CHIPS (2017) User Reviews

Entertaining comedy

[andybyrne79 · 7/10 · 29 March 2017]

All too often people like to rag on movies like this. Not every movie to hit the cinema will be Oscar worthy, Not every movie will be written with a story that will move you to tears or challenge your thinking. Set your expectations for the movie you will see and you are less likely to be disappointed.

Chips is an entertaining cop buddy flick, rated R and has some adult humor. Both Pena and Shepard play their parts well and along the way the movie pokes fun at itself and the genre. There are plenty of laughs to be had here and overall the movie went at a steady pace. There is nothing ground breaking in it but I wanted a laugh, I got a laugh. Hopefully it does well enough at the box office to get a sequel.

Peaks and Valleys

[allstarrunner · 6/10 · 24 March 2017]

Sometimes I have a hard time rating movies, and more specifically comedies. Because comedies generally try to do nothing other than make you laugh, it's easier to let plot and character development (etc) slide, as you might not with other genres of movies. This is the typical R rated comedy of this day and age - over the top, raunchy comedy that focuses mostly on human anatomy jokes. If you hate those movies, avoid it at all costs. If you like them, then you'll probably like this.

At the screening I saw this at just about everyone after the film was talking about how they liked it, and there was certainly a lot of laughter in the theater throughout the movie.

This movie had a few moments of truly laugh out loud hilarity, outside of those few moments the rest of the comedy was there, but it was pretty generic.

Look, you know what type of movie this is (raunchy comedy). If you go to the theater and drop your $ and don't like it, that's on you.

good light fun

[zeplini · 7/10 · 24 April 2017]

Being one of my favorite TV shows from my child hood I was dreading this remake, but if you let go of the past you will enjoy this movie for what it is and its just light fun with some really funny moments.

Plot wise its pretty predictable but is was not 2 hours of my life wasted and in the end I enjoyed the new CHIPS.

Ignore the critic wannabe's and give it a go, just don't expect anything from the 80's or that will make you think.

Probably most enjoyable for the little teenage boy in all of us

[kaptenvideo-89875 · 7/10 · 9 April 2017]

Comedian Dax Shepard has been acting on screen for years without making it big. He is perhaps best known as Kristen Bell's husband and being part of the main cast in drama series „Parenthood" which doesn't actually say a whole lot either.

But he is one of those actors who is willing to write, produce and even direct his own stuff if satisfying offers don't come his way. And „CHIPS" must be one of these pet projects, because he fills all four jobs mentioned above, sharing the screen with co-star Michael Peña.

There are actually bunch of other cool faces around in smaller roles, including – of course – Kristen Bell. But it's mostly about Shepard and Peña offering a buddy action comedy, so if you feel like you could like them, it's half a win for the movie already.

(Sadly, there's smaller number of famous friends on screen than in Shepard's previous projects, 2010's „Brother's Justice" and 2012's „Hit and Run". I guess Bradley Cooper and Tom Arnold felt that they have done enough for him and let him sink or swim alone now.)

Shepard is convincing in the sensitive/wise doofus role that he has chosen to himself, although his acting range seems limited in general.

So he has surrounded himself with some rock solid players, starting with Peña who has the coveted ability to make every movie a bit more better just by appearing there. In this regard, he's like a young- ish Latin version of Morgan Freeman, or something.

What is more important here: Peña can effortlessly do action, drama and comedy and there's need for all three here, Shepard couldn't hold the fort alone. And speaking of solid, we also have Vincent D'Onofrio who is every inch as imposing and magnetic as we have come to expect from this veteran thespian.

Based on the classic TV series of the same name (1977-83), it's about the adventures of two California Highway Patrol cops. But it's not the eighties anymore, so we get currently widespread type of raunchy mainstream comedy with some action.

If you want to measure the general style of the story and also the nastiness of the dialogue, you should check out the Red Band trailer, for example. It is not able to effectively share the quite enjoyable buddy comedy vibe „CHIPS" has during most of its running time, but you do get an idea if you would like to see some more of it.

The result is probably most enjoyable for the little teenage boy in all of us, with plenty of cursing, light violence and sex- or body- related jokes. If you can't catch their wave, you will probably be a little tired when the end comes.

I actually enjoyed most of this raunchy silliness although I felt that the ending felt a bit rushed and half-hearted.

It's easy to imagine that the success of „21 Jump Street" movies made pitching the project and gathering the money for „CHIPS" easier for Shepard & Co.

The projects are quite similar: old and loved TV series turned into modern American comedy, two likable guys in the middle of it all, verbally sparring, punching and shooting their way to glory.

