Hot Fuzz

"It's a funny genre movie," director Edgar Wright says during a Q&A following a screening of his latest film, Hot Fuzz. The statement was made in response to the question of whether he considers his film a spoof of the cop genre. It's the best question of the night because articulating the distinction between spoof and what Wright aptly terms his movie, is not only possible, it is essential (to quote Dr. Strangelove another film that requires the same distinction).

Hot Fuzz, created by Wright, along with co-screenwriter/star Simon Pegg and co-star Nick Frost (the team behind the zombie romantic comedy Shaun of the Dead), exists simultaneously as a legitimate entry in the sub-genre of buddy-cop movies and as a hilarious deconstruction of the formula. Hot Fuzz is in a league far removed from the crass potshots of the Scary Movie franchise or even the skilled lampooning of a Mel Brooks or early Zucker Brothers spoof. This is because the conviction for the material extends beyond the near-sightedness of a one-liner and ventures into the world of characterization.

Pegg stars as Sergeant Nicholas Angel, one of London's most ruthless and self-serious police officers. His devotion to the force comes at the expense of family and friends and even his supervisors despise his efficiency as he makes his fellow officers look less productive by comparison. In an effort to curtail his crime fighting, the chief inspector reassigns him to a quaint countryside village in western England named Sandford.

To Angel's dismay, the sleepy village of Sandford takes a laid-back approach to policing and would rather sweep a misdemeanor under the rug than take the time to fill out the paperwork. Angel is swiftly partnered with the Inspector's son, the buffoonish but loveable Danny Butterman (Frost). Just as the two settle into a routine of speeding violations and busting underage drinking, a wave of gruesome deaths invade the idyllic countryside and Angel is forced to convince the townsfolk that they have a serial killer on the loose.

The buddy-cop formula is just about the easiest forum to showcase male rapport but it would be unfair to discredit Pegg and Frost's exceptional chemistry on the grounds of the genre's built-in platform. It's not just the effortless harmony of their performances, something pre-established by their work on Spaced and Shaun of the Dead, it's their pure devotion to their respective characters.

Pegg plays the role completely straight and in turn, is surprisingly believable as an action hero. Frost, with his cuddly naiveté, then provides the perfect foil to Pegg's straight-laced super-cop. But their performances transcend archetypes and become genuine characters due to their affection for their roles. While Charlie Sheen can still deliver a skilled performance based solely on impeccable comic timing as a walking Tom Cruise-stereotype in the Hot Shots films, Pegg and Frost do the same while also

bestowing their characters with genuine emotion.

While the genre adherence is impressive, the film succeeds so incredibly because of its unquestioned belief in character. But it's not just the performers who deserve credit, Wright is undoubtedly a cinephile and his sheer, unabashed adoration for the cop films he chooses to reference is unmistakable. His adulation for the genre matches the intense relationship Jean-Luc Godard had with the American gangster film or Brian De Palma still has with the Hitchcockian thriller.

By sculpting an homage that is equal parts Fincher, Bay, Tony Scott and even Kathryn Bigelow, Wright's cinephilic impulse is so strong that he not only inserts clips from films like Point Break and Bad Boys 2, he meticulously recreates framing and camera movement from the films in reference. But it's not shameless cribbing. The chosen scenes mean something to him personally and they're equally important to the characters. When Danny mimics a pivotal moment from Point Break late in the film, it's not just one of the funniest moments in a riotously funny film, it's also one of the most poignant.

Hot Fuzz may resonate most strongly with rabid fans of the buddy-cop genre due to its hard-edged and in-character aesthetics but its high-spirited zest will appeal to film lovers of all shapes and sizes.

Movie Grade:A-

Synopsis:

The eagerly anticipated second feature from the co-creators of 2004′s award-winning sleeper hit “Shaun of the Dead” is a contemporary action comedy. Police officer Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is London’s top cop. This tough law enforcer is good at his job – so good, in fact, that he makes his colleagues look bad. As a result, his superiors “promote” him to the village of Sandford, where all is garden parties and neighborhood watch meetings. Partnered with Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), an oafish but well-meaning young local cop, Angel struggles to adapt. But he just can’t…until a series of grisly “accidents” indicates that foul play is afoot. Suddenly, this seemingly idyllic town is a case that Angel has to crack – hard.