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In the pre-credits opening sequence of “The Other Guys,” a police car crashes into — and I mean into as in inside of — a double-decker bus, and two cars explode into the Trump Tower. All in pursuit of the possessor of a quarter-ounce of marijuana, and at the expense of $12 million in property damages.
Where can the film go from here? Either up or down, depending on how you think of it: up into more outrageous satire of the buddy-cop genre as well as Madoffesque financial shenanigans, or down into hilariously low comedy. Either way, this “Police Work for Schmucks”-type film is often guffaw-out-loud funny, despite a few dead spots.
As detectives Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz, Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg play unlikely partners. The mousy Allen is happy sitting behind his computer doing accounting for the New York City Police Department, while trigger-tempered Terry itches for battle. When, in the course of his computer work, Allen discovers a humongous case of fraud, the two go into action, with Terry mocking the reluctant Allen all the way. Will the two form a bromantic bond? Stay tuned.
Between the over-the-top car chases, shoot-outs and other mayhem, director/co-writer Adam McKay (“Talladega Nights”) slips in sly jokes about the media (journalists at a press conference identify themselves proudly as “print” or, shamefacedly, “online”); counseling for cops who have used guns in the line of duty (the cops brag about their shoot-outs, while the baffled counselor tries to make them feel upset); and Priuses. And, of course, investment bankers.
Ferrell and Wahlberg play off each other with spirit, although some jokes as well as some episodes are stretched a bit thin. The film also features Michael Keaton as the pompous precinct captain, and Samuel L. Jackson, Bobby Cannavale and Dwayne Johnson as cops. Eva Mendes plays Allen’s sexy doctor wife, Sheila, and British actor Steve Coogan is the slick Bernie Madoff figure. Playing themselves are Brooke Shields, Rosie Perez and Derek Jeter.
“The Other Guys” may not be the thinking person’s summer movie, but it’s far from the dumbest. And don’t leave before the end credits, in which an animated sequence not only explains Ponzi schemes but also presents enlightening figures about executive salaries, TARP payouts and the like. There’s also the song “Pimps Don’t Cry,” sung by Eva Mendes.
Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, violence, some drug material and language. 1 hour, 47 minutes.
By Renata Polt
Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, violence, some drug material and language. 1 hour, 47 minutes.
By Renata Polt
The workers are not locked out, but “union workers” are locked out! You can go back anytime with a raise.
The techniques that the Union is using by attempting to create unrest through their noise making antics are working against them. They have created a tighter bond between the membership at Castlewood who are tired of being called rich, cheap and no good. The Union fails to realize that the customers at Castlewood are the owners and they will continue to use the club in spite of the union protesters. The Union picked a fight that they can’t win since they cannot influence the customers to not use the facilities like they can at some hotel in Oakland or San Francisco.
It is too bad that we had to lose about a half dozen or so good employees because of a Union that is only thinking of the Union power and not the employees they are paid to represent. The employees will never get what they had back. They had the chance to kick the Union out and they didn’t so they will have to pay the consequences for that bad decision. These employees will not be coming back to work at Castlewood anytime soon, if ever.
Who do I talk with on the council to get a resolution asking my boss to give me a raise?
I have just returned to P-town after being gone for a week. I see that Foothill HS canceled their spring event at CWCC with less than 7 workings days notice. Reason stated was that the students were not willing to cross the protest/picket line.. Students didn’t want to, or was it school administration and/or the teachers union?????Hummm
Doesn’t the Foothill golf team use CWCC for its home golf matches???? Now is it OK for the Foothill golfers to cross the protest/picket line for their EBAL matches, when the participants in the spring event can’t? It seems like a Civics 101 refresher course is necessary. Not crossing lines to negatively affect an organization’s revenues, but crossing lines to take advantage of the same organizations generosity, in this case free access to the golf courses, is not teaching our younger generation the meaning of responsibilty for their, or their representative actions. Cancel the social event because of a political reason, then you must cancel the sporting events for the very same reasons. Should one be consistent in his/her actions?