Sex, cops and laughs in abundance...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 6 September 2018]

I found "Chips" in the comedy section on Netflix, and not being familiar with it, I decided to give it a watch as I do enjoy comedies.

I was familiar with some of the cast, so I had somewhat of a bit of notion of what to expect from the movie. And I will say that "Chips" rose to the occasion and really delivered top notch comedy entertainment. I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of the entire movie.

"Chips" was a good combination of comedy and action, as well as having a good character gallery, which really made the movie come to life. Especially so since it was characters that you instantly bonded with and took a liking to.

I must admit that I am not overly keen on Dax Shepard usually, but he was really great in this movie and really carried his role quite well. But for me, then it was Michael Peña who carried the movie with his hilarious performance, and he was so greatly cast for the role. But there were also lots of other good performances throughout the movie.

There are many funny scenes in the movie, and they had me laughing heartily throughout the course of the movie. And the chemistry between Shepard and Peña was just phenomenal, both as actors but also their on-screen characters.

"Chips" is a gem in the comedy genre, and one that definitely need more recognition because it is just through and through entertaining and funny.

Fun Time**** Do Not Take It Serious!

[scarolabills · 7/10 · 25 March 2017]

When I go to a movie that is a slap stick comedy, I do not expect The Godfather! This was a good time to laugh! I enjoyed all the puns and the actions was not bad either.

The TV show was not all that either, lets be real! This is 2017, so things are different, there will be guns, sex, and bad language.

A major miscalculation

[Wizard-8 · 10 August 2017]

The 1970s "CHiPs" television show was a likable, if somewhat goofy and cheesy, series. Though I have a little soft spot for the show, I can see that the idea of making a modern day movie spoof of the series was promising. But try telling that to the movie's star/writer/director Dax Shepard.

His first (and prime) mistake was making this movie extremely raunchy and violent. The idea of having everything from graphic sex scenes to bloody decapitations simply doesn't fit with what was originally a family friendly show. This material feels just wrong.

Well, maybe this R-rated material could have worked had it been funny, but that's where Shepard's second mistake comes. The movie is simply not that funny at all. I only found two or three gags to be somewhat amusing in the entire 100 minute running time. Shepard seems to feel that simply showcasing raunchy and violent material is automatically funny, but it isn't.

The third mistake Shepard makes is with the story and characters. There is almost NOTHING about the television show in this movie. Sure, the movie has CHP officers named Ponch and Jon, but that's it. The television show had more regular characters, for one thing.

If you want to see a comic spoof of the old TV show, look for MAD Magazine's take instead of watching this ill-advised feature film.

CHIPS Could Have Been Funnier but It's a Decent Action/Comedy

[CANpatbuck3664 · 6/10 · 25 March 2017]

*Minor Spoilers Ahead* An FBI agent (Michael Pena) is facing discipline from his superiors at the Miami office. He worked as an undercover operative in a gang that robbed a bank but while they were being rounded up, they took one of the agents Clay Allen (Adam Brody) hostage. Instead of dealing with the criminal, he shoots him through Allen. He also mentions that he banged the guy's wife while the criminal is being arrested. Back at the office, he's berated by his boss Peterson (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) for being reckless and possibly being a sex addict. He tells him that he needs some time away from Miami and that they'd been contacted by the California Highway Patrol about getting some help from the Bureau. There's been a rash of armoured car robberies by gangs on motorcycles in Los Angeles. They think there's some inside help for the gang and they could possibly be looking for a mole. The agent seems excited until he finds out his undercover name is Francis Poncherello.

His partner is a rookie named Jon Baker (Dax Shepard). Baker's impressive riding a motorcycle (he's a former competitive motocross champion and he's had several surgeries from crashing to prove it) but he's not very good at much else. He means well and his earnestness wins over the department into graduating him into the CHP on a probationary period. He's excited to tell his wife Karen (Kristen Bell) but they've been separated for more than a year and she doesn't seem too interested in what he's up to. Between the two of them, they have to solve these robberies and root out the corruption plaguing the CHP.

Most people know Dax as an actor (I remember him from Without a Paddle) but he's actually directed movies before (Brother's Justice and Hit and Run). I really didn't like Hit and Run but the note I took from that movie was that he knew how to create some gorgeous shots of cars and car chases. He continues that here and while the action scenes aren't superhero flashy, they feature some pretty solid riding and some almost pornographic sequences of these beautiful motorcycles and what they can do. It was one of the better parts of the movie and it shows that you don't have to have a gigantic budget to entertain action movie junkies.

