K-9




It's not the dog I'm worried about.

Thomas Dooley (James Belushi) is an unconventional but passionate cop who has commitment problems with his girlfriend (Mel Harris). He's hot on the trail of a drug lord (Kevin Tighe) who hides behind high-class sophistication. But circumstances ensue that force him to take on a partner - a K-9 partner. Jerry Lee is a dog rough around the edges just as much as Dooley, but is still a good K-9. Things don't go smoothly at first between the pair. But as they get closer to busting the bad guy, they form a grudging respect.

This movie has gotten a lot of flack because of the cop/drug plot. I admit that it is cliché, but so what? This is first and foremost a buddy cop movie. It isn't even a cop movie at heart. Basically it's an odd couple routine where one of them happens to be a dog. Given the premise, it actually goes pretty well. Jerry Lee has just as much personality as his bipedal partner. Some people say that's exaggerated, but so what? It never really bothered me. Not even the end scene in the hospital.

James Belushi is in his prime here, actually being funny and having good material. He works well as the uneven and sarcastic Dooley. Not quite his flagship franchise, this movie was still good enough to encourage two bad sequels. He brings enough credibility for his character to rise above the jokes, and he handles the sensitive parts well. The rest of the actors get the job done.

The pacing is good enough, but it is surprisingly adept at interchanging between humorous and serious tones and moments. One minute you think the dog has tricked Dooley once again, then there's a struggle for his life. The next second it's over and Dooley cracks off another joke. Though not flawless, this helps elevate the movie beyond simple. Despite this it does suffer somewhat from a lack of depth. But you don't really expect it from a movie like this. The humor holds its own, having plenty of hilarious situations with some funny lines thrown in for good measure. The scene where Dooley and Jerry Lee meet for the first time is priceless.

Considering the circumstances, this is a pretty good flick for the genre. It benefits from being solid in the areas that's expected of it and having a serious side.



-The Gnome