Reviews by Matt

Everyone’s favorite bumbling cops have made their way to the big screen. “Reno 911! Miami” is the movie based on the popular Comedy Central series “Reno 911!” which follows the members of the Reno Police Department. The officers are in Miami for a national police convention when the convention center is attacked with an unknown biological agent. Luckily, or unluckily depending on whose point of view you take, the cops from Reno were on the outside at the time. Being the only cops anywhere close, Lt. Jim Dangle (Tom Lennon) and his crew are called upon by the Homeland Security to protect Miami, find out who planned the attack and find the antidote before the cops on the inside are dead.

This movie is basically a longer version of the show with a lot more cursing and a few explosions. Fans of the show will love this movie. It brings the deadpan comedy that has made the show popular and transitions it to an uncensored R-rated version. Even one of the more memorable residents of Reno, the lying, drug addicted, male prostitute Terry (Nick Swardson) makes an appearance in Miami. He is integrated into the movie without the non-fans feeling left out because they do not know who this man is. While the cops are talking to him, they provide just enough background to let everyone know this character’ s history. The movie moves along a lot like the show; a main story mixed in with a montage of the cops answering their various calls; a beached whale on a topless beach, a crocodile in a pool, Terry getting called in for lewd conduct and many more simple situations made complicated by their incompetence. Though much of the movie is devoted to these smaller outings, it all comes back to the bigger story line of helping the trapped cops.

Adapting a television show to a movie is a tricky thing. There is a need to attract more then just the fans of the show. The movie starts out in Reno and we get to see just how the cops handle the situations that they face. Once they get to Miami, both new and old viewers know what is in store for the rest of the movie.

There are a few surprising cameos that pop-up through out the movie; actors you would never expect to take part in such a lowbrow comedy. The biggest and most surprising of these is Danny DeVito. He is the caliber of actor who would you not expect to stoop to be in a movie with such a unknown cast. His appearance may be brief, but it is memorable none-the-less.

“Reno 911! Miami” is only 84 minutes long. It is the perfect runtime for this movie. In a world where movies go on for an average of over two hours, this movie knows exactly when to call it quits. They keep the story simple, the comedy raw and end it within a reasonable time without over doing it.

If you are a fan of this show, go see it. It is just as funny as any episode of “Reno 911!” without those annoying bleeps to get in the way. All your favorite characters are there and give you just what you have come to expect form “Reno’s Finest.” For those unfamiliar with the show, this is a good introduction to the unusual methods of the Reno police force.

7 out of 10
MPAA: R
Runtime: 84min