can fly. They cannot.

Down at the precinct, Captain Gene Mauch (Michael Keaton) presides over a squad of detectives who are decidedly less glamorous. Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) has been a pariah ever since he shot Yankees legend Derek Jeter during the 2009 World Series. His partner, Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell), is a quiet forensic accountant who processes permits and avoids conflict. Gamble drives a Prius, listens to smooth jazz, and is married to the stunning Dr. Sheila Gamble (Eva Mendes), a fact that torments Hoitz. The other detectives, Martin (Rob Riggle) and Fosse (Damon Wayans Jr.), mock them relentlessly.

Hoitz pressures Gamble into taking a real case. They investigate David Ershon (Steve Coogan), a charismatic investment banker whose company, Lendl Global, has lost $32 billion of Pamela Boardman (Anne Heche)'s fund. Gamble initially approaches Ershon about an expired scaffolding permit, but the inquiry quickly reveals a pattern of fraud. Ershon hires Roger Wesley (Ray Stevenson), a ruthless mercenary, to eliminate anyone who threatens his scheme.

As Gamble and Hoitz dig deeper, they clash with their own department, which wants the case reassigned to more glamorous detectives. Hoitz's temper leads to a disastrous stakeout that ends with their car being stolen. Gamble's accounting skills uncover a shell company that Ershon used to siphon funds. The duo traces Ershon to a yacht, where they find evidence of a massive stock manipulation. Wesley's men pursue them through the city, leading to a chase that involves a runaway horse, a destroyed ballroom, and a very confused pimp.

Their investigation intersects with a subplot involving Hoitz's ex-girlfriend Francine (Lindsay Sloane), who is now dating a wealthy businessman. Gamble and Hoitz attend a party at Francine's apartment, where they confront Ershon directly. Ershon flees, triggering a citywide manhunt. The precinct's other detectives, eager to claim credit, join the chase. Mauch, who has been secretly working at Bed Bath & Beyond to make ends meet, provides unexpected backup.

The case culminates at a shipping dock where Ershon plans to escape with $1.2 billion in cash. Wesley and his mercenaries arrive, armed and ready. Gamble and Hoitz must rely on their wits and their growing trust in each other to stop Ershon before he disappears forever.[edit]