STAKEOUT. Directed by John Badham, written by Jim Kouf; produced by Jim Kouf and Cathleen Summers for Touchstone. Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio Estevez and Madeline Stowe. Rated R (nudity, some sex scenes and vulgar language, a little violence).
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Stakeout is a clever and, believe it or not, original cops and robbers movie. It makes the most of its story's comic potential. And there's a satisfyingly exciting conclusion to the dramatic angle.
The FBI "borrows" police detectives Chris (Dreyfuss) and Bill (Estevez) for a stakeout detail. They're to watch the ex-girlfriend of a particularly nasty and dangerous escaped convict (played with frightening ferocity by Aidan Quinn).
Nobody expects anything but boredom from the stakeout, and the cops (Chris, Bill and their two colleagues on the daytime shift) resent being given such a piddling assignment. But we know, of course, that our heroes will eventually, inevitably, get to confront the villian.
Before that happens, though, a pleasant little love story develops, with lots of comic overtones. Much to his partner's, and his own, dismay, Chris finds himself falling for their gorgeous quarry, Maria (Stowe).
Playing against the difference in their ages, Bill is the settled family man and the older Chris is the freewheeling bachelor. Estevez is quietly appealing in his first really "grown-up" role, and he handles the comedy, especially, quite well. And Dreyfuss is back in his Goodbye-Girl form—or close to it—as the wiseguy with a heart of gold.
The two make an unlikely but surprisingly successful team. They're "comfortable" together—it's easy to believe they've worked together and been friends for a long time. And Stowe is adequate to her uncomplicated role, and is a freshly pretty face (this is her firet movie).
The first half of Stakeout is mostly comedy, although it's cut occasionally with scenes of Quinn spreading maykem on the way to his inevitable reunion with Maria. Chris performs a real juggling act in keeping his true identity from Maria, while simultaneously keeping his involvement with her from the daytime shift. (Bill, of course, is in on the whole thing and has to run interference for his friend more than once.).
In addition to the main storyline, Stakeout' s little comic asides are really funny, too. For one thing, the two groups of stakeout cops have a constant battle going in practical jokes. At each shift change, it's fun to anticipate what the latest round will be.
And since Chris and Bill have to work at night, they have to sleep during the daytime. The script has made a catalog of every noisy daytime activity (like tree-chewing machines) to annoy them. I don't know how they sleep!
The final dramatic conclusion to the movie is in contrast with its more light-hearted main section. But it doesn't clash. Chris and Maria are serious about each other, after all. She has to find out who he really is.
And Quinn's performance is so riveting that we want to see what happens to him, to see him get his just desserts. Given his personality and his actions throughout the movie, we know his end will be violent.
All in all, it's easy to see why Stakeout has been such a popular movie. It's good entertainment.
September 23, 1987
A sequel to Stakeout didn't come out until 1993, but it was a good one. Read my review of Another Stakeout here.