Hummmmmm!!!!! I wonder if the unions, teachers and Here were willing to teach the concept that a commitment to one’s actions should be universally applied. Commitment to one’s values cannot be applied piecemeal.
Friendly worker wrote:
“They can said that they got tons of applicants, but how many people will be hard worker?”
You have to be kidding me if you do not think that the replacement workers are working harder than you ever did. What makes you think there are not hard working people out there willing to work for the pay that you were offered? You should have voted out the Union when you had the chance, you would have been back to work by now. Instead you took the $200 from the union and voted to keep them and now you may never come back to the job you had. If I was you I would start looking for another job somewhere else since you are fighting a battle you can’t win, at least not in the short term.
Bicyclist,
Don’t you know that their are two sides to every story? Does your employer pay 100% of your health care costs for both you and your family? Could you work for your employer just 20 hrs a week and have them pay all your health care costs and all of your families? They have been locked out because the union is not negotiating in good faith.
CCC Member, where do you work that your employer pays for all the health care costs for both you and your family? Most places don’t even pay 100% for the employee anymore let alone the family.
Let’s be clear about one thing. I am no union person nor do I like the idea of an union. But that’s a separate discussion altogether. The problem here is that we have a bunch of filthy rich oppressors filling their potbellies with exotic food and fine wine while their workers are being forced to accept ridiculously low wages and pay for costly benefits or else lose their job. This is an outrage and it’s wrong.
I didn’t realize I needed to “defend” myself especially to you.
I guess you think anyone who doesn’t support the Castlewood position must be Union – can’t possibly be a member. You know, we’re not all “rich and rude”.
CCC Member Laguna Oaks
I’m sure if you (and others who agree with your position) went to Club management and requested to have an extra $50 or $100 added to your bill each month to start a special fund to pay for additional medical benefits for the locked out employees I’m sure they would take your money.
I only have one question, why do you believe that Castlewood employees should be paid a higher salary and receive more benefits than workers that do comparable jobs in the immediate area? If they would have accepted the proposed contract they would still be tops in both salary and benefits in the tri valley area. Do you know that for some of the partime employees it costs more for Castlewood to pay their benefits than it pays them in salary each month. Maybe in your world that makes sense but not in mine.
I agree with Jimbo, this is only round 1 and the union cannot afford to let a “nobody” like Castlewood win. They probably wish they hadn’t gotten into this fight in hindsight because it is a lot different fighting a private enterprise than taking on a public business where you can influence the customers. I think that these particular employees have worked their last day at Castlewood. Too bad they didn’t do the right thing and boot the Union when they had the chance.
CCC Member,
You really don’t get it. If Castlewood doesn’t provide a competitive wage and benefit program, then the club will not be able to attract workers. However, this is not the case. Every business is dealing with these issues and if CCC does not work to contain these costs, then it will not be competitive with other clubs and not be able to attract new members.
The programs that CCC is pushing for are normal plans within their respective industry.
