Stakeout

The 1980s were a lot of things, but as far as sub-genres in movies, I can't think of a bigger one from the decade than the buddy cop movie. We've got Lethal Weapon, 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, Running Scared and probably plenty more I'm missing. Well, we can add one more to that list, 1987's Stakeout.

Deeply into a long-running investigation, Seattle detectives Chris Lecce (Richard Dreyfuss) and Bill Reimer (Emilio Estevez) are reassigned to a case assigned by the F.B.I. A convicted killer of a federal agent, Stick Montgomery (Aidan Quinn) has escaped from prison, but there are few clues as to where he would head. Their solution is simple; set up stakeouts anywhere they think Montgomery might show up at. Chris and Bill -- along with another detective duo -- draw some of that stakeout duty, setting up an apartment observation post across the street from Stick's ex-girlfriend, Maria (Madeleine Stowe). The detectives brace for hours and days of mind-numbing duty...until they actually set eyes on Maria. That is trouble on one level, but what about when a lovelorn Chris falls madly in love with the woman they're observing. Uh-oh, here we go.

Like a good, old-fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich, there is something comforting about a buddy cop movie done correctly. From director John Badham, 'Stakeout' in its best moments follows that precise if familiar formula. That formula isn't exclusive to the cop angle, but it doesn't hurt either (think Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). Put two like-minded men together, opposites or as similar individuals, who have worked together for an extended time, and let the hijinks begin! The partner relationship, like two close brothers, feels natural and real. The duo are friends -- maybe even best friends -- but they're always busting each other's chops, always ready to knock them down a peg, but when it comes down to it, they're always going to be there for each other.

'Stakeout' isn't a perfect movie, and as far as buddy cop flicks go, it's average, paling in comparison to the other ones listed above. When it does work though, it works because of that dynamic between Dreyfuss and Estevez. I was somewhat surprised by the casting, but it works. They play ridiculously well off each other, reflecting a partnership that goes back quite a few years. So go figure, the familiar cop partnership is the best part of this movie. I loved the bitching back and forth on stakeout, the bickering in the precinct, the jabbing back and forth at...every...given...moment. It works, simple as that. I won't go as far as saying it's the "science of stakeout," but it is fun to see the actual stakeout develop. The on-going rivalry between Chris and Bill and rival detective duo Dan Lauria and Forest Whitaker provides some very funny moments as the two pairs switch shifts, an escalating prank war going back and forth between the two. It's good stuff.

So it didn't take a nuclear physicist to figure out what the story was here. Two cops on stakeout, one falls in love with the woman they're observing. I can say I was surprised by how this developed. For one, I didn't think -- SPOILER WARNING STOP READING SPOILER -- that it would be Dreyfuss's Chris falling for Stowe's Maria instead of Estevez's Bill. Two, I didn't think it would work, but Dreyfuss and Stowe have a surprisingly strong chemistry. It's not their fault, just how their storyline develops. In a case of mistaken identity that Bill does nothing to correct, even promoting it, Maria starting to develop feelings right back at him. It gets to be a little much, disappointing because for the most part I enjoyed this one.

As the story focuses more on the surprising crush/love develops, Estevez gets left in the background unfortunately, but he makes the most of his screentime, especially with the escalating prank war. Stowe is quite the looker and holds her own in an otherwise all-male cast. Quinn too makes the most of his sinister appearance as Stick, drifting in and out of the story with his accomplice and cousin (Ian Tracey). In the final act, things get back to basics with the buddy cop angle as Quinn's Stick arrives on the scene in Seattle. The showdown in the end has all sorts of crazy shenanigans and mistaken identity, and oh yeah, wood chippers, shootouts and lots of random punching and fighting. It's a good movie, just not a great one. Give me a couple months and maybe I'll check out the rather unnecessary sounding sequel, 1993's Another Stakeout. No promises though so don't hold your breath.

Stakeout (1987): ** 1/2 /****