Movie spotlight
The Boys in Blue
Sgt. Cannon (Tommy Cannon) and PC Ball (Bobby Ball) run the police station in the quiet town of Little Botham. When the station is threatened with closure due to a lack of crime, they decide to invent some crimes to justify their existence. When they try to steal a painting from a local rich businessman (Roy Kinnear), they accidently stumble across a gang of real art thieves who have just stolen £1 million worth of paintings. It is up to the two bungling cops to stop them escaping with their haul.
Insights
Plot Summary
In the crime-ridden city of Lake City, a group of misfit cops, led by the morally flexible Sgt. Billy Stone, are tasked with cleaning up the streets. Facing corruption within the department and ineptitude on their own team, they resort to increasingly unconventional and humorous methods to catch criminals. The film follows their chaotic attempts to bring justice, often blurring the lines between right and wrong.
Critical Reception
The film received largely negative reviews from critics, with many citing its predictable plot, uninspired humor, and gratuitous violence. While some acknowledged Burt Reynolds's attempt at directing, the overall consensus was that it failed to deliver a compelling or entertaining crime comedy.
What Reviewers Say
Criticized for its thin plot and unfunny attempts at humor.
Often seen as a forgettable entry in the crime-comedy genre.
The film struggled to balance its comedic and violent elements effectively.
Google audience: Audience reviews are scarce and generally reflect a similar disappointment to critical reception, with viewers finding the movie lacking in both laughs and coherent storytelling.
Fun Fact
Burt Reynolds, who directed the film, also had a small uncredited role as a police chief.
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