CHIPS is the most recent attempt to fill an old TV property with new life on the big screen. The film is written and directed by Dax Shepard who also co-stars in the film. It does a good job of tricking viewers into having a good time thanks to the charisma of Shepard and Michael Peña, but falls way short when any analysis is put to it. It’s funny at times, but the jokes are relatively low-brow and doesn’t live up to 21 Jump Street or 22 Jump Street.
CHIPS is a mediocre comedy that can be pretty enjoyable to watch
The big change to the setup of this film from the show is that Frank “Ponch” Poncherello (Michael Peña) is an alias for a FBI agent. He joins CHIPS to find the dirty cops that are suspected to be a part of the armored car heists that led to the death of an officer. He is partnered up with rookie cop and ex-motocross Jon Baker (Shepard) who is trying to save his marriage and hopes this new job will do it.
Where the problems begin…
The characters are both created with flaws that limit their performances. Baker is riddled with injuries that have resulted in a pain pill addiction. Ponch has his own addiction and it’s apparently more devastating than the pain pills; Yogapants. His weakness for the ladies causes him quite a few problems throughout the film. There are a lot of erratic elements about their characters that are thrown in. Baker appears to be a pretty good detective, but can’t shoot a gun or do basically anything else aside from ride his bike. Ponch is supposed to be great with anything with an engine, but struggles with the motorcycle. Baker gets sick when too many different smells entangle themselves together and enter his nose. Most of these are setups for jokes that will come at various points and sometimes they work and others they don’t.
A great example of the problems with the film is a phone mixup sequence. Ponch thinks he’s talking to a different person and is embarrassed when he finds out. The problem is our familiarity with the technology and the filmmakers choice to just change it in a way that isn’t logical. The name or number that appears at the top of text message is just blank. A detail that allowed for the screwup to take place. That an example of the writing that Shepard offers in this film. A lot of jokes that are forced, character traits that aren’t really earned or explained, and a plot that’s pretty straightforward.
Final Thoughts…
With all of that said, the film manages to give to likable guys and put them into a series of silly situations that can get some cheap laughs. Initially, this film felt better than it actually is. It’s not horrible if you like comedies, but there are definitely much better ones out there. Yet, Dax Shepard put together a simply enough idea with some solid cast members that make the film fairly enjoyable. CHIPS earns the Not a Total Waste of Time rating.
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