The Mosley Review: The Naked Gun
Has the moment finally arrived? Is the comedy genre finally coming back to the big screen? It seems for the past decade, the comedy genre has been left on an island that only a few would visit. Yes, there have been different kinds of comedies that have come along, but they're all mixed with romance or action. This film joyfully brings back the classic slapstick camp and clever sight gags that have gone the way of the dodo. From the opening five minutes, the film reminds you what it means to laugh at the most ridiculous lines and it nails the tone and comedic skill of the original 1988 film. It wasn't pessimistic or trying to deliver a social message. The story was actually fun and had the right amount noir mixed in that gave it atmosphere. If anything else stands out, its that this was definitely one of the best cast films of the year.
Liam Neeson soars as the son of Lt. Frank Drebin, Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. His dramatic chops inform his comedic timing with such ease and he walks that perfectly line between on the nose delivery and seriousness when delivering the story beats. It still is a detective story at its core and Neeson delivers that tone wonderfully. Paul Walter Hauser was great as his colleague and partner, Capt. Ed Hocken Jr. He captures the same level of wit, charm and comedic timing with physical gags and serious line delivery. They work together so well and the amount of coffee they consume was insane. It’s always great to see CCH Pounder and as Chief Davis, she was having so much fun in the leadership role. Her reprimanding Frank came at the most fun and awkward moments of the film and deserved every chuckle. Danny Huston hams it up as the billioniare tech giant and villain, Richard Cane. He delivers the charm and allure of the "bad guy" type and has fun with it. The tension and word play between him and Frank were another highlight of the film. Kevin Durand was fun as his henchman, Sig Gustafson. He wasn't as prevalent as I'd hoped, but when he is, he has some of the best reactions. My favorite was definitely his one on one with Frank in the hospital scene. Now the real breakout performance was none other than Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport. She was outstanding in her earnest portrayal of a modern day 1950's bombshell. Her comedic timing was on par and sometimes surpassed Liam's and I loved every second of it. The level of electricity between Beth and Frank was unmatched and carried you through the film with such ease. If there's a sequel, I want see an adventure with the two of them on another case.
The score by Lorne Balfe was appropriately epic in the best moments of action and playful when delivering the iconic saxophone infused themes of the classic1950's noir. I do wish the original Police Squad theme was used or infused more in the film though. The film is filled to the brim with comedy bits every 30 seconds or more and it was fantastic. The film pulls from the classic visual, sound and dialogue categories of comedy and somehow mixed them in so efficiently. This film was truly a masterclass in classic comedy that I hope breathes new life into the genre for years to come. Do yourself a favor and go experience this outstanding achievement ASAP! Do stay for the credits as well. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
