I wanted to but couldn't!

Best movie ever!

A Major Disappointment

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Stakeout is a good film which launched a sequel starring the buddy cop duo of Emilio Estevez and Richard Dreyfuss. The story concerns these two cops who are assigned to observe a convict's ex-girlfriend but things get complicated soon enough. Featuring some sequences including a chase through a fish market and some great Vancouver scenery this is a good, albeilt not great late 80s film. Many even back then thought of this as something of a poor man's lethal weapon. But this is a good overall film and the chemistry between Dreyfuss and Estevez is quite good.

Seattle cops Chris Lecce (Richard Dreyfuss) and Bill Reimers (Emilio Estevez)are assigned to run a surveillance operation on Maria McGuire (Madeleine Stowe) as it is believed that her ex-boyfriend (whom has recently escaped from prison) may try to make contact with her. This seemingly straight-forward operation proves to be tricky for both Lecce and his partner when Lecce starts to fall in love with Maria.Stakeout is another buddy-buddy cop film from the 1980's, but thankfully it is one of the better offerings within the genre. The plot in itself is nothing special, but director John Badham and writer Jim Kouf make sure that the film is filled with enough action and enough laughs to make sure that we're never really worrying much about the story.Richard Dreyfuss is not well-known for comedy performances, but he's all over this picture and gives 110% throughout the picture. He's very good at portraying nervy and unhinged types and this works perfectly here; he's in love with Maria, but he's also desperate not to blow his cover and the way that he continually digs holes for himself in trying to not reveal his secret is very entertaining to watch. Emilio Estevez isn't given as much to work with as Dreyfuss, but the dynamic and rapport between the two men is still excellent.Where this film really comes good is in the sheer number of funny scenes and scenarios that are thrown into the mix; the night-shift and day-shift cops both play pranks on each other, but the pranks that they play on each other aren't of the toilet-humour variety and they are in fact genuinely hilarious and creative (some of the pranks had me close to belly laughing which doesn't happen often). There were also subtle moments of humour such as the scene where the two cops are listening in to a phone conversation and you see the dog wearing a set of headphones as well. I thought that was a clever and good example of a 'sight gag.' Badham's direction is spot on and despite its slightly overly long running time the pace never slackens and he makes sure that there is never a dull moment in this film. In fact, the only criticism I could give this film is that it is predictable and a tad long. Having said that when a film is this funny, nothing else really matters.

Stakeout is a classic; it has a lot of funny moments, enough action to at least get you a little going, and a perfect but simple love story.Story 9/10 The story is actually simple for an 80es movie, but it does just what is always needed to get a lot of peers to look it up, you will love the small subtle wits, the overall love that is shared between the two, the story goes a little like this. A evil old friend of Maria (Madeleine Stowe)has just escaped prison, his goal is of course to reach her, 4 cops are set on a rather long stakeout, we happen to see all 4 cops but the story revolves more around Bill (Emilio Estevez)and Chris (Richard Dreyfuss) in the start it seems like it is going to be a rather boring stakeout, the girl doesn't even seem to be very pretty in the description of the police records, as many 80es movies, actually as a lot of movies the girl is of course a rather hot babe, and this movie is no exception, Chris who has just been dumped falls head over heels for this girl, hotter then hot, and from there on Chris have to protect his identity so that Maria don't know who he really is, yet this is tougher then he of course realizes, the rest you will need to find out for yourself.Actors: 9/10 We got a mix of a lot of good actors, the most noticeable is of course Emilio Estevez, Richard Dreyfuss, Madeleine Stowe and Aidan Quinn, this movie doesn't have a big cast, and the rest of the actors are really not the ones catching your eyes, since they don't really have much to the story, but some lines from the other actors are fun enough to get you going. If you are a fan of either of these 4 fine actors I suggest picking this movie up while it is still in some lending stores, I just bought it from an online store and felt that old rush, first time I saw it I was ten years old, I know what many are going to say, this is not a movie for a ten year old and it isn't I can go with it, but as ten I loved it anyway, it still rocks just as it did back then.Soundtrack 9/10 I loved the soundtrack, there aren't many numbers in this movie, but the ones that are perfect for the movie, especially the end theme Is It Love, I thought that theme was fitting like moth to a flame. I wouldn't buy the soundtrack just for the numbers there are on this soundtrack but defiantly would go to a store looking for some of the songs. Mr, Mister would be the first I would sort out in a store just for the heck of it, I couldn't find his albums though but that is of course simple cause his carrier was in the 80es and some in the 90es not the 20es, but if you find some I would buy it, believe me some are worth…Special Effects N/A I know this is an action movie but it doesn't really have any special effects, at least not something you would notice, but the ones there are does add a little to the movie, but in my appointing this movie doesn't really not it at all anyways, the comedy and love is enough to hold this movie even for such small flaws, but other then that nothing…Overall 9/10 Everything is perfect, I could take the count down to 8/10 for the special effects but that doesn't really would be fair at all, I didn't even care for the special effects in the first way, so it shouldn't do any good raising a perfectly good movie down to a lower stage. All the way through this movie the mood has a good way of proving something not many movies can do, even if this movie is a lot like any other movie this one does it better, just my thoughts on this gem of a favorite movie.------------------------- If you saw this movie I would not suggest seeing Another Stakeout it has its good moments but it is a boring sequel and it screws over a nearly perfect first movie, it is just filling and doesn't need to be there at all, the first had every potentials and don't need any sequel at all

I've always loved STAKEOUT, from the first time I saw it in the late 80s up until now. It never loses it's appeal with me. On the surface, it's a pretty standard 80s buddy cop action tale. But what translates to the screen is much more than that. Laughter is a hard thing to make a moviegoer do and this film succeeds in virtually every moment that is meant to be funny in making me laugh. I give STAKEOUT great credit for that. It's also a darn good action flick, when it has action and that is mostly in the beginning and at the end. In between, there's a lot of humor, of the slapstick, witty, and adult kind.Set in Seattle, STAKEOUT stars Richard Dreyfuss as Det. Chris Lecce and Emilio Estevez as Det. Bill Reimers. Chris and Bill are tasked to stakeout the home of Maria Vasquez (played by Madeleine Stowe in one of the most naturally alluring and sexy performances that you'll ever see on screen). Stowe's Maria is a true bonus for this film b/c she is much more than window dressing; she is a full blooded (and bodied!) woman. The detectives have to stakeout her home b/c her former boyfriend is an escaped convict who may pay her a visit, so the Feds want the cops there to notify them just in case.The convict is Richard 'Stick' Montgomery (played by Aidan Quinn in truly scary performance). Stick and his buddy who helped him escape are on their to Seattle to pay Maria a visit to get something that 'belongs' to Stick.Now, back to the cops: Dreyfus and Estevez have terrific chemistry and really make the most of their roles, but this is Dreyfus' show all the way! Dreyfus gives a great, physical comic performance here, a real gem of a role trapped in a standard cop buddy flick. I mean, I can't state it enough: Dreyfus is really memorable! Really, it's the top-flight performances that elevates STAKEOUT above most cop buddy flicks. Everyone really makes the most of what they are given to work with, and then Dreyfus takes it all a step further. The film is an easy mix of humor, action, and even suspense. The climactic ending is one of the more suspenseful things you'll see in any movie. It is all so well done that at times you forget that you are watching just a buddy cop film. There are also really good supporting performances from Dan Lauria and Forrest Whitaker as the other cop pair that alternate stakeout duties with Chris and Bill.Well directed by John Badham, STAKEOUT is definitely a film worth seeing!