Starsky & Hutch

Starsky & Hutch is one confused movie. Based on the ’70s TV show that wasn’t all that great to begin with, the film feels like its stars and its director showed up with different movies in mind. While it’s occasionally funny, its tone is all over the place, resulting in a film that feels like a potentially decent joke that is told the wrong way. Todd Phillips, director of the funny Road Trip and Old School, seems to be making a period piece, dressing up his actors in pimp clothes and splashing ’70s music on the soundtrack. As for the raunchy humor that made his first two films so much fun, it’s nowhere in sight, because he’s going for that user-friendly PG-13 rating. If he was setting out to make a straight comedy, he has failed this time out because the laughs are few and far between. Ben Stiller starring as Starsky (originated by Paul Michael Glaser on TV) seems to think the movie is a spoof. Owen Wilson as Hutch (David Soul on TV) seems to be on hand to make out with co-stars Carmen Electra and Amy Smart at the same time.