Film: “CHIPS”; Director: Dax Shepard; Cast: Michael Pena, Dax Shepard, Vincent DOnofrio, Rosa Salazar, Jessica McNamee, Adam Brody, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Richard T. Jones, Ryan Hansen, Jane Kaczmarek; Rating: *1/2
“CHIPS” is a shoddily mounted, randy, action-oriented, buddy cop film.
It is about two individuals who join the California Highway Patrol Academy – Jon Baker (Dax Shepard) a former motor cycle rider dealing with a failed marriage and Frank Ponch, (Michael Pena) a sex-obsessed, Miami FBI agent. How they both go to Los Angeles to investigate a multi-million dollar robbery that appears to have been an inside job and gradually bond after moments of initial discord, forms the crux of this film.
Touted to be an action comedy, and packed with impulsive situations, the film is replete with sexual undertones and explicit homophobia connotations which are peppered at regular intervals in the film in an attempt to inject humour and are largely uncalled for.
The chemistry and camaraderie that is intrinsic to a film like this, is sadly lacking. Leaning heavily on goofy comedy tropes, the film fails to fit into any genre completely, appearing to be a poorly made mish-mash.
There is a feeling of déjà vu in most of the action and comedy sequences as these seem to be lifted from the 1980s. There is no element of freshness in the story or treatment. The action scenes too although well executed, fail to be thrilling while the attempts at comedy seem rusty.
The plot is clichéd, built around a convoluted, inside job heist. It is simply the context and the forced setting to put these two guys together and watch them become buddies. As a director, Shepard fails to handle the subject efficiently and the resultant film fails to impress or even entertain.
On the performance front, Dax Shepard, the director and actor essays his character with honesty while Michael Pena is convincing. But their on-screen chemistry lacks depth. It is the script which limits them.
Vincent D’Onofrio as the antagonist, is perfunctory and he fails to impress. The ladies in prominent roles are all stock characters.
With moderate production values, the film is a big let-down and makes for tedious viewing.
By Troy Ribeiro
