Reno 911!: Miami

Directed by Robert Ben Garant

Reno 911!: Miami, is the feature-length film version of Comedy Central’s series of the same name now set in Miami. The frequently enjoyable show (now in its fourth season) is itself a parody of Fox’s “COPS”. This intentionally funny version of the early reality hit follows a group of politically incorrect incompetents as they attempt to be police officers in Reno, Nev. With mostly improvised dialogue and loose plot points, the show is more a series of isolated run-ins than a unified story—which can work well in 22 minutes. But, as we all know, expanding any television series or skit to feature-length form can often be disastrous. As much as you might have hoped otherwise, disastrous comes pretty close to describing Reno 911!: Miami.

Not surprisingly for a film like this, the plot is part ridiculous, part terrible. The Reno Sheriffs Department is invited to a police convention in Miami, Fla., but after arriving for what they hoped to be a vacation, they’re forced to single-handedly patrol the streets of Miami, as well as stop a bio-terrorist attack on the convention center (where the real cops are trapped). With its creators asked to develop and sustain a story, rather than just riff on over-the-top characterizations and absurd situations, we’re left with stiff dialogue, off-the-mark improv and none of the spontaneity that gives the show its energy. The writers are totally alien to handling the length of a feature film, seemingly having to overextend just to reach 84 minutes. The producers have no clue what to do with their too-large budget—outside of gratuitous explosions and helicopter shots. Without their usual hometown prostitution gags, the cast is uneasy in Miami and, more significantly, Reno is unsure what to do with an R rating. No longer pushing the limits of cable TV, they clumsily try to work in expletives, drug use and nudity. The jokes are cliched, lifeless and are often only mildly funny. (And the obligatory cameos come across as tired and pointless.)

The dumb but lovable cop genre began a near century ago with the Keystone Cops, and was later mastered in the ’80s with the likes of The Naked Gun (Police Squad!), Police Academy and even Armed and Dangerous. This postmodern update is unfortunately just a worse Super Troopers. All the more disappointing if you’re a fan of MTV’s classic mid-’90s sketch-comedy show “The State” (criminally unavailable on DVD), where three of Reno 911!’s creators/producers/writers/actors got their start. Members went on to the close-but-not-quite-there TV shows “Viva Variety” and “Stella”, the enjoyable cult hit Wet Hot American Summer, and the surprisingly earnest and charming romantic comedy, The Baxter. Here’s hoping this summer’s The Ten, David Wain’s follow-up to WHAS, will change their streak of semi-disappointments.