Reviewed by Rhianna Pratchett
Stars Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant,
Kerri Kenney-Silver, Niecy Nash
Written by Thomas Lennon,
Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver
Certification UK 15 | US R
Runtime 84 Minutes
Directed by Robert Ben Garant
Anyone who lived through the 80s and was therefore subjected to the later Police Academy movies will undoubtedly approach any ‘funny’ cop movie with a due sense of fear and nausea. Super Troopers let us breath out a little. Cops and cop antics could be funny again and, thankfully, no Steve Guttenberg in sight. Enter the mockumentary Reno 911 on Comedy Central and cue a mass exhalation. The funny was back, in a big way. And like all good police stories, eventually it was time for some big-screen, out-of-town action for the raggle-taggle mob from the Reno sheriff’s department, as they set off for the annual police convention in Miami.
The tight short wearing Lt. Jim Dangle (co-writer Thomas Lennon) heads up the most ludicrously inept, but surprisingly endearing, bunch of characters. These include Raineesha (Nash), the walking definition of bootylicious, with the most impressive prosthetic ass to ever grace the silver screen, Travis Junior (Garant), who likes to use his gun as a nut-cracker and Trudy (Kenny-Silver), a woman who knows the benefits of granny pants and a scoliosis bra. When the group reach the hallowed grounds of the police convention centre they’re understandably despondent to find that there are no badges or rooms reserved for them. They decide to relocate to possibly the seediest motel in the world, and take in some sun. But when the convention is locked down after a killer virus is released, our brave Reno sheriffs are the only cops left in the city.
So the gang take to the streets, the beach and the tattoo parlours, to try and bring a little Reno-style order to Miami. But the city has got plenty to throw at them in the shape of alligators in swimming pools, beached whales, lots of unsuitable clothing and the dastardly machinations of ‘Mr Big’. In truth, the film excels in exactly the same way as the TV serious does - in crunchy nuggets of comedy genius; real snorting-your-drink-out-your-nose moments. As a whole, the story is madly far-fetched and seemingly strung together to make the sketches make sense - although sense is a term best used loosely.
In their rush to be gratuitous and crude, so many movies have bypassed the actual need to be funny, but Reno 911!: Miami manages all three with commendable aplomb, plus the odd dash of apple martini and lube.
• Official Site
• Reno 911!: Miami at IMDb