Dragnet (1987)

Rating-6/10Dragnet is an 80's crime comedy that although isn't that funny to be fair, still manages to produce a kind of fun story. Is this Dan Aykroyd or Tom Hanks best work in the funny business?, no, but what I will say is they give it there all and with some good one liners here and there it still is a highly enjoyable piece of entertainment.The plot centres around, well quite a few things actually and that is why I felt it was OK, it not only produces thrills and also spills, but it also produces a nice setting to it too with LA providing a typical 80's backdrop that never gets old in movies. I thoroughly enjoyed the start and actually felt it could be a classic, the only problem is it really starts to decline in quality toward the ending and you feel with the last half or quarter that if it had been a little more precise with the script, it could have been very good.Tom Mankiewicz directs and co writes this well but I did feel as previously said the script just isn't tight enough, bit of tweaking would have made massive improvements. Dan Accord is among them writers and also the star of the film playing Sergeant Joe Friday who although is a hard character I understand to be funny with, is massively overshadowed by others involved and you want to see more of Tom Hanks character Pep Steinbeck by the time he has fully established himself. Speaking on Hanks he is good here, a little crazy but pretty much delivers the jokes this entire film has that are funny.Now whether or not it lives up to it's original TV series is only known by those who watched it, and I am not among those who have, but what I will say is that if this is anything to go by it probably hasn't. The film is just a little too messy, yes of course I did say it is OK and it truly is but is it really that great of a film, well probably no in all fairness.Away from the comedy, and I stress this quite importantly, the plot is actually very thrilling and the story that we go through is very entertaining indeed. The whole thing about P.A.G.A.N is mysterious and is never truly solved until right at the end of the movie, the plot is worth it's own serious movie for that. One thing the movie can do rather well is make itself smart, I don't mean in terms of jokes but when you see some of the very long and drawn out quips by Aykroyd, you see not only the smart side of Mankiewicz but also the acting skill of Dan Aykroyd himself.Overall I felt it was actually just about OK and definitely worth a watch for anyone who wants a fun, if not only slightly funny 80's comedy. Ridiculous from start to finish it does fail to capitalise on making itself a Naked Gun type film but does succeed in making itself rather fun and entertaining meaning although your belly wont hurt by the end from laughter, you'll still feel full of fun and a silly kind of feeling. Oh and one more point is on for me the best actor here, in a dramatic way, Christopher Plummer whose straight faced Reverend is both stern and fun and plays well into quite a few jokes too. He proves here why in years after he won an Academy Award(long overdue), and even in a rather failed comedy, still managed to act to his full skill and even potential.

Sgt. Joe Friday (Aykroyd) is back in action and this time he's after more than just to solve a crime - he wants "just the laughs, ma'am". This time Sgt. Friday has a partner that is just as funny as he is Det. Pep Streebek (Hanks).Dragnet has a great story and quite a few great jokes in it. This movie is not a spoof of the original TV series Dragnet, instead it is a movie based on the TV show but with the added element of good comedy.If you enjoyed the movie Dragnet then you might like other crazy cops (or spies) type of films such as "Spies Like Us", "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid", "Police Academy" "Turner and Hooch" or "The Naked Gun".9/10

Joe Friday (Dan Aykroyd) is a straight and by-the-book cop working at Robbery Homicide in the LAPD at the same job as his uncle Joe did 20 years ago. His partner Frank quits to go goat farming. His new partner is the wacky Pep Streebek (Tom Hanks). There is a rash of strange crimes by a mysterious group called PAGAN. The partners investigate stolen animals at the zoo, a shipment of Jerry Caesar (Dabney Coleman)'s girlie magazines set on fire, and stolen toxic chemicals. The investigation leads to a giant villain named Emil Muzz (Jack O'Halloran). They discover a PAGAN gathering where they are about to sacrifice the virgin Connie Swail (Alexandra Paul). She pulls the mask off of the leader and sees the face of Reverend Jonathan Whirley (Christopher Plummer). Captain Bill Gannon (Harry Morgan) relents and calls in commissioner Jane Kirkpatrick (Elizabeth Ashley) but the site has been cleaned up. Nobody believes the the guys.The Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks pairing should be a lot more funnier. I'm not sure why it doesn't click that well. Hanks has a few fun moments. Aykroyd is doing the straight man. They should be hilarious but there are only a few chuckles. The outrageous silly crime spree is fitting for this but it wears out its welcome after awhile. Maybe Tom Mankiewicz just doesn't have the skills to give life to the jokes.

Dan Aykroyd, Tom Hanks, Christopher Plummer, Alexandra Paul, Harry Morgan and Dabney Coleman star in this 1987 action-comedy update of the TV series. This takes place in L.A. where we meet square cop, Joe Friday (Aykroyd) who is the nephew of his late uncle, Joe (Jack Webb). Soon, Joe meets new and wild partner, Pep Streebeck (Hanks) and they investigate a series of crimes committed by members of a cult known as P.A.G.A.N. (People Against Goodness And Normalcy. Plummer plays corrupt priest, Jonathan Whirley who is behind it, Paul (Christine) plays Connie Swail, a virgin Whirley tries to sacrifice, Morgan reprises his role as Bill Gannon who is now police captain and Coleman (9 to 5) plays Bait magazine mogul, Jerry Caesar who is basically like Playboy mogul, Hugh Hefner. Joe also finds romance with Connie while on the case. I've always liked this film and think it's underrated. Aykroyd & Hanks are great in it and together. I recommend this.