When it comes to crime fighting in New York City there are always a couple of heroes the public look up to. Then there are the other guys, the ones that do all the paper work and leg work before the big stars take over. After an accident in the line of duty the two big NYPD heroes are killed and the city needs someone else to step up. That's where Terry Hoitz see's his chance and encourages his sensible partner Allen Gamble to step up and take some chances. But Gamble has other ideas and starts pursuing wealthy financier David Ershon over a Scaffolding violation but there seems to be a lot more to the case than they first realise.

If you've read any of my previous reviews you might realise I'm not the biggest fan of Will Ferrell, but something about this movie still appealed to me. The short versions of the trailers looked reasonably funny and despite my experience of Ferrell films I did something I don't tend to do often and paid extortionate cinema prices to go and see The Other Guys. Thankfully I wasn't left feeling disappointed as even Ferrell's role in this movie was enjoyable. It mixes some very funny scenes with some well planned and amusing car chases and action sequences.

The film comes from long time Ferrell contributor Adam Mckay who was also behind Step Brothers and Anchorman. Not only does he take control of the direction but is also responsible for the script and that is perhaps why this works so well. The action sequences are a little over the top and the special effects are used to highlight this. It would be fair to say that whilst the direction works quite well the special effects are a little sloppy and would have made the film much better had they been a little more realistic.

That would be my biggest gripe with the move, however as the rest of the plot and interaction on screen does work really well. At 107 minutes long it doesn't drag on for too long and in fact I was quite impressed with how the plot drags you in. I felt that McKay got just the right mixture of humorous moments with the action and crime elements of the plot. Other than the special effects I think my other main gripe was the criminal underuse of Samuel L Jackson and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Whilst both were filling a particular part thought they could have been used to add a bit more to the movie and not disposed of quite so early.

It would be fair to say that I've not been the biggest Will Ferrell fan over the years but recently i've seen a few movies that have started to win me around. This time round the comedy is well thought out and with the addition of a decent movie budget and an excellent supporting cast I think it brings the best out in Ferrell. His onscreen presence seems to have come on in leaps and bounds and with some big name action stars around him he doesn't seem out of place. Like his role in Anchorman this film is full of memorable quotes and one liners form Ferrell that will become just as memorable.

The casting of Mark Wahlberg opposite Ferrell seems to work really well. He seemed a little shaky in the early scenes but settled into his character well and with the comical element he plays off Ferrell rather well. The two of them seem to have a good onscreen relationship and are supported very well by a good all star cast. The inclusion of stars such as Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Samuel L Jackson and Dwayne Johnson all seem to raise the performance of Ferrell and from a casting point of view the film is certainly a hit.

I have to admit that I was a little uncertain about The Other Guys before we went to see it. I'm glad though that I wasn't disappointed and felt that The Other Guys was actually better than my expectations. There is the underuse of a couple of stars and some special effects that weren't as good as they could have been but these are really just minor complaints. If you're a fan of Ferrell then there is a guarantee you will love The Other Guys but it also offers something for those who are a little unsure about him. It's a film that if you like action comedy films I'm sure you'll enjoy and I'm happy to recommend.