You don't really expect extensive character development in a comedy. It can be one of those things that's a nice touch but it's rarely essential. CHIPS wasn't an especially deep movie but I did like the friendship that eventually formed between Ponch and Baker. I actually felt sorry for Baker despite the fact he was useless in essential functions of his job. He's oblivious to the situation he faces and it takes someone like Ponch to open his eyes just enough to comprehend what's going on. Shepherd and Pena play off each other well enough and you don't mind following them through this story.

I'm a really big fan of some of the actors/actresses in this cast. Michael Pena is one of those guys that can cross genres and always improves the quality of something he's in. Shepherd also has his own kind of laid-back charm. I think that neither of them are bad in this movie but their performances suffer from the tonal inconsistencies that CHIPS has. Neither of them are really "the straight man" or the normal person you see in a buddy-cop movie. They both go from regular guys to goofy bros on a dime and it fluctuates completely from scene to scene. Both of them are funny here but neither of them are consistent or really hilarious. I did like some of the actors/actresses in the supporting parts. Rosa Salazar, Jessica McNamee, Adam Brody and Isiah Whitlock are all decent in their respective parts. Kristen Bell was good in here small part as well. I really like Vincent D'Onofrio and I felt bad for him. He showed up to work and delivers a solid dramatic performance but he seems like he's in a different movie. He's completely serious when everyone else is cracking d!@% jokes.

Other than the flip-floppy tone of CHIPS, the other reason I didn't spot it more points is that it wasn't that funny. I did laugh a little throughout the movie but there wasn't anything really memorable about the comedy or lines I'm going to be quoting later. Most of the funny bits are spoiled in the trailer and while I never got angry, the humour gets pretty juvenile (the movie comments on homophobia but it has a few gay jokes that seem questionable). They also play certain jokes out a little too long like Ponch's weakness for yoga pants or the fact that John can't deal with the smell of someone else's house.

I wanted to see this movie but it was hard not to get scared off by the other reviews that people were putting online. Having seen CHIPS, this could have been a lot worse. It's hard to organically weave real drama into a movie that's trying to be funny and vice-versa so I appreciate the movie trying but it came up a little short. I do think this is a step up for Shepherd and his movies seem to be getting better as he continues his career as a director. The movie this reminds me of is Keeping Up With the Joneses. There are better comedies out there but if you can keep expectations low, you might end up liking this.

I love Dax Shepard but I hated this

[sinisterene · 1/10 · 9 January 2023]

I watched this because it's starred, written, and directed by Dax Shepard.

I expected a buddy cop comedy but what I got was juvenile toilet humor and gross physical gags that don't even land.

Not to mention the "buddy" part was ruined on account of there being zero chemistry between the lead characters, something I suspect is due to the dumb weak script. This was probably the worst of all this movie's "sins" since, at this point in movie-making craft, the formula for juxtaposing protagonists is so well-known to be considered a trope in itself.

My disappointment was palpable. I watched the last half/third merely out of morbid curiosity to see how much lower they could stoop to.

I wish I could give this zero stars but I can't. I suppose I can take solace in the fact that I can give it one star for Dax Shepard.

Just chip in and have fun!

[moviexclusive · 6/10 · 23 March 2017]

If shows such as Starsky & Hutch and The Streets of San Francisco sounds alien to you, then there is a high chance you won't know Chips either. Chips was a successful TV series about two highway patrol officers that aired from 1977 to 1983. Comedian Dax Shepard (Parenthood, Hit & Run) basically took the title and rewrote it as a modern-day buddy cop comedy for the big screen. Surprisingly given its run-of-the-mill theme, Shepard's first major studio directorial piece actually works!

Shepard plays Jon Baker, a has-been motocross champion who is trying to get his life together and hopefully winning back his trophy wife (played by the real-life Mrs Shepard, Kristen Bell) by joining the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Ponch (Michael Pena) on the other hand is a hotshot undercover FBI agent who is assigned by his boss to infiltrate the CHP when a recent heist involving an armored van is suspected to be an inside job. When a hotshot agent is paired up with a rookie, sparks are bound to fly and with any buddy cop comedy goes, this pair of mismatched buddy is going to break the ice and save the day.

Liked his last movie, Hit & Run, Chips relies a lot on jokes about sexism and homopobia. The story on the whole is wafer-thin but who cares when Shepard is able to keep things interesting especially the terrific chemistry he has with co-star Michael Pena. Check out the scene where Ponch has to carry his naked, half-paralyzed buddy (Baker suffers from severe rheumatism when it rains) to the bathroom. It's hilarious. It's fortunate that Shepard's writing is way tighter this time round, it makes the gags funnier and the tone goofier. Just don't go in expecting anything smarter than a thesis.

