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Two shunned officers of the New York police department (Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg) bite off more than they can chew in an effort to redeem their good names as they attempt to take down David Ershon (Steve Coogan), a dastardly financial planner trying to cover his losses. But how will the two expose this ruse and thwart the efforts of an international global company from robbing from the taxpayers of New York? 
As far as buddy cop comedy films go it’s not as though there’s new ground being broken; but, as far as live action summer comedy films go, you could do a lot worse. Wahlberg’s traditionally rough, dry, cop persona serves as just the right foil for Ferrell’s quirky sensibilities. In fact, a slight turn on the ear in which Wahlberg’s straight man routine is actually made to look like the odd man out which adds a nice extra dose of goofiness. Topical humor and tongue in cheek reaction to the recent disasters we’ve seen on Wall Street lends further relevance to the film. Worth a matinee if you’re looking for a few good chuckles, also, stick through the credits for fun financial facts plus a deleted scene. The Other Guys is rated PG-13.

Inspired by a true story, Jack Harris (Luke Wilson) is an honest businessman with a knack for fixing broken financial deals and making them work. But, when Jack is introduced to a business in need of his talents run by two socially stunted but technically gifted innovators Wayne (Giovanni Ribisi) and Buck (Gabriel Macht), he hardly realizes what he’s gotten into. Wayne and Buck have invented a way to make credit card payments on the internet, a technology that up until now never existed. More specifically, it’s a safe and easy way to pay for porn on the internet. Of course, before long the Russian mafia wants a piece of the action, and, as the stakes get higher the harder it is for Jack to maintain his honesty. Now as the FBI begins closing in something has to break, but where will the chips fall? While there’s definitely an interesting story here, it seems unfortunate that the way writer/director George Gallo has chosen to tell the story feels like a paint by numbers screenplay. Not that the acting or the production or any of the other elements of the film seem wrong or out of place, but what could be a truly compelling story just kind ends up flat– not necessarily what we’ve come to expect in a film full of gangsters, junkies, tough guys, federal agents and porn stars. Feels like a rental in the winter when you’re feeling a little nostalgic for the early 90’s. Middle Men is rated R.