Double Whammy (2001)

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

I am a big fan of Liz Hurley and not at all a fan of D. Leary. That being said, I didn't expect much from this movie, and I didn't get much. The story is all over the place, with sub plots that has little meaning to the main plot. The lack of quality in the writing affects all the main characters, which means only Hurley, Buscemi and Luis Gúzman pass the grade.We got drama, crime, romance, and comedy. As for the romance, Leary is far from likable, and the relationship with his chiropractor is just not romantic nor credible. Apart from the aspiring film writing neighbors played by Donald Faison and Keith Nobbs, there is nothing funny at all in this movie.See this movie if you want to see the always beautiful Liz Hurley. Otherwise stay away. Leary should stick to stand-up, but I guess he ran out of Bill hicks routines to recycle.

"When you learn to respect your father, then maybe I'll let you look like a whore." – Guzman, talking about allowing his daughter to get a tattoo. The second-funniest line in the movie.DiCillo has such a knack for comedy; for clever, subtle-yet-hilarious satire, so it's a pity that he has only once gone all-out with it, without including the unnecessary drama. "Living In Oblivion" is his best film by far, and one of the funniest movies of the 90s. Unfortunately, he has an urge to mix it up a bit, even though the comedy always dominates, which is the prime reason none of his movie since LIO were as good.Casting Leary and Buscemi, an excellent decision, yes. But writing Leary's part in such a way that he has to cry in one scene? That's asking for trouble. You can tell Leary struggled hard to pull it off, and he barely did. He looks as if something got stuck in his eye. He must have hated that day of shooting. Never ask a comedian to cry - the audiences don't want to see it. Liz Hurley was certainly a strange choice for Leary's love-interest but she worked out surprisingly well.As the fun plot trots along DW touches on a variety of topics in a smart, unpretentious and humorous way, topics such as reverse racism, whites making fools of themselves when speaking Ebonics, the laughable but trendy tattoo-and-piercing culture, or the silly French obsession with symbolism in film. No cheap left-wing propaganda anywhere in sight (a real rarity these days), but a realistic, funny, down-to-Earth look at decadence and abject stupidity.Having the "bad guy" detective be right about the murder case (i.e. his suspicions about the daughter's involvement), as opposed to having Leary the "good guy" detective be the one with all the right answers, is just one example of how DiCillo avoids stereotypes thereby eliminating a crucial factor that causes boredom in movies. His characters are colourful and different, not the kind of walking cardboard cutouts we get to see in most other films."Just a bunch of MORONS poking holes in themselves!" – Leary, talking about the piercing craze, the funniest line in DW.

I can't believe how stupid I have been all these years relying on doctors and pills. Why should I suffer in pain when I could have some hot chiropractor like Elizabeth Hurley crawling all over me? I just have to make an appointment.This was not an ordinary cop picture. Sure, Denis Leary and his partner, Steve Buscemi are trying to solve crimes, but they are really trying to straighten out their messed up lives. Leary's back causes him to be the laughing stock of the city, and allows the other cops to get a good laugh; especially Chris Noth, a big favorite of mine.Leary seems to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time until he is hooked up with two whack screenwriters that can't even see a good scene when they are in it. It is then that he gets the guys that attacked Luis Guzmán and becomes the hero.Lots of laughs in this film written and directed by Tom DiCillo.

It's hard to believe that 1) this film got a release at all. It's not funny. In fact it's flat and very amateurish. 2) I can't believe that this is made by the same guy who made Living In Oblivion and The Real Blonde. Both of those films are funny and insightful.Really great films. Double Whammy seems slapped together, full of half-baked ideas. A real let down. I had read all the bad reviews posted here but I usually like to make up my own mind about films. Especially when the filmmaker has made such great films before this one. You can believe all the bad things you hear about this one. A total waste of time!!