Instead of relying on unnecessary gross gags and explicit nudity unless you count two naked breast shots as offensive, Pena's Ponch is painted as a sex addict who constantly has to go to the bathroom to pleasure himself plus the fact that he can't control himself when he sees women in tight spandex. This is a recurring funny gag that works perfectly fine despite the lack of anything visual. His partner on the other hand is a lousy shooter and suffers anything from food smell to cat but he knows the make of a motorbike just from the sound of it. The relationship between these two is so genuinely crafted that by the time the credits roll, you really root for this pair of fumbling cops.

Nowadays, anyone in Hollywood that needs a bad guy just need to call Vincent D'Onofrio (Daredevil, Jurassic World) or Michael Shannon. In Chips, it's the former. The prolific movie and television actor portrays Lieutenant Vic Brown, the evil mastermind behind the heists. Not much is known about this character with the exception that he has a drug-addicted son played by Justin Chatwin, the young man from Wars of the World. Brown also workout in the gym in his spare time, he is tough and he wants to retire to some remote island with all the dirty money. He looks like an interesting menacing character though the fast pacing doesn't allow him to do more.

Shepard continues to bring his love for anything on wheels to the big screen. This time he is not paying tribute to muscle cars; he is piling his love on Ducati motorbikes. With actual on-location shoot along the highway and roads of busy Los Angeles, the numerous grounded chase sequences actually deliver some crazy fun. Even if you walk out feeling vexed with Shepard's silly comedy, you still need to seriously credit Shepard for not employing nonsensical quick cuts and green screen effects.

This reboot or remake or whatever you want to call it is way better than the trailer. The entire premise might be inconsequential and mainly an excuse to fill in before the next slapstick humour and nifty chase lands. Yet this is Shepard's best enjoyable effort to date.

Unlikable Film Based Upon A Likable TV Show

[Theo Robertson · 2/10 · 2 April 2017]

I was never a great fan of the 1970s show CHIPS. Most of my peers liked it a lot and I could see why because it was a fairly likable show featuring a couple of fairly likable characters played by a couple fairly likable actors. The downside was that like so much American television from the period it gets a little bit preachy , but apart from that it was a likable show featuring a couple of likable characters in the California Highway Patrol in a likable American TV show

"Hey Theo can you use any other adjectives apart from likable ? otherwise this comment will end up becoming unlikable"

Sorry to bring irony in to this comment but you can see the point I'm making. When I saw the trailer I thought "Why does Hollywood continually remake popular TV shows as crude comedies that have nothing in common with the source material ? " Well one reason might be cynical capitalism where they know they're fleecing the public. By the time bad word of mouth spreads the damage and the profits are done so nothing else matters

If you've seen the trailers you'll be scracting your head what this film has in common with the TV show CHIPS. It contains toilet humour , gay jokes and other near the knuckle humour . If nothing at least the trailer is accurate . Within the first ten minutes I'd lost count of the number of F and S words featured so much so I thought I was watching a Scorsese movie. On top of that the humour is dreadful featuring toilet humour , sexual jokes about someone's wife and ... well stuff that 15 year old boys would consider juvenile . Some people might enjoy this but I found it a genuinely unlikable film

Pure entertainment

[jandorr · 8/10 · 14 June 2017]

Don't listen to the bad reviews. This movie was funny and wild; pure entertainment. Solid plot, great one-liners, excellent cast. The action scenes do not disappoint. This movie is thoroughly engaging from start to finish. It's just a comedy, it's not trying to win an award. Sit back, relax, and laugh.

Surpringly entertaining

[aprit-33097 · 7/10 · 21 February 2019]

Watched this with low expectations as I had heard it wasn't great, but I was laughing through most of the film. Crude humour and cringingly awkward scenes made for a very entertaining movie.

Dax the slash

[ferguson-6 · 3/10 · 23 March 2017]

Greetings again from the darkness. In a Hollywood self-congratulatory world that considers sequels, reboots and remakes as creative projects; and imitation as the most sincere form of flattery … not to mention the safest hedged bet … it's not in the least surprising that we now have a film version of "CHiPs", a lightweight and popular TV show that ran from 1977 through 1983. What should be surprising is that a studio entrusted Dax Shepard with the ultimate slash role of Director/Writer/Producer/Actor for this contemporary version.

