Reese Witherspoon stars as an enthusiastic but dim-witted cop who gets the plum job of escorting a drug dealer’s wife (Sofia Vergara) into the Witness Protection Program. Naturally, it’s all a set-up and the two barely escape with their lives. Now, the dirty cops frame them for murder and the duo have to hit the road in order to clear their names.
On paper, this should’ve been just as bad, if not worse than The Spy Who Dumped Me. On the plus side, the filmmakers waste no time getting the show on the road. There is also very little fat on the movie either as Witherspoon and Vergara find themselves in a shootout, chase scene, compromising situation, or sitcom scenario every five minutes or so. There’s even an occasional laugh or two sprinkled throughout. I thought it was funny when the usually squeaky-clean Witherspoon inadvertently inhaled a mess of cocaine. Granted, it’s nowhere near as funny as the similar scene in the legendary Corky Romano, but then again, what could compete with that masterclass of comedic gold?
The big stumbling block is the two leading ladies are playing essentially shrill and annoying characters. That doesn’t necessarily prevent them from being likeable, but their grating characterizations keep them at arm’s length from the audience much of the time. I mean usually when you do these kind of mismatched buddy pictures (even with two women in the leads), they should be… you know… mismatched. Having both of them being loud and obnoxious borders on overkill.
However, there are a few moments that save it from being totally forgettable. My favorite bit comes when the ladies have to engage in an impromptu lesbian lovemaking session to distract a farmer brandishing a shotgun. Even if it is played for laughs, this moment at least helps elevate Hot Pursuit from being merely tepid.
I didn't find the characters annoying at all.
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