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The Other Guys

The Other Guys

NY's finest were busy.

2010107 minPG-13Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Director
Adam McKay
Starring
Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton

Unlike their heroic counterparts on the force, desk-bound NYPD detectives Gamble and Hoitz garner no headlines as they work day to day. When a seemingly minor case turns out to be a big deal, the two cops get the opportunity to finally prove to their comrades that they have the right stuff.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Other Guys?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Other Guys streaming on Netflix and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Other Guys?

The Other Guys earns 7 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Star-studded.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Other Guys worth watching?

The Other Guys' Midcredits score is the 69th percentile of all films, from 761K ratings across 6 sources. 61% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

69th percentile

Better received than 69% of films

82nd percentile among Action69th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)68th
Approval (how many liked it)67th

66 /100

68th percentile of all films

82nd percentile among Action67th percentile among 2010s

Critics 64 · Audience 67

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

61% liked it

67th percentile of all films

78th percentile among Action68th percentile among 2010s
61% rated it 7–1039% rated it 1–6

Critics 78% · Audience 60%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 15 noms overall

99th percentile

761K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Action99th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 3% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$100M
Opening weekend$36M
Domestic gross$119M
Worldwide gross$170M

Returned 1.7× its budget — 90th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A broad buddy-cop parody that is silly, over-the-top, and more concerned with laughs than plot logic.

Fans praised

  • Ferrell and Wahlberg's combustible chemistry generates consistent laughs
  • quotable one-liners and running gags (peacock, lion-vs-tuna, Prius insults)
  • action sequences are surprisingly well-staged and parody the buddy-cop genre

Detractors panned

  • humor is repetitive, juvenile, and relies on same jokes ad nauseam
  • plot is convoluted and the white-collar crime story kills momentum
  • Ferrell and Wahlberg have zero chemistry as a mismatched duo

What stands out

DialogueDivisive75

highly quotable absurd banter and running gags

ActingDivisive72

Ferrell and Wahlberg's contrasting styles generate strong comic friction

HumorDivisive68

hit-or-miss mix of slapstick, one-liners, and awkward situations

Effects and spectacle68

over-the-top car chases and action sequences parody the genre

CharactersDivisive60

Allen Gamble is a desk-nerd with a hidden pimp past; Terry Hoitz is a perpetually angry hothead

OriginalityDivisive55

familiar buddy-cop spoof formula with a few fresh twists

Pacing52

front-loaded with laughs but drags in the second half

Plot and story35

thin scaffolding-permit investigation that bogs down into a convoluted financial scheme

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 21 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Other Guys like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
TenseHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsDeadpan · 1% of films: Delivered flat and unsmiling, which is the joke.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its ridiculous buddy cop premise with a straight-faced absurdity, satirizing the genre's excess while playing the comedy deadpan.
The rideThe film maintains a comedic tone but escalates into tense action and a heartfelt resolution in the final act.
StructureThe story follows a standard investigative arc from setup to resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's absurd comedy leaves you grinning, while its unflinching end-credits commentary on financial inequality lingers.
How it ends · evidence
Happy endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% (this title) · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Buddy comedy: A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe film satirizes buddy cop tropes while following mismatched detectives uncovering a financial crime.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centres on two underdog cops who fight institutional corruption and personal inadequacies to bring a wealthy fraudster to justice.
StanceThe film pokes fun at both the incompetence of its heroes and the corruption of the financial elite, using comedy to comment on systemic issues.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
RockOrchestral modernSupportive music · hybrid
SettingNYPD precinct and the high-stakes financial world of Manhattan

Content guide

Is The Other Guys okay for kids?

PG-13

The Other Guys is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, language, violence and some drug material” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (54/100), sexual content at moderate (45/100), language at intense (64/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (41/100) and frightening material at mild (24/100). Overall it is heavier than 72% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 17 other countries
  • UK12
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Austria12
  • BGC
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark11
  • Hungary12
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO15
  • Spain7
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 44% of all filmsHeavier than 72% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 59%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 82%
Profanity
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 95%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 84%
Frightening / Intense
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 22%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Other Guys have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Other Guys?

Cast

6 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Will Ferrell
as Allen Gamble
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mark Wahlberg
as Terry Hoitz
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Eva Mendes
as Dr. Sheila Gamble
Michael Keaton
as Captain Gene Mauch
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Steve Coogan
as David Ershon
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Ray Stevenson
as Roger Wesley
Samuel L. Jackson
as P.K. Highsmith
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Dwayne Johnson
as Christopher Danson
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Lindsay Sloane
as Francine
Natalie Zea
as Christinith
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Other Guys?

Movies like The Other Guys include The Heat (2013), Hot Fuzz (2007) and The Hard Way (1991). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Adam McKay, and half are odd-couple stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its story type: buddy comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Other Guys?

2.2K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: action comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.