Of course, as with film versions of "21 Jump Street" and "Starsky and Hutch", the target audience isn't really those who watched the original TV series, but rather the group of big-spending millennials who seem to thrive on raunchy humor, while placing minimal value on a coherent or interesting story. Buddy cop films that blend tense drama, wise-cracking partners and eye-widening action have long been popular, with the jewel of the genre being Lethal Weapon. This latest entry does nothing to threaten the now 30 year reign of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover.

Dax Shepard stars in his own film as Jon Baker, now reinvented as a former X-games motorcycle champ who is attempting to save his long-fizzled marriage by becoming a cop. The rookie's partner is undercover FBI Agent Frank "Ponch" Poncherello played by Michael Pena. Each has their own personal issues: Jon is addicted to prescription painkillers, and Ponch struggles to control certain urges … and unfortunately for viewers, the two spend an inordinate amount of time discussing these issues.

The crime wave they are attempting to bust involves a corrupt cop. Seeing that Vincent D'Onofrio is in the cast immediately takes away any mystery about the bad guy's identity, but were there any doubt, the film exposes him in the first action sequence. After that comes the onslaught of verbal sparring, explosions, gunplay and one especially gory moment.

With Dax Shepard at the helm, we understand going in that the raunchy humor faucet will be fully open. Topics covered in one-liners, gags and recurring themes include: homophobia, sexting, masturbating, bowel movements, marriage therapy, d**k jokes, prescription drugs, paparazzi, and yoga pants. But seriously, how many "eating a**" jokes does one movie need? It's a topic that goes from uncomfortable to unnecessary pretty quickly.

Cars and bikes are vital here, though it seems that the motorcycle stunts could have been jazzed up a bit, and we certainly expected more cameos than the mandatory one near the end. The original series thrived on being 'tongue in cheek', and Mr. Shepard's version brings new meaning to the phrase. The opening credits state "The California Highway Patrol does not endorse this film. At all." It's an understandable stance.

Good fun

[jellyneckr · 1 April 2017]

Considering that movie versions of such popular 70s shows as Starsky & Hutch and The Dukes of Hazzard were successful in the mid-2000s, it's a bit surprising that it took this long for a CHIPS movie to come along. I've never seen a single episode of the "CHIPS" television series that ran from 1977 to 1983, so I had no expectations, good or bad, when the announcement was made that a big screen version of the show would be coming out. As the buddy comedy genre is my favorite, and I've always liked Dax Shepard and Michael Pena, I decided to check it out, despite the bad reviews and minimal box office results. While no classic, CHIPS delivers what one expects from a standard R-rated action buddy comedy: lots of gunfire, bickering and bantering, swearing, and good lines along the way.

I'm not going to deny that CHIPS is a juvenile movie. A lot of the sexual humor seems pretty forced, although some of it, like the yoga pants jokes, had me laughing out loud. It's easy to see why critics are tearing the film apart. The film is often little more than crude jokes and motorcycle chases. However, when the movie works, it is as entertaining as any film I've seen so far this year. The chemistry between Dax Shepard as Baker and Michael Pena as Ponch goes a long way in terms of making up for some of the flaws in the script. Without any chemistry between the two leads, this could have been a disaster, but Shepard and Pena seem to genuinely like each other, and their characters' eventual friendship feels genuine. It also helps that, although there are certainly over-the-top situations and sequences in CHIPS, the characters themselves are never treated as completely cartoonish or overly heightened just for the sake of comedy.

When action does take place in CHIPS, there is bloodshed and people get hurt. This could have easily created an awkward, uneven tone with all the comedy and cheap jokes, but as the writer/director, Dax Shepard somehow keeps the whole thing afloat. He avoids making the entire affair turn into a total mess, something that it could have if put into the wrong hands. The action scenes aren't particularly bombastic or even that long, probably a result of a lower budget than most action pictures have. That said, the action and chase scenes are well shot. They are also thankfully not dependent on over-editing and shaky cam like so many action pictures are today. Maybe the movie could have had a few more action beats with a larger budget, though what's on screen should please fans of car chases, stunts, and shoot-outs.

CHIPS sometimes feels like footage has been edited down from a longer running time. Kristen Bell, featured prominently in the advertising and opening credits, is in the film for what seems like little more than an extended cameo. Additionally, there seems to be sub-plots focusing on other CHIPS officers that have been cut down. I don't know if there is a large amount of deleted scenes missing from the final cut; there just seems to be a few gaps in between certain spots. Maybe this is the result of some bad editing, but none of this takes away all that much from my overall enjoyment of the film itself. It will be interesting to see whether the DVD/Blu Ray release contains much additional footage.

