Each big screen adaptation of a television show gives
credence to the notion that Hollywood is out of ideas. And while some do wind up being worthwhile
(the post-modern 21 Jump Street, the Oscar-nominated The Fugitive), more
times than not, these reboots fall flat (The Adventures of Rocky and
Bullwinkle or Bewitched anyone?), bland retreads that rely on simply
replicating the program in question, lacking any sort of inspiration to create
anything unique.
Dax Shepard’s CHIPS falls somewhere in between, an adaptation that adheres to the formula that made
the late 1970’s cop show a hit, showing only occasional signs of ingenuity
along the way. While there are some
effective laughs when the intent is to lampoon the ridiculous level of machismo
the characters exhibit, these moments are not frequent enough to generate a
relentless comic momentum that’s vital to make satires of this sort work.
The Orson Welles of our time, Shepard not only writes,
directs and produces this feature, but stars as well as Jon Baker, former
professional motocross rider who decides to become a member of the California
Highway Patrol in an effort to win back his wife (Kristin Bell), thinking
she’ll be impressed with his new calling. He’s not that good of a shot and he
adheres a bit too closely to the rule book but the way he handles a bike gets
him a spot on the force and partnered with Frank Poncherello (Michael Pena) a
renegade cop who’s actually an undercover FBI agent that’s been assigned to
root out corruption within the department.
The chemistry between the two leads is slow to develop, as
Pena is required to play one note throughout the entire movie. His abrasive, arrogant character is hard to
take, as there are simply no variations on this theme. He’s loud, self-righteous, inflexible and
altogether unpleasant, constantly coming off as a bully, which doesn’t lend
itself to big laughs. Shepard gives
himself a much more sympathetic yet equally underwritten role. His Baker is a bit of a doofus, addled by the
many injuries sustained during his racing career. One of the film’s better gags involves the
incapacitating stiffness that occurs, due to his 22 past surgeries, when the
rainy season hits. Shepard pulls off some effective physical comedy when this
occurs, Pena’s efforts to assist him adding to the humor.
The film runs in fits and starts, never assuming a gleeful,
sense of abandon that made 21 Jump Street and its sequel so effective. No, the jokes are too obvious and there’s no
sense of daring as far as the jokes or characters are concerned. The nicest thing I can say about CHIPS is
that it’s bland, which has to be the worse thing any filmmaker wants to
hear. Â
This article appears in Mar 30 – Apr 5, 2017.
