Another Stakeout (1993)

Director:

John Badham

Writers (WGA):

Jim Kouf (characters)
Jim Kouf (written by)

Release Date:

23 July 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

They're on the look out for thrills, action and adventure.

Plot:

Prankster cops Chris and Bill are joined by a Gina from the DA's office to stakeout a lakeside home.

Plot Keywords:

Stakeout | Las Vegas Nevada | Detective | Sequel | Dog

Cast

Richard Dreyfuss	...	Detective Chris Lecce
Emilio Estevez	...	Detective Bill Reimers
Rosie O'Donnell	...	Assistant D.A. Gina Garrett
Dennis Farina	...	Brian O'Hara
Marcia Strassman	...	Pam O'Hara
Cathy Moriarty	...	Luella Delano
John Rubinstein	...	Thomas Hassrick, Las Vegas District Attorney
Miguel Ferrer	...	Tony Castellano
Sharon Maughan	...	Barbara Burnside
Christopher Doyle	...	McNamara
Sharon Schaffer	...	Tilghman
Rick Seaman	...	Van Agent
Jan Speck	...	Van Agent
Gene Ellison-Jones	...	Vegas Police Captain (as Gene Ellison)
Frank DeAngelo	...	Vegas Investigator

Also Known As:

Stakeout 2
The Lookout

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Gastown)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | USA:PG-13 (Certificate #32554) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Kouf/Bigelow Productions

Trivia:

Richard Dreyfuss, as Chris, while standing in front of a line of drying panties, repeats the line "And I don't like the panties hanging on the rod" that he said in his Oscar-winning role of Elliott in The Goodbye Girl (1977).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Chris is following Bill who is being held captive in the trunk of a car. The Mercedes SL that Chris is driving is clearly shown to have its convertible top down in many scenes, however whenever a close-up is taken of Chris driving, you can see his rear window which would indicate that the top is actually up.

Quotes:

Gina Garrett: Cover me! I'm taking a bath.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Spin City: Yet Another Stakeout (#6.5)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

LOVE HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN

Another Stakeout, Another Hidden Cinematic Gem

Before we get started, a little caveat for the reader: this may not be the easiest film to find. Your standard video rental outlets will be hit or miss, as well as libraries. Your best bet will be an online rental service or a strong and fervent prayer. But if you ask me, it is worth it. You may also be scratching your head at the biographical information above. Why should you care about a 1993 sequel to a forgettable buddy cop flick?

Simple. It is a great film. Not only has it obviously influenced many contemporary films, but it also trumps these films on a variety of levels. Allow me to elaborate…

Prior to Another Stakeout, John Badham made a handful a good films (Wargames, Short Circuit). Shortly thereafter he helmed an unfortunate number of Hollywood films (American Flyers, Point of No Return) that may be considered guilty pleasures at best. He was also called upon by fellow director Peter Jackson to head up the second unit on all three Lord of the Rings films but declined. So what is the point of this little history lesson? Hollywood kills good directors (John Woo and Sam Raimi, prime examples).

But, I digress. Despite the a lackluster couple of decades, John Badham does have a grand if only marginally well known legacy in Another Stakeout. Science fiction and horror fans will recognize and appreciate the premise; Detective Chris Lecce (Richard Dreyfuss) wakes up one day, goes through the motions like any and every other day, and slowly realizes that he is, inexplicably, on another stakeout. The scenario plays out basically as is expected but it is the manner of the presentation and plotting that make it remarkable.

The film ultimately has only three characters, whose dynamic, touches on Alfred Hitchcock and Shakespeare without any pretense. Chris' subtle and deliberate decline into the reality of his new position in the world leads to him swinging from disbelief to depression to mania to megalomania to acceptance and back to disbelief. The storytelling and character interaction allow for empathy without distraction and the science fiction elements are beautifully woven into the fabric of the drama so that the one doesn't overshadow the other.

There are several mysteries involved in the story that are revealed with wonderful precision by the director through a series of well placed flashbacks and the subtlety of mood and movement, but you'll have to find the film and watch it to understand the full glory.

This is not a flashy film. It is however a master stroke. It is unfortunate that this film has all but vanished into obscurity, along with its director but they both still exist and there's always a second wind. Always.