CHIPS is not perfect. It's probably not going to end up as my favorite comedy of 2017, though it is good fun for those who enjoy buddy movies. All the cop comedy clichés are here. No one is going to accuse CHIPS of being original or ground-breaking. It's simply an entertaining 100 minutes of action and comedy. Recommended. 7/10

Very funny and entertaining

[bobofmathews · 7/10 · 25 March 2017]

I think Dax and his cast and crew did an excellent job.Im sure Mr Shepard wasn't trying for a politically correct best picture award winner, but in my book ,he's made a very funny and entertaining movie. It also brought back a time when things were more simple and people were more respectful. Great job on a very entertaining movie.

A lot better than I expected.

[jspashen-76215 · 7/10 · 28 March 2017]

All I know is my wife and I went to see this and we had a great time laughing and giving each other high fives. Was it true to the TV show no, but the action was great had me on the edge of my seat in some parts. The soundtrack had me tapping my feet and banging the arm of the chair. The main thing was that it was fun and made me appreciate what comedies have to offer because all I usually see are action films.

Misrated in Canada

[mawhinney · 7/10 · 24 March 2017]

I did enjoy the film but it wasn't what I was expecting.

In the US, it is correctly rated R but here in Atlantic Canada only a 14A. With plenty of violence, profanity and nudity it should have been R in Canada as well.

I am not saying those are negative things for a film. I just think some parents might believe the 14A and be in for quite a shock.

Forget the original series, go in expecting a raunchy buddy cop comedy and you should be entertained.

I adore Vincent D'Onofrio in everything, this film included.

Chips (2017)

[rockman182 · 6/10 · 13 June 2017]

Creating feature length films from old TV series must be a popular thing to do these days. This year alone we get CHIPS and Baywatch, with both upping the adult content as opposed to the much more tame TV shows. I have not seen any of Dax Shepard's previous directional efforts, nor did I know that he was making films. Having not experienced the show, I thought the film had its moments but it can't avoid being generic or unoriginal.

The film is about two highway patrol officers who are very different from each other, and how they try to solve a case. One of them played by Michael Pena is an undercover FBI agent with a sex addiction and his partner is a former professional bike rider, whose long term injuries and relationship with his estranged wife plague him. I'm not sure if the original show has the similar basis for character personality but this and the chemistry between Pena and Shepard worked for me. I like the buddy cop relationship so I have no problem with it in film as long as its written well.

The chemistry between the leads is good and some of the back and forth between the two is done well. Michael Pena gives a refined performance and I wonder why he doesn't lead more often in film. Other than that the plot can be simplified, there's an over complication of moving pieces that detracts from the film hitting with comedic elements. There is sufficient action in the film, especially bike based chases. I didn't mind the adult humor in it as I find it better than something tame and PG-13.

The side characters aren't exactly built well. As I stated there are a lot of moving pieces and characters that come and go so its hard to really find out why people (especially the villainous group) are doing what they do. I will say though I like Kristen Bell in that bitchy uncaring role, the same of which she plays in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. This was one of the first times that I was seeing Rose Salazar and I definitely want to see her in more things, she's beautiful. Overall, the film doesn't have much originality and doesn't really stand out in memory. However, a few laughs are provided and there was enough going to provide a few moments of fun. I don't see a sequel faring well based on the reception.

6/10

This is the worst movie I have ever seen

[dfw_txs · 1/10 · 26 March 2017]

At least 3 occasions I almost walked out, but my wife wanted to suffer through to the end so we stayed. This was the typical "cop- buddy" comedy, with one key difference from say the Starsky and Hutch remake: It was not funny at all.

When I say not funny at all, I did not even crack a smile, and found myself looking at my watch. The plot is totally ridiculous, and the jokes were primarily about Ponche's sex addiction where he has to masturbate in public bathrooms, yes I am not kidding. Another theme is about Ponche's fetish about eating women's butts, clean or dirty. Yes, I am not kidding. That was a central plot line.

Then there is John Baker his partner. He is basically portrayed as a opiate pill head who drives his bike high on opiates who has not taken a dump in weeks.

Then there is the "hilarious" sequence where Ponch keeps crashing his motorcycle. Here again, it just was not funny.

I guess if you are a teenager you might find the non stop bathroom/sexual stuff funny. I just cannot fathom how any adult could walk out of the theater with any other impression than they just wasted 2 hours of their life.

Firecracker

[stevendbeard · 6/10 · 25 March 2017]

I saw "CHIPS", starring Michael Pena-Ant_Man, End of Watch; Dax Shephard-The Boss, When in Rome; Kristen Bell-Bad Moms, The Boss, Oh yeah, she is the real-life wife to Dax Shephard and Vincent D'Onofrio- The Magnificent Seven_2016, Jurassic World.