Thanks to those memebers and non memebers that support us because it doesn’t matter if you are a doctor or a house keeper because that house keeper will need a doctor and the doctor will need some help him clen up. All jobs need of other jobs and not all members are “rich and rude” most are very nice and very compassionte thank you. Some probably tried to be mean because the club prepares them for this situatn telling them lies about how much money they will save if CCC doen’t pay benefitt for us and we don’t ask for free benefits we offer to pay some affordable health care. We understand the economy is affecting everyone all around the world. If you really see the situation closer and analize all the money that the club is spending on security 24 hours than before wasn’t needed, all the banquet events are cancelled,rhet also pay high umnemployment insuranc. There isalso bad repuation in media, to me looks this looks like a war about the power because Mr. Olson promises to the members that he will get the union out. But he didn’t keep his promise, but if you knew what kind of managment that we have you would understand. If the club hadn’t locked us out we would have gotten rid of he union , but their big mistake was to lock out the workers because we got the chance to unite and we did not keep the union because they invited us for breakfast or payed us $200.00 as some people may say, it was because if the club locked us ut then how can we trust them. Unfortunatly with the members they show their nice side, but with us they are rude and yell at workers, so many of the employees work under pressure and are afraid to say anything because the managers wiil find away to fire them. What I say is true and nobody told me to say this. I am a worker, but sometimes I feel sad how some members are so unrespecfull and uncompasionate with us, because they not in our shoes. They can go to have fun and relax and that is nice if you can pay for those privilegies.But please be a little bit considerate with the workers we are commiting any crimes all we want is an affordable health care according to our earnings. About our eduation nobody can just tell us what we can do and what we can’t do. Some of us are inmigrants just like all of our ancestors so it realy doesn’t matter if we are professionals or not.PLEASE, THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE IT WON’T AFFECT MEMBER’S MONEY. IF YOU SUPPORT US TO COME BACK TO WORK WE WILL WORK HARD AND THE MONEY TO COVER PART OF HEALTH CARE WE WILL MAKE WITH OUTSIDE EVENTS. THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
What is truly sad is that this situation could have been avoided if the Board and the Union Management worked in good faith to resolve the issue over health care costs. Negotiation works when both sides want it to work.
I feel badly for the locked out employees, they deserve better. I’m hopeful that when both sides meet that an effort is made to find a middle ground.
Please don’t waste time pointing fingers or trying to find fault. There is enough for everyone to go around. This is not a shining moment for the club and hope we put an end to the lockout and get these good people back where they belong, working at CCC.
Indeed; blind faith. We decided to keep the Union because we know what could happen without it. As another worker said, the Management only show their nice side to you because they are workers at that place like the rest of us. We are the ones that see their dark side, Jerry Olson lies to you and you blindly believe in his words. Go and ask him how many events have been canceled? How much money you just lost? A lot. The club pays to the lawyer $600 dollars per hour. About 10 times they already met multiplied by at least 8 hours each time gives the total of $4,800 dollars per session and $48,000 dollars total. Many of you call us naives because we pay to the Union about $25,000 dollars every year and you just double that amount in a few sessions with your very efficient lawyer. But wait, keep reading because if the club continue the negotiations in that way, you are just about to put in the lawyer’s pocket $50,000 more (at least). Do you have an idea how much is costing you the new security guys? Just think about it.
CCC employees,
If Jerry Olsen and the board of directors are such horrible people why would you even want to come back to work for them? You think you have been great employees, as you walk around calling all the members that pay your salary rich and rude? The members are very tired of you and all you drama. We do not want you to come back now! At the beginning we all felt bad for you until the rich and rude remarks and the scaring members children at Easter. Remember we own this club its not like the Marriott when you scream things at people you won’t ever see again. Go away and stay away we don’t want or need you anymore.
As a member of Castlewood I was very concerned with the lockout when it first took place. I was worried for the workers that I have gotten to know and become friends with over the years. Also, from a personal standpoint I was concerened with how the club was going to manage to operate going forward. There seemed to a lot of confusion in the kitchen, restaurants and bar areas when the replacement workers first came on board. As time has gone on with the lockout I have seen a major transformation take place. The new employees are doing an excellent job. They are VERY happy to be working at Castlewood and show it through their hardwork and great attitude. The kitchen and dining area’s are much cleaner and better maintained than they were under the union workers. At the same time, the strong positive feelings that most members felt toward the union employees has evaporated. The union employees have taken a stance through their protesting that has made most members now stand against their cause and now not want them to return. The union has taken a antiquated approach to trying to end the lockout which has back fired on them. If the union really cared about their members who were employeed at Castlewood they would find them a job at another union establishment as soon as possible because I think their bridge at Castlewood has been burned.
