Michael Keaton is one of the greatest actors of our time, but 14 years ago he gave one of his greatest comedic performances in The other guys, even surpassing Will Ferrell. Led by Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, this film is not without its fun moments, but Captain Gene (Keaton) has some of the funniest quotes in The other guys. The NYPD captain is hilarious alien which, in part, allows Keaton to outshine his fellow co-stars.
The other guys is a high-action addition to the buddy cop genre. Adam McKay prioritizes comedy over any high-stakes police work, and it’s not hard to argue that this works in the film’s favor. The dialogue is the biggest strength of the film, which is also an underrated $179 million Dwayne Johnson movie. Joining Keaton in the ensemble are Steve Coogan, Brett Gelman and Damon Wayans Jr. Keaton retains the most screen time among the supporting cast in The other guyswhich allows him to really hone his comedic talent.
Michael Keaton’s Captain Gene in The Other Guys is one of his best comedy performances
Michael Keaton can extract humor from any situation
Keaton’s performance in The other guys is much more subdued than his other notable roles. This is largely what sets Captain Gene apart from Keaton’s other titular characters. The NYPD captain is not overtly good-natured, but he has a quick wit that comes to life with Keaton’s excellent comic timingwhich allows him to deliver fantastic sentences that never lose their charm. Not to mention Captain Gene having one of the funniest jokes of all time The other guys in which Keaton makes reference to TLC’s songs, but claims to be completely unaware of the band’s existence.
Keaton commands every scene he is involved in The other guys. This doesn’t mean that the other stars fall short, but rather that Keaton’s experience in the stand-up comedy scene is really beneficial to his performance as Captain Gene. A silent fight breaks out between the officers at the funeral of Danson (Dwayne Johnson) and PK (Samuel L. Jackson), which demonstrates Keaton’s talent particularly well. He doesn’t raise his voice above a whisper throughout the entire scene and expertly plays off Ferrell’s performance, which allows him to be the center of attention for much of the film.
Keaton’s Captain Gene Is The Other Guys’ Standout Character
Captain Gene is completely unpredictable, which makes him even funnier
Of course, Keaton is inserted as a B-line character to occasionally divert attention from The other guys‘ clues. Captain Gene acts as a break from Ferrell and Wahlberg’s more amplified humorwhich only serves to make his own antics even funnier. Despite his limited screen time, Keaton creates a character with a lot of depth. The irony behind Captain Gene’s character is his sheer absurdity, which means he often doesn’t act in the way that would be expected of an NYPD officer. His unpredictability is largely what sets Keaton apart from the rest of the cast.
Of course, this characterization is due to Keaton’s familiarity with improvisation, to the point where it’s difficult to imagine anyone else in the role.
One narrative is that Captain Gene works a second job at Bed Bath & Beyond to support his son’s path to college. The other guys is committed to this premise, and Keaton can be found briefing his retail colleagues as if they were executives. Of course, this characterization is due to Keaton’s familiarity with improvisation, to the point where it’s difficult to imagine anyone else in the role. Having a smaller part allows Michael Keaton the freedom to focus solely on the comedy, meaning he can take advantage of any scene and fend off his co-stars’ misfortune.