This movie is based on the 1977-1983 TV series of the same name, which stands for the California Highway Patrol, by the way. Michael plays Frank Poncherello-originally played by Erik Estrada-and Dax plays Jon Baker-originally played by Larry Wilcox. Dax also takes writing & directing credit for this firecracker-it's not really a bomb but it is pretty close. Personally, I think if you are going to remake a movie or TV series, you should stick pretty close to the essence of the source material and here, they don't. I mean, parts are good but overall, nope. Dax plays a former pro motorbike rider that joins CHIPS while Michael is a hot-headed F.B.I. agent that is sent in undercover to find dirty cops in the CHIPS department, and of course, they are teamed up as partners. Kristen plays Dax's ex-wife that Dax is always trying to get back together with and Vincent is a fellow CHIPer. There is both comedy and drama and lots of chases and gun fights but if I remember correctly, I don't think the original stars-Erik & Larry-ever even fired their weapons. There is a cameo from Erik near the end. He plays an EMT and I am not giving anything away here because I've seen that very scene in the trailers, but Larry does not make an appearance. It's rated "R" for violence, drug use, language and sexual content- including nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 40 minutes. It's not one that I would buy on DVD. I guess it would be alright, as a rental, if you were a fan of the show.

A Real Dud

[bkrauser-81-311064 · 5/10 · 28 March 2017]

Remember 21 Jump Street (2012)? Boy that was a fun movie. In many ways it was the perfect meta-commentary of the type of low-stakes, low-rent, low-brow crap Hollywood has been throwing at us recently like chimps in a mismanaged zoo. Literally anything and I mean anything with even a modicum of franchise potential is being made and remade and remade again these days. Thus when 21 Jump Street (based on a soapy cheap-looking TV show) reared its ugly head, I for one was clenching for an awful night at the cinema.

In many ways I was expecting something like Chips, i.e. an ill-conceived, aged and offensive grotesquery that at best is a watered down version of literally everything you've already seen. Remember all those completely forgetful Martin Lawrence clones that were hammered out one-by-one in the early 2000's? Me neither; how about those equally forgettable Kevin Hart movies? Okay, getting warmer. Well imagine that plus a big fat layer of tepid, lazy direction and you got the basic ingredients for what should honestly be renamed "Bullchips." Chips was directed, written and stars Dax Shepard who you may remember as the dude in Without a Paddle (2004) who was not Matthew Lillard or Seth Green. Here he plays Jon Baker, an over-the-hill Motocross athlete who, according to co-star Michael Pena, is "always two-beers too familiar." He's the typical California "dude" who's far too self-involved to notice he's a walking, talking stereotype. Or at least he is until the script asks him not to be.

Speaking of stereotypes, Michael Pena takes the place of the rambunctious Erik Estrada as Poncherello. In this universe he's an undercover FBI Agent searching for dirty cops, stolen loot and California dimes willing to give it up to the "Ponch". While it's easy to say Pena is the best part of this movie; saying that would be like complimenting the only cylinder firing on a broken motor.

Chips is based off the famed 1970's TV show which ran from 1977 until 1983. As you would expect from something that hasn't been figuratively opened since the 70's, this film is a festering gob of unrecognizable gunk. The police procedural portions of the film are rote and redundant while the duo-building moments of banter reek, of awkwardness and fragile male egoisms that haven't been funny since the Reagan Administration. Yet there they are, on the screen just begging audiences to laugh as Baker and Ponch discuss at length the preference and frequency of night-long a**-licking.

Aside from the film's boorish leads, Chips has a hard time communicating who or what we should actually care about. The audience is made aware of who our bad guys are long before our leads do, yet the film goes through so many airless, dimensionless minutes trying to coax our heroes in the right direction. Then the film goes into fruitless avenues to play out juvenile bits for the sake of little or no information pertinent to the story. Then, to add insult to injury they flip through a Highway Patrol database and randomly point to their bad guy because of nothing more than a mean look.

It gets worse. Shepard's Baker for example takes a lot in stride – His wife's obvious infidelity, his advanced age, Ponch's bathroom habits etc. He takes it all in stride with the exception of his work which he takes on with the vigor of a newly endowed meter maid. It's supposed to be a reoccurring joke yet because the movie is so shoddily edited there are so many, either setups that are never executed or comedic payoffs that seem to come out of nowhere. Then they simply drop it in favor of Ponch's romance, I guess with a fellow officer (Bock)? Through all the mired, half-realized nonsense, only one thing remains clear – Chips was trying, trying to follow the exact same playbook as 21 Jump Street. Yet while 21 Jump had the rare quality of being reliably absurd and self-referential, this thing is just a vulgar, incompetent mess with little worthwhile to say other than "watch out for yoga pants!"

