K-9 - P.I.

Summary:
Detective Thomas Dooley (James Belushi) has just retired, but on the way home from his retirement party he and his police dog, Jerry Lee, come across a robbery. As they try to stop it they are eventually prevented from catching the thieves by the FBI who draw their guns on him (for some strange reason even though he's a cop and a bunch of his colleagues show up as well - we never know why the FBI comes). Anyway, in chasing the thieves, Jerry Lee happens to swallow a computer chip that was essential to the criminal's plans.

Dooley, as a result of his involvement in the theft, has his pension suspended until the case is solved, forcing him to get back involved. But, before he can get back involved he studs out Jerry Lee and that leads him to a woman that he eventually kind of hooks up with, but that is how the movie ends.

The rest of the story is kind of lame. Dooley has a Private Investigator's license (thus the P.I. in the title) and thus advertises his services in the paper. The first person to call him just happens to be the lover of the thief that got away, but we don't find that out until nearly the end of the movie, unless you are thinking while you're watching it, then it becomes apparent when she first knocks on his door.

Dooley has to deal with the FBI who are tailing him to see how he was involved with the theft in the first place - results in funny interactions, but otherwise deadens the story. He also has to deal with his ex-captain and his former colleagues who all seem to think he's a dink or something. All we got is a stereotypical captain's role where the captain is always mad. I'd like to see a happy captain some time.

Eventually the thief/lover of the woman that hires Dooley is killed by the woman and Dooley catches the woman that hired him as the real culprit behind the theft.

My Comments:
A sequel that never should have been made. There are innumerable forced scenes. A lot of the scenes are trying to get us to sympathize with a dog that doesn't want to have sex; please! If it wasn't for James Belushi being somewhat funny and bumbling, this movie would be absolute trash. As it is, Belushi strains his hardest to carry a lackluster cast of pathetic actors and a terrible story line. The result, a very mediocre movie that really isn't worth most people's time.

As the viewer watches Dooley relate to his sudden forced inactivity, a bell resonates in whose clinging-clanging reminds that viewer that not all retirements are calm and worry-free. What does an ex-cop and his canine friend do when bereft of his sanctioned badge and gun? Why, simply carry on and solve crimes in the same way that they did when they were getting paid to do so. After watching the two relate and communicate, Dooley with words, Jerry Lee with head-wagging, the viewer sees the charm and comraderie that is evident between man and dog. At times, I could have believed that I was watching Toody and Muldoon from the old CAR 54 tv series. The plots of such movies are minimal, of course, designed mostly to place the two en medias res of a dangerous situation. In this case, Dooley comes into possession of a stolen new generation computer chip which, in the wrong hands, can revolutionize American technological society. Along the way, he begins a romance with two women, one of whom is not what she appears to be. The best moments are not between man and woman, but between man and dog. The many scenes of humor will certainly resonate with dog lovers. This is not a great movie, nor does it try to be. What it does is to remind the audience that the truly funny moments of life are just as likely to be observed only by a faithful dog than by an applauding audience in a nightclub.

The crazy antics the two go through, in their job as private investigators is just plain hilarious... there are times when things are just a little too silly... but that's the charm of Jim Belushi films anyways! Like who in the world would take a bath with a dirty dog???

If you are looking for a silly fun film, this is it!