LAPD Sgt. Joe Friday, the equally straight-laced nephew of the famous police sergeant of the same name, is paired up with a young, freewheeling detective named Pep Streebeck. Though Friday and Pep do their share of quarrelling, they eventually trace some strange robberies at the local zoo and the theft of a stockpile of pornographic magazines. They uncover cult activity in the heart of the city and are hot on the case to figure out who's behind it all. On their investigations, they come across an ominous ceremony where they save a near-victim, Connie Swail. Can the duo unmask and capture the culprit behind the series of cult crimes? Dragnet is simply another movie in the vast line of titles that amplify my love for the 1980s. An absolutely hilarious addition to the buddy cop duo subgenre filled with a whole bunch of comedic moments tied together with an exciting adventure. This film pays homage to the original police drama from the 50s and 60s, despite personally having never seen any of the original drama, I loved this flick. It is perfect for the typical movie goer although I don't know how well it does in terms of paying homage but if anything it has made me want to check it out. The highlights of this movie are without a doubt our dissimilar duo. Friday and Streebeck are so funny together being complete opposites from Pep's laid-back and constant quips to Joe's by the book approach, taking things more literally and seriously. Despite these contrasting differences throughout, they grow a close friendship whilst not entirely agreeing with one another, they change each other ever so slightly, making them equally all the better for it. Their constant back-and-forth banter is why this film is the loveable entertainment it is. Both actors did superb jobs in their respective roles. Tom Hanks is brilliant as Streebeck who is so full of comedic quips and frequently joking about which goes hand in hand with Dan Aykroyd's fantastic portrayal as Friday. The fact he manages to deliver every line with such a straight face and at the speed he says them makes him a true focal point. If anything, this experience left me wanting more stories starring these two phenomenal actors which is a shame with this being their only movie together. Another great addition to this film is both leading actors rapping for the end title sequence and even a music video for the song the City of Crime, which I have linked below, which is magnificent. Such an epic song! Alongside the main leads, there are plenty of other great cast members and characters to get engaged with. I love how for the whole film Connie Swail is frequently referred to as The Virgin Connie Swail after rescuing her from the sacrifice requiring a virgin. Even when Friday introduces her to his maternal grandmother, he refers to her as such, practically becoming her name for the remainder of the story, which is hysterical and even leads to the funniest punchline at the end. As I previously mentioned, there are plenty of hilarious sequences throughout this film to have a good laugh at. My favourite has to be the scenes involving the ritual where the two go undercover in some ridiculous outfits and try blending in by partaking in the activities such as dancing. They even collect some drugs, which come in handy when battling against the snake that was stolen from the zoo that is being fed Connie. The quick remarks and dialogue exchange is marvellous, I couldn't stop laughing, especially when they escape its clutches by feeding it the pills. The most recognisable moment in this film is Friday's foot being run over by one of the criminals, which leaves us with the delightful imagery of Dan Aykroyd's facial expressions that became so iconic. Not only is this a comedy flick, but also an action one too, from a shoot-out between the cult members and cops to the use of the duo's tank that comes in handy on multiple occasions. Overall, Dragnet has it all, from mystery, action to crime but, most of all, heaps of comedy. It is one I am sure to bring out when I need cheering up and for fans of Aykroyd, Hanks and everything 80s, this is one not to miss.
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