CHIPS * (2017, Dax Shepard, Michael Peña, Jessica McNamee, Vincent D’Onofrio, Adam Brody, Ryan Hansen, Justin Chatwin, Kristen Bell) – Movie Review

Writer-director Dax Shepard’s cert 15, R-rated 2017 action comedy is a mindless, mirthless and mucky belated TV series movie spin-off. The likeable and hard-working star duo of Dax Shepard and Michael Peña, playing miss-matched cops, could be good in a different film – a funny one. It wastes a good cast, including Jessica McNamee, Adam Brody, Ryan Hansen, Justin Chatwin, Kristen Bell and Cameron Cruz.

It is possible to feel real sorry for Brody, who is just there to wear a silly moustache and get shot by his fellow cop Peña – twice. And it is possible to feel sorry too for Bell in a hateful role as Shepard’s appalling wife. Vincent D’Onofrio has a lot to do as the film’s villain. He is a very good actor, but is not at all a funny man. CHIPS TV star Erik Estrada appears very briefly at the end, but is typically given nothing to do.

In Shepard’s screenplay, inexperienced rookie Jon Baker (Shepard) and hardened undercover pro Frank ‘Ponch’ Poncherello (Peña) have just joined the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Los Angeles and become reluctant partners investigating a multi-million dollar heist that is a CHP inside job.

It is Shepard’s careless screenplay that’s to blame, gleefully mixing raunchy comedy, crude sexual content, graphic nudity, strong language, violent action and drug use.  To be fair, fans of over-the-top, body comedy are well taken care of, and there was some sporadic laughter in the cinema, mostly at the comedy of pain and embarrassment.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Movie Review

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com