Hot Fuzz
directed by Edgar Wright
written by Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg
starring Simon Pegg, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Timothy Dalton, Olivia Coleman.
Oh, those bad mother f'ers from "Shaun of the Dead" have collided once more and hilarity does indeed ensue...
Nick Angel is a young London supercop from London (Pegg) who is so good that he's making his fellow officers look bad. He is sent to an unassuming tiny little village and immediately makes his presence felt by apprehending a group of miscreants gallivanting about committing petty crimes that are typically overlooked in the community. Immediately he's loathed for his zealotry and his righteous approach to all matters of right and wrong. He struggles to fit in with the other nonchalant officers who all seem rather lackadaisical regarding anything approaching crime. When a series of "accidents" begin taking the lives of community members, Nick becomes suspicious and begins to view them as homicides. This does nothing to warm his co-workers over who would, as they always have done, look at them as what they appear to be with no further investigation needed. Soon, however, Nick is embroiled in a conspiracy that involves the entire community and a sinister town planning committee who is determined to maintain the villages status as the areas best.
Nick is airtight in his approach to corruption and other criminal activities. He's relentless and unable to compromise based on his unbendable principles. He arrests a man for driving drunk only to realize the following morning that its his partner Danny Butterman (Frost). Nick and Danny eventually bond over pints at the local pub and their interaction fuels much of the films humor. Danny wants to be like Nick and assumes he can pick up some tips about how to fight like his filmic cop heroes. Danny wants to know what its like to shoot somebody and drills Nick about his previous exploits. Nick once shot somebody and thereafter swore off weapons but these new developments quash that resolution and pit him with just about every member of the community. Everyone in the village packs heat and this is comically expressed when Nick and Danny find themselves in an exaggerated, extensive shootout with the entire downtown sector.
Danny's Father is Inspector Frank Butterman (Broadbent), who takes a rather passive approach to crime and maintains that there hasn't been a murder in the village in twenty years. As Nick later finds out this is because all the "accidents" have been covered over by the committee who have systematically removed anyone who threatens to challenge their position as top village. Anyone who tries to move away or who does anything whatsoever deemed inappropriate is subject to instant death. As the bodies pile up, Nick's curiosity is piqued and he eventually hones in on Simon Skinner (Dalton) who owns the local megamart. He is convinced Skinner is responsible for all the deaths but his proclamations to that effect prove unsubstantiated and his image with the force is further tarnished.
There's a tremendous amount of energy in this film as it morphs into a full out gunfest. Initially it's a rather languid cop comedy/drama and drags along at a deliberate pace. Once the bodies appear, however, it begins to switch gears into something decidedly more action packed. It's the type of town where a missing swan becomes top story and Nick is naturally dispatched to bring it in. Outside of all the killing, it's a no fuss town where everyone seems rather interested in keeping to themselves and keeping outsiders out. All the guns make for a less than friendly environment and the shootout reveals the true characters of those who initially appear so friendly and accommodating. It's a terrible facade as the brutality that lies deep within the entire community is brought to the fore. The grave secrets of the committee erupt in a final showdown that leaves many people dead or injured.
This film captures a certain spontaneity as it rambles headlong into the final confrontation. It's frenzied and sharp-edged and manages to remain relevant straight through to the end. Nick is confronted at all sides by forces that are intent on keeping him silent and out of the way. His particular approach to police work is unwelcomed by everyone concerned. This mainly includes Inspector Butterman who is hell bent on maintaining the type of order the death rolls have brought to the community. Esentially, the corruption rises straight to the top and there is nobody who is not either complacent with or a direct participant in the diabolical plan.
The performances in this film all work relatively well to convey the various aspects of the lunacy put on display. Simon Pegg is quite good playing a straight man and provides his character with several key introspective moments that help bring Nick clearly into focus. Still, Pegg garners laughs with simple gestures and these also work to help define his character. Nick Frost is typically excellent as the bumbling Danny Butterman. Frost has an uncanny ability to elicit laughs without saying or doing much of anything. He's one of those performers who is generally funny on sight and this feature of his talent is featured here. Former Academy Award Winner Jim Broadbent shows off his range here in a comic role that is perfectly rendered by the timing of his readings. Broadbent proves his comedic chops in a scary-finessed role as the less-than enthusiastic Inspector. Bill Nighy has a short but memorable role as Nick's original boss. Nighy brings a solidity to the role which is essentially a cameo. Cate Blanchett in an uncredited role plays Nick's former girlfriend who realized he loved his job more than he loved her. Blanchett does her brief scene hidden behind a mask but its unmistakably her stirring up legitimate heat.
Overall, this film makes for an excellent foray into the cops and bad guys film genre. There's plenty of violence, the humor is over the top, and many things are exploded for exaggerated effect. It's highly effective in maintaining the viewer's interest throughout and this is clearly the product of an excellent cast all doing top notched work. Even bit players are fleshed out and brought clearly into resonance with the totality of the picture. The townsfolk are eerily real as they pursue their nefarious aims.