Workers:
The club isn’t any cleaner than when you were working. If the food is better Chef Tracy gets credit for that. Service is slow and it is not as good as it was. I am sure it will get better over time, but it is not better at this point. The CCC members are trying to make you feel bad -like you are disposal. You are not. They wanted you to decertify your union. You did not. I don’t know if that was the right decision or not, but after reading posts from CCC members for the last couple of months, I sure wouldn’t want to work around or for some of those people. They just don’t sound very nice do they?? Please don’t judge ALL club members by the hostile angry ones that post. Their anger and hostility do not represent all the members. CCC really does have some nice people. REALLY! HONEST!
There’s that union shill “CCC Member Laguna Oaks” pretending to be a Castlewood member again. He is just spouting all the same union lines that they have been spouting for months now. Trust me the Club is a lot cleaner now that it ever was before. The only thing he did say that is true is that Chef Tracy is great.
I asked this question before, and of course didn’t get an answer, if the management is so bad and the members so disrespectful why would you want to come back to work at Castlewood? I know I would never work at a place where it was not fun to work at, life is too short.
I’m sure that “CCC Member Laguna Oaks” has some work around that big house of his that would keep a couple of locked out union employees busy. Just make sure to include health care in your pay package.
All of these posts have made me realize how mean-spirited and selfish we are as a community. Government involvement is the only way to address these inequities. Therefore, I propose the following:
– Tax all homeowners so that those who can’t afford to live here will get the chance. Let’s give the first free house to Sandra De Gregorio and make it a nice one (Ruby Hill or somewhere on the Ridge). She deserves it.
– USPS is going broke. If they scale back to 5 day delivery and close some obsolete post offices though, a lot of hard working folks will lose their jobs due to cost cuts. FedEx and UPS are raking it in so let’s tax all of their packages to subsidize USPS – no cuts required!
– Who wants to stay at Motel 6 or Best Western when there are much nicer hotels in town? Tax rooms at the Rose Hotel, Marriott and Hilton so that folks who currently can’t afford their rates can stay there in the future.
– Only rich people eat at Hap’s. Let’s tax every meal so that anyone who wants to eat there but can only afford Chile’s will now have the chance.
– Private schools are so expensive. Let’s tax private school tuition to create scholarships. Base them on want not on merit because everyone deserves to get what they want.
You get the idea. These are just a few ways that we can make this community better for everyone!
@community,
the truth??? you mean the union going to the public library to tell their story? How CCC has a bunch of rich and rude people that won’t pay their workers a fair wage?? that version of the truth?
Yea I will be there to hear the wisdom of the union. What do union’s want? They want MORE.
Too bad the union didn’t show this level of wanting to get things done when they had the chance. They are trying to suck Castlewood into a no win situation with this “Community Briefing” and Castlewood has refused to be a part of it. The employees have been out of work for two months now and are starting to get desperate since the union money will start to run out soon. They are beginning to figure out that they should have voted out the union when they had the chance.
Here is one member who encourages Castlewood to stay the course and rid itself of the union parasites.
Dude, I don’t know which is more whack, your writing or your bogus information.
Shouldn’t you be working on your homework?
I forgot my good man that to be a employer of arrogance and virtue is to practically validate the existance of the unions! Your homework lacks completion to be mild, and what you and your fellows pay your lawyers lacks credibility! HURRAH for the students to whom the prom was cancelled! Many such examples will follow! HURRAH
How do you fell about them apples, rich boy?
Folks, the Union’s last offer was less than the Club’s. And why would the union allow their workers to vote on a plan that has them paying 40% of their income towards health care? You have a union to protect your rights. And the workers voted 70% to keep their union. If those folks were on the county rolls, you all would be telling them to get a job.
Is it about money? Okay, let’s see…CCC is losing banquets, paying ridiculous lawyer fees to fight the union, paying ridiculous payroll taxes for 61 unemployed workers, the list goes on…