Super Troopers
Super Troopers | |
---|---|
Directed by | Jay Chandrasekhar |
Produced by | Richard Perello |
Written by |
Jay Chandrasekhar Kevin Heffernan Steve Lemme Paul Soter Erik Stolhanske |
Starring |
Jay Chandrasekhar Kevin Heffernan Steve Lemme Paul Soter Erik Stolhanske Brian Cox Marisa Coughlan |
Music by |
.38 Special The Unband |
Cinematography | Joaquín Baca-Asay |
Edited by |
Jay Chandrasekhar Kevin Heffernan Jacob Craycroft |
Distributed by | Fox Searchlight |
Release dates |
(North America) |
Running time | 103 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $1.2 million |
Box office | $23.1 million |
Super Troopers is a 2001 American crime-comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, written by and starring the Broken Lizard comedy group (Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske). Marisa Coughlan, Daniel von Bargen and Brian Cox co-star while Lynda Carter has a cameo appearance. In total, Fox Searchlight paid $3.25 million for distribution rights of the film[1] and grossed $23.1 million at the box office.
A sequel, Super Troopers 2, is currently filming and is expected to be released in 2017.
Plot
The film takes place in the fictional town of Spurbury, Vermont, near the Canada–US border. The plot centers on five Vermont state troopers who seem to have more of a knack for pranks than actual police work. Most of their time is spent devising new ways of messing with the heads of the people they pull over and hazing "Rabbit," a new recruit. They also find time to torment their easily infuriated radio dispatcher, Rodney Farva, who has been exiled from patrol work because he was involved in a fight with several students during a questionable traffic stop of a school bus, which is later revealed during the credits. Their days of pranking and slacking off are cut short when the troopers suddenly find themselves attempting to solve a murder, bust a drug-smuggling ring, and avoid having their post eliminated by the state's impending budget cut — resulting in their transfer, or quitting and opening up a roller disco.
The troopers have an ongoing rivalry with the Spurbury Police Department, Spurbury's local police. They repeatedly enter conflicts with them ("highway cops versus the local cops"); one such dispute breaks out into an all-out fistfight, further increasing the station's chances of being shut down. The rivalry eventually results in the governor's (Lynda Carter) praise for the efforts of the Spurbury PD, who had managed to keep one step ahead of the state police by making their department appear responsible for the confiscation of the smuggled drugs. Defeated, the defrocked troopers unexpectedly stumble upon the scheme in which the local police are running protection for the aforementioned drug smugglers. The film's epilogue finds the highway post still eliminated due to the budget cuts; however, the troopers become the new officers of the Spurbury PD replacing their incarcerated corrupt predecessors and thus free to continue their shenanigans in and around their jurisdiction.
Cast
- State Troopers
- Jay Chandrasekhar as Trooper Arcot "Thorny" Ramathorn, a veteran of the Vermont State Police who is the second-in-command of his barracks.
- Paul Soter as Trooper Jeff Foster, arguably the most calm and reserved Trooper of the force.
- Steve Lemme as Trooper MacIntyre "Mac" Womack, the Trooper who enjoys pranks the most.
- Erik Stolhanske as Trooper Robert "Rabbit" Roto, a rookie State Trooper.
- Kevin Heffernan as Trooper Rodney "Rod" Farva, a fat, loud, obnoxious and arrogant radio operator.
- Brian Cox as Captain John O'Hagen, the commander of his Vermont State Trooper barracks.