People are being too harsh, very funny film!!

[dragonhunter200 · 9/10 · 2 April 2017]

As a preface, I have never seen an episode of the original show; I knew Estrada was in it and that's all. So, if you're a fan of the series, I cannot say whether you will enjoy this film (though based on other reviews I've read, it seems unlikely).

What I can tell you is that I had low expectations and just wanted a laugh. Dax Sheppard's films have always been hit-or-miss for me. When I bought the tickets, I wasn't even aware that it was rated R.

I was very pleasantly surprised! My friend and I both laughed non-stop at the off-the-wall humor. The success of the jokes was in the delivery - often very deadpan and unexpected. Some reviewers complained about the sex addiction/masturbation jokes, but I found them hilarious due to Sheppard's sincere concern and Peña's awkward embarrassment.

As a motorcyclist, I very much enjoyed all the bike action and liked that they kept it relatively realistic (but don't look for realism as a general rule; that's not what comedy is about) regarding the necessary skills (Ponche thought he could match Baker and was sorely mistaken) and the comparative speed of a lightweight sport bike vs. the clunky cruisers. I also loved that, when they upgraded to sport bikes themselves, they wore proper full-body riding gear instead of promoting riding in street clothes as most films do.

In short: this is a riot, not an Oscar-winner. Go for laughs, not for a serious cop film.

A buddy cop comedy that has a few funny moments but easily forgotten.

[cruise01 · 6/10 · 31 March 2017]

Chips being remade onto the big screen after being based on a TV series which may divide the audience. I have never seen the original TV series but know about the concept idea and the actors. Dax Shepard, who is starring, wrote and directed this latest buddy cop comedy film does have its fair share of laughs and gags with a forgettable boring plot.

I thought the cast Dax Shepard and Michael Pena were a lot of fun to see on screen playing John Baker and Ponch. Two motorcycle officers that are caught in police corruption and a couple of money truck heists. Dax Shepard as Baker, an ex motor cross athlete, who had several accidents leading to surgeries. Leaving him depending on pain pills. Ponch, an undercover officer that has a hard street personality and sex addiction. Seeing the two trying to work together can be entertaining and funny.

The film does have its decent amount of laughs and gags. But these jokes can only go so far until it is easily forgotten by the time the film ends. Dax Shepard direction on handling bike chases was a lot of fun and exciting. It cannot make it up for the lack of plot, which most buddy cop movies usually fall back on with the old heist idea. And Baker and Ponch are caught trying to investigate their fellow officers that may be involved. Then, the sub plot of Baker trying to be the top 10 officer to impress his distant wife Karen (Kristen Bell).

If you enjoy stupid humor, Chips will be enjoyable and probably one of those films you can view one time to be entertained and easily forget about it. It lacks character development and plot. The car chase sequences are exciting and Dax Shepard and Michael Pena are fun to see portraying these ionic characters. Chips is a fair comedy film that has a decent amount of laughs and gags, and may have dropped the standards on bringing the TV series to life.

Original Fans will Hate it, New Kids will wonder where Channing Tatum is

[Joel_S · 2/10 · 25 March 2017]

It's clear to everyone that the creators of this stupid movie were ripping off the concept of 21 Jumpstreet, i.e. do a raunchy parody movie of a more serious cop movie from 20+ years ago. This idea of doing parody gross out movies targeting 14 year old boys from an original source material that was far more serious (Starsky and Hutch, 21 Jumpstreet, CHiPs) has been in vogue the past 10-15 years.

21 Jumpstreet although pretty mental in it's own right and to a lesser extent Starsky and Hutch from 2004 had something that CHiPs does not, likable lead actors. Sure Michael Pena is highly likable, but sorry Dax Shepard is not. Dax Shepard is a weasel. Starsky and Hutch had Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson at their prime and in top form in 2004, they were very likable back then. 21 Jumpstreet had the hunky and likable Channing Tatum paired with the very likable Jonah Hill. CHiPs is a really gross and stupid movie that tries hard to be hip and cool but fails miserably. In an alternate universe Wilmer Valderrama made a more serious CHiPs movie playing Ponch in 2007. Remember when that project was supposed to be a go? Forget this trash and either stick with the original series, wait for a real comedy, or another sequel to 21 Jumpstreet.