Today’s quick review: Police Academy. When the police department loosens its hiring standards, dozens of underqualified applicants enroll in its training program. Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), a sly troublemaker, signs up as an alternative to jail time, with every intention of getting kicked out. But fellow recruit Karen Thompson (Kim Cattrall) gives him a reason to stay, even if he has to put up with the academy’s abusive drill instructor (G.W. Bailey).
Police Academy is a police comedy with a light, mischievous tone and a cast of colorful characters. Police Academy follows a familiar comedy formula, pitting an eclectic group of misfits against an unreasonable authority figure. As far as such movies go, Police Academy skimps on the plot but offers a healthy dose of humor. Mahoney makes for a fun protagonist as he tries everything he can think of to get kicked out, and he plays well with his love interest Thompson.
As a comedy, Police Academy is entertaining but not outstanding. Its scenes tend to be short and end abruptly, a lot of its humor is forced, and its writing lacks the heart of, say, Ghostbusters. But in spite of these flaws, Police Academy is a fun watch, with goofy characters, slapstick humor, and general hijinks. Not every gag lands perfectly, but enough do to make the film feel worthwhile.
The cast of Police Academy is an odd group, including an enormous ex-florist, an unstable gun enthusiast, and a Latin lover. Few of the characters have much depth, but each is given a brief story arc to fill out the film. Michael Winslow deserves special mention for his performance as Larvell Jones, Mahoney’s friend and a master of sound effects. His vocal talents and silly sense of humor are responsible for some of the film’s best gags.
Watch Police Academy when you are in the mood for a fun movie with a few good laughs. Skip it if you are expecting a deep plot or sharp writing. For other movies in a similar vein, check out Animal House, a wild college comedy; Major League, an underdog sports comedy; or Stripes, a comedy about Army boot camp.
6.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for fun if imperfect comedy.