- Spurbury Police
- Daniel von Bargen as Police Chief Bruce Grady
- Marisa Coughlan as Officer Ursula Hanson
- James Grace as Officer Jim Rando
- Michael Weaver as Officer Samuel Smy
- Dan Fey as Officer Jack Burton
- Other cast
- Andre Vippolis as College boy 1
- Joey Kern as College boy 2
- Geoffrey Arend as College boy 3
- Amy de Lucia as Bobbi
- Philippe Brenninkmeyer as German man
- Maria Tornberg as German woman
- Jimmy Noonan as Frank Galikanokus
- Jim Gaffigan as Larry Johnson
- Blanchard Ryan as Casino La Fantastique Sally
- Charlie Finn as Dimpus Burger guy
- Lynda Carter as Vermont Governor Jessman
- John Bedford Lloyd as Mayor Timber
Production
Broken Lizard member Steve Lemme stated that the idea for the film came from road tripping to various weddings in his friend and fellow BL member Jay Chandraskhar's car and frequently getting pulled over by cops.[2] As they were frequently under the influence of drugs, the gang began to wonder what would happen if the cops were A) aware of the situation and B) "had a sense of humor". Theorizing that if they did that they "could have fucked with us so much." [2]
The syrup chugging scene was filmed in M's Cozy Corner located in Fishkill, NY which has since closed and been replaced by a pharmacy. The pharmacy closed in 2007 due to flooding.[3]
Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 35% "Rotten" rating based on 88 reviews, with an average rating of 5/10, with the critical consensus reading, "A more miss-than-hit affair, Super Troopers will most likely appeal to those looking for something silly".[4] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 48 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[5] Film critic Roger Ebert awarded the film 2½ stars out of 4, saying "I can't quite recommend it — it's too patched together — but I almost can; it's the kind of movie that makes you want to like it".[6]
Overall, the film grossed $18,492,362 in the United States and $23,182,223 worldwide.[7] The film would eventually become a cult movie with Esquire describing it as "shaggy-dog classic for Generation Y,"[2]
Soundtrack[8]
- Trooper With an Attitude - 38 Special
- Geez Louise - The Unband
- Shoot First, Run Like Hell - Nashville Pussy
- Pass the Hatchet - Southern Culture on the Skids
- Big Bear - Steak
- Cheap Motels - Southern Culture on the Skids
- Cannot One Night Stand It (Anymore) - Jack Grace Band
- Bad Apples - Royal Fingerbowl
- Bidibodi Bidibu - The Bubbles
- Wrong Side of a Gun - Nashville Pussy
- Corn Rocket, The - Southern Culture on the Skids
- King of the Mountain - Southern Culture on the Skids
- Worm Farm - Jack Grace Band
- Second to the Bottle - Steak
- Pink Slip - The Unband
- Who's the King (You Know That's Me) - Joseph Henry
Awards
In 2001 Super Troopers won the Audience Award at the South By South West Film Competition. The movie tied with Lady Porn (2001) and Wave Twisters (2001).[9]
Sequel
A sequel was funded partly through crowdfunding site Indiegogo and is currently in development.[10][11]
References
- ↑ Razlogova, Elena. Super Troopers, PopMatters, February 15, 2002. Accessed November 13, 2008.
- 1 2 3 Fortune, Drew. "Broken Lizard on the Crowdfunded Super Troopers Sequel and Their Drug Stories". Esquire. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
- ↑ "Movie Production Notes: Super Troopers". Retrieved 2007-03-30.
- ↑ Super Troopers, Rotten Tomatoes.com. Retrieved on 2009-03-23.
- ↑ Super Troopers, Metacritic.com. Retrieved on 2009-03-23.
- ↑ Ebert, Roger. Super Troopers, Chicago Sun-Times, February 15, 2002. Accessed April 9, 2008.
- ↑ Super Troopers. Box Office Mojo. Accessed 23 November 2008. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=supertroopers.htm.
- ↑ , CD Universe Accessed November 20, 2008
- ↑ Internet Movie Database.
- ↑ https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/super-troopers-2
- ↑ Goldberg, Matt (October 24, 2015). "'Super Troopers 2' Begins Filming, Meow; Check out a First Look". Collider.com. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Super Troopers |
- Super Troopers at the Internet Movie Database
- Super Troopers at AllMovie
- Super Troopers at Rotten Tomatoes
- Super Troopers at Box Office Mojo