Category Archives: Bumbling Detective

1999, Action Film, Bloody scenes, Brother-Brother relations, Bumbling Detective, Coarse manners, Cross Dressing, Detective, Eccentric Detective, Ethical struggles, Exaggeration Comedy, Extreme Violence as Comedy, Fist Fight, Gangs, Gay theme, Kanopy streaming, Mayhem, Murder, Physical fighting, Police Culture, Religious Nonsense, Russian Gang, Some exaggerated violence, Suspense, Uncategorized, Violent

The Boondock Saints (1999)

From IMDB:

Fraternal twins Murphy (Norman Reedus, THE WALKING DEAD) and Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery, POWDER) become vigilantes after killing two members of the Russian Mafia in self-defense. After both experience an epiphany, the brothers set out to rid Boston of evil while being tracked down by FBI agent Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe, SPIDERMAN, PLATOON, SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE) in this stylish and violent crowd-pleaser. “Willem Dafoe’s portrayal of the conflicted homosexual FBI agent is overacted to such an extent that it is hilarious, amazing and entertaining. His is an unforgettable character.” – Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope.

From Kanopy you can stream this 1 hour 48 minute complete film.

As irreverent and violent as this film is, it is Willem Dafoe’s eccentric  performance that makes the story “a real hoot (i.e. funny)”.  He is described as a “conflicted homosexual” detective.  “Conflicted” means he has to choose between arresting both Connor and Murphy MacManus or allowing them to continue murdering untouchable gang members and their gang leaders.  But I’ll never tell, just watch the farce.

“Violent” here means that kind of exaggerated, murderous violence that is so extreme that it is a comically orchestrated dance. Other such films include “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels”.

More guilty, violent pleasure.

1996, Amazon Prime, Amusing banter, Art theft, Boating, Bumbling Detective, Comedy, Pratfalls, Unloved Child

Two If By Sea (1996)

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From Amazon Prime:

A couple steals a Matisse painting on contract. They manage to escape the police. The sale takes place 4 days later on an island. Things don’t go as planned.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1 hour 35 minute comedy.

When you just want to relax and have a few laughs you cannot beat a Sandra Bullock movie.  Pratfalls always provoke a belly laugh from me even though I should not fall (get it?) for such nonsense.

However, here and in many of her films there is some amount of seriousness.  In “All About Steve”  she is encouraged to accept her very different personality. In “Two If By Sea” she works to convince her professional thief of a boy friend to go straight, talk meaningfully to her, and get a job.

What a relief such films can be!