Review: Hot Pursuit

Reese Witherspoon and Sofía Vergara in Hot Pursuit

Hot Pursuit stars Reese Witherspoon and Sofía Vergara in a ridiculous and funny tale about cops and federal witnesses and crooked cops and crooked witness and untrustworthy cops and untrustworthy witnesses.

I cannot explain why, I don’t really have a good reason, but I’ve never watched even one episode of Modern Family. I knew Sofía Vergara was gorgeous and played up her accent. Full stop. I had no idea if she could act or had talent. She can and she does.

Reese Witherspoon, on the other hand, won an Oscar and I’ve seen quite a few of her movies. But I had no idea she could do physical comedy like this.

Sophia Vergara and Reese Witherspoon in Hot Pursuit

Hot Pursuit has a plot. The characters grow and develop over the course of the story. It doesn’t matter. What really matters is how absolutely hilarious these two are together. I don’t know when I’ve laughed so much at anything. Low, base, physical humor. I apologize for it not being PBS. It’s dumb and it’s funny.

Anne Fletcher directed the film, which was produced by Reese Witherspoon’s production company. It’s the first movie in which Sofía Vergara has had a starring role. I’m giving the film many points for putting a brown-skinned, Spanish-spouting Columbian at the top of the cast. Many points.

Now, if you go read the oh-so-serious reviews by the very male critics who panned this movie, you will come away believing it is not worth your time. Don’t believe everything you read, except this: it’s good for some laughs. Do you need that? Then watch. Full stop.

3 thoughts on “Review: Hot Pursuit”

  1. I have seen all of Reese’s movies that have come my way. She has a way of being funny in a self-deprecating manner. Sofia, hmmm, not so much. I think I’ve been put off by All in the Family. Not my kind of humor, I guess.

  2. I, too, will always watch a Reese Witherspoon movie. Ever since Election I have loved her. Legally Blonde cracks me up no matter how often I watch it. I don’t watch Modern Family, but Sofia Vergara was excellent in Chef (another movie I love, even though it is definitely male–centric). Hot Pursuit–parts were pretty funny, but I wished for better for the stars. The plot was so weak–I don’t understand why narrative is deemed unimportant in so many films now. Witherspoon ‘s Cooper was so extremely hyper that she made me uncomfortable. Vergara instantly forgot that her husband was dead. I wonder if there was some problem with editing–ran out of time or money to put it all together properly. OK, I’m being critical, but only because I wanted them both to shine. In Heat, McCarthy and Bullock were monumental–that was a real vehicle for funny, talented women. But I’m glad I got to see the film, even imperfect, love a movie with two female stars who don’t have to drive off a cliff at the end!

    1. I agree. It doesn’t compare favorably with “Heat.” But I’m with you – I’ll always watch a movie with two female stars who don’t drive off a cliff at the end.

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