Reno 911!: Miami

I was pretty excited to see this movie after being a fairly big fan of the show and I am very let down. I can't put my finger on just what it is that made it so different from the show. Perhaps it's the fact that the show has the homemade "Cops" feel to it and you could tell the movie was Hollywood produced. Maybe it was that the show seems to be funnier and more creative. Whatever the reason, I was sad to see such a good show reduced to such an average and boring movie.

The characters and actors are all the same but they almost seemed to be holding back from the performances they give on the show. The story was boring and not as creative as usual but there were definitely a few good funny moments that kept me from rating movie lower. I just thought it was average Hollywood comedy fare that really doesn't deserve a theatrical release. Maybe I would have liked it if it weren't for all the hype surrounding it.

I guess you should see this if you like the show but don't expect something as funny. It's like a half as funny version of the show that was less thought out.

I hear all these people saying that this flick is a disappointment. That it should have stayed on TV. They complain about the lack of plot. What this movie constitutes is basically a bunch of scenes that appear to have been mostly ad-libbed, stuck together with a very, very loose plot involving a disease which is really just an excuse for them to be where they are. I found the extreme lack of a story amusing, especially in a few scenes where its obvious how aware they all were of it, and they were able to make fun of it. The R rating allows for some great gags that wouldn't have been able to show on TV. Overall this flick isn't an amazing comedy. It isn't thought provoking or anything else to that extent. It's a bunch of good jokes strung together and pasted up on a screen. If you like the show, don't expect it to be much more then an extended episode of the show, with some more boundary pushing gags and celebrity cameos.

Whenever I saw the regular series on television I definitely enjoyed it. "Reno 911!" is a highly creative and very funny show. However much to my dismay I've only caught bits and pieces of it so I went into this film not knowing nearly as much of the characters' backgrounds as many others in the theater on opening night. Fortunately, enough was explained that newcomers could quickly pick up on what went on despite some in-jokes definitely being present. Now even with bearing my limited level of "Reno 911!" expertise in mind I thought it was hilarious. The biggest problem this film will face is it was setup in a very similar style to last year's "Borat". Between the carefree male nudity and how sex was addressed, the resemblance was very much alike. Despite this approach being taken, this was very much its own movie and accomplished what it set out for.

The real-time mockumentary comedy that "Reno 911" represents has been prevalent on television for the past few years and recently it appears as if it's now being a preferred alternative on the big screen as well. This is with good reason because the characters seem more like actual everyday people than some ridiculous caricature that doesn't resemble anything close to a human being. Viewers can identify with these personalities more and thus stand a better chance of becoming sucked into the different situations no matter how over the top they are. I predict that humorous films will start adhering to this relatively new formula and will be the kick-start to a whole new generation of cinema.

Notwithstanding some of the downright hysterical moments, there were some pieces that didn't work. To start off with, the first half was much funnier then the latter part. As if the writers began running out of jokes and settled for any suitable finale. Also most of the dialog in the show is improvised where it appears that for the movie it was scripted the other way around and this certainly took away from the actors' spontaneity. Finally some of the scenarios are almost a little too far-fetched, even for a notorious farcical ensemble cast such as this.

All in all I found myself laughing out loud a lot and was very glad I caught this one. It appears it won't beat out the television show due to the advantage of getting to compress the running time, but it's still a very comical motion picture that'll guarantee to put just about anyone in stitches. I'd say there's a very good chance a sequel will be in the works and surely look forward to it. Law enforcement is no stranger to either parodies of itself or becoming a target for instances of goofiness that could never really happen, but this is a new take on big-hearted police officers that can't seem to get anything right that'll have you mimicking them for hours on end. Between the witty quotes, the oddball lawbreakers, and the refreshing celebrity guest list…Miami didn't know what hit it!

I haven't laughed this hard in a theater since I saw Something About Mary. That said, I'm a fan of the TV series, and I thought the movie lived up to its expectations. My only complaint is it could have been longer. Nevertheless, I think the writers and actors were on their game. Take in mind this is dumb slapstick humor, with flatulence and vomit jokes, but its still very clever, unique, and definitely funny! There really wasn't much of a storyline, or I should say it had very simple plot. However, that's not what makes Reno 911 funny (a complex plot might even be distracting). What makes Reno 911 funny is the string of endless "skits" and scenarios these incompetent cops put themselves in. This is a great cast of actor/comedians.

If you never watched the show before maybe the movie won't have the same effect on your laughing muscles but if you like me loved the show then you will love this movie as well. Reno 911!: Miami is basically a longer version of an episode of the show. You have to know the characters to fully appreciate this movie. Lieutenant Jim Dangle being my favorite character will always make me laugh out loud. Thomas Lennon Is just phenomenal as this character, but so are all the other characters (deputees Travis Junior, Raineesha Williams, Trudy Wiegel, Clementine Johnson, James Garcia, S. Jones and Cherisha Kimball). The humor is a bit kinky and sometimes absurd but it works for me and for alot of other people too. Too bad this show is not on anymore.