Tedfoldol
everything you have heard about this movie is true.
Bluebell Alcock
Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies
Matho
The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.
jasonkellythompson
When I was young, my sister would take me to the movies every weekend. Sometimes we would see something horrible like Ghoulies or sometimes we would see something wonderful like Die Hard. The thing is, she always let me pick the film. And she never said "no." One Saturday night in the summer of 1987, we drove 40 minutes away, all the way up to Rockaway just to see the movie "Stakeout." I remember the place was packed. Every seat had a patron, every armrest an elbow. I had my Twizzlers and my large Sprite (with no ice). The lights were lowered and the film began to roll. And for an hour and forty- five minutes or so, I was more entertained in a movie theater than I had ever been before. Stakeout is an action comedy in the best sense of the genre. It belongs right up there with Beverly Hills Cop and Lethal Weapon. Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez are a pair of undercover detectives who are assigned to work with the FBI in staking out the apartment of an escape convict's ex-girlfriend. The job itself is a piece of cake. It only gets complicated when newly single Dreyfuss finds himself falling in love with the girl he's suppose to be watching. And the hits just keep on coming after that. To give away any more info would be to deprive one of the many twists and turns in screenwriter Jim Kouf's wonderful script. The dialogue crackles and action sparks. John Badham's direction is flawless. Just think of all the action comedies that didn't work for one reason or another. I should state, for the record, many critics (like Roger Ebert) thought the violence that opens and closes the film was much too harsh considering the tone the rest of the movie sets...I, however, disagree. I believe you need that harsh violence at the beginning of the film so that you really worry for Dreyfuss and company. We like them a lot and the danger that is approaching must be excessive in order for us to truly be invested in the outcome.I've turned a lot of people on to Stakeout. Many of them falling in love with it much like I did almost 30 years ago. It is funny, it is action packed. It is a classic.
jimbo-53-186511
Seattle cops Chris Lecce (Richard Dreyfuss) and Bill Reimers (Emilio Estevez)are assigned to run a surveillance operation on Maria McGuire (Madeleine Stowe) as it is believed that her ex-boyfriend (whom has recently escaped from prison) may try to make contact with her. This seemingly straight-forward operation proves to be tricky for both Lecce and his partner when Lecce starts to fall in love with Maria.Stakeout is another buddy-buddy cop film from the 1980's, but thankfully it is one of the better offerings within the genre. The plot in itself is nothing special, but director John Badham and writer Jim Kouf make sure that the film is filled with enough action and enough laughs to make sure that we're never really worrying much about the story.Richard Dreyfuss is not well-known for comedy performances, but he's all over this picture and gives 110% throughout the picture. He's very good at portraying nervy and unhinged types and this works perfectly here; he's in love with Maria, but he's also desperate not to blow his cover and the way that he continually digs holes for himself in trying to not reveal his secret is very entertaining to watch. Emilio Estevez isn't given as much to work with as Dreyfuss, but the dynamic and rapport between the two men is still excellent.Where this film really comes good is in the sheer number of funny scenes and scenarios that are thrown into the mix; the night-shift and day-shift cops both play pranks on each other, but the pranks that they play on each other aren't of the toilet-humour variety and they are in fact genuinely hilarious and creative (some of the pranks had me close to belly laughing which doesn't happen often). There were also subtle moments of humour such as the scene where the two cops are listening in to a phone conversation and you see the dog wearing a set of headphones as well. I thought that was a clever and good example of a 'sight gag.' Badham's direction is spot on and despite its slightly overly long running time the pace never slackens and he makes sure that there is never a dull moment in this film. In fact, the only criticism I could give this film is that it is predictable and a tad long. Having said that when a film is this funny, nothing else really matters.
Spikeopath
Det. Chris Lecce (Richard Dreyfuss) and Det. Bill Reimers (Emilio Estevez]) get assigned to stakeout the home of Maria McGuire (Madeleine Stowe) in the hope that her recently escaped from prison ex (Aidan Quinn) shows up. The ex showing up is the least of their problems for Chris is starting to fall for Maria, and that spells trouble for everyone.There's something about 80s action comedies that just doesn't travel well. Where once film's like Beverly Hills Cop and this John Badham directed piece were massively popular, now they seem to receive negativity from a majority of the new wave of film watchers. I don't have the answer myself, perhaps it's just one of those decades that doesn't date well? Even if that saying is beyond my own comprehension for any decade.What ever, Stakeout is a fun and entertaining picture, yes it's a routine plot {a kind of fun Rear Window}, but the chemistry between Estevez and an on fire Dreyfuss lifts it far above being a bog standard buddy movie. Jim Kouf's screenplay has some sharp moments of comedy, notably the play off between our two main protagonists and another cop pairing played by Forest Whitaker & Dan Lauria. While Badham competently constructs the action sequences that are a staple for this kind of movie. Quinn does a nice line in psycho villainy, while Stowe is sexy and vulnerable to great effect. It's a credit to both Stowe and Dreyfuss that their coupling, in spite of the age and social differences, is believable and tender.Nothing new here of course, but the good story is told well and acted with great comic gusto. An equally enjoyable sequel (Another Stakeout) followed in 1993. 7/10
GrayRain
Spoilers! Don't continue reading if you don't want spoilers.We're supposed to believe that the old, skanky, and very unattractive Richard Dreyfus gets the beautiful, young woman? This, after lying to her, spying on her, breaking and entering into her apartment, peeping at her taking a shower, and grabbing her violently by the sweater and shaking her to "show her how much he 'loves' her." Uh, yeah, this is what women want, yup. (That was sarcastic, in case it's not clear.)Also, cat lovers beware, there is cat abuse in this movie. And it's seen as a hilarious joke. It's not funny at all to those of us who care about cats.The whole movie is so unbelievable that it's laughable.
