Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

UnowPriceless hyped garbage

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

bensonmum2 Fuzz follows the trials and tribulations faced by the officers of the 87th Precinct in Boston as they go about trying to put the bad guys away. While they're working a number of cases throughout Fuzz, the film focuses on their attempts to locate and stop a mysterious killer known to them as The Deaf Man. He's already killed two local government officials and now has his eyes set on the mayor.I've been aware of the movie Fuzz for years, but only watched it for the first time last night. My preconceived notions were that the film was a gritty Burt Reynolds / Raquel Welch police drama involving a crazed killer. In reality, only part of that is true and that leads to some of the film's greatest weaknesses. To begin with, while Reynolds and Welch might be the names in the cast, this is actually an ensemble piece. Their participation and importance is no greater than their co- stars. In fact, I'd say that Jack Weston and Tom Skerritt feature more prominently than either of the "stars". And, once the case Welch is working is solved, she disappears from the movie for the final 30 or so minutes altogether. All are capable and talented actors, but if you're going into Fuzz for a heaping helping for old Burt or Raquel, you'll be sadly disappointed.As for gritty, sure, parts are. Subplots involving rape and setting winos on fire isn't pleasant. And the film has that New York, dirty, gritty look to it that you only find in films from the 70s – it really can't be replicated. But this isn't something like Across 110th Street. Fuzz attempts to throw comedy into the mix – and does it very poorly. For example, the police stake-out a local park in an attempt to catch the killer. Burt goes in undercover – but he's dressed as a nun. How (not) funny – Burt Reynolds dressed as a nun, complete with that push-broom mustache. The end result is a very uneven film. Finally, while the police are out to catch The Deaf Man, that's only one plot thread in the film. At the beginning of the movie, the police are so concerned with the painters in the precinct, they can't even be bothered with The Deaf Man's calls to the station threatening a commissioner's life. He actually has to call back about three times before they take him seriously. Even then, the killer still isn't the main focus with the mad rapist and the crazed kids out burning bums taking up valuable screen-time. I'm pretty sure the film is at least at the hour point before we even seen The Deaf Man. And his ultimate capture is a real letdown. The cops sort of accidentally stumble their way into finding him. And just as quickly, the movie ends. Despite all the problems I had with Fuzz, I can't really give it an overall bad rating because I still had a surprisingly good time watching it. As I've already indicated, it's got a nice 70s vibe to it, there are some quality actors in the film, and there are occasions where, despite the flaws, the plot works (the death of the Parks Commissioner being a prime example). Overall, a 5/10 from me.

Woodyanders The police at a Boston, Massachusetts precinct search for a mad bomber who's trying to extort money from the city. Meanwhile, the cops must also contend with arson attacks on homeless people, a rapist in a local park, and a string of robberies in the area. Director Richard A. Colla offers a pleasing mix of rousing action and cynical comedy that unfolds at a snappy pace, makes good use of the gritty urban locations, and delivers a colorful portrait of the camaraderie amongst the police who are always up to their ears with their assorted cases. The sound acting from the excellent ensemble cast keeps the movie humming: Burt Reynolds as the laid-back Steve Carella, Tom Skerritt as breezy smartaleck Bert Kling, Jack Weston as the huffy Meyer, Raquel Welch as sassy'n'sexy undercover lady cop Eileen McHenry, James McEachin as the easygoing Arthur Brown, Bert Remsen as irascible desk sergeant Murchison, and Don Gordon as antsy low-life hoodlum Anthony La Bresca. Yul Brynner does well as a smooth criminal mastermind. Popping up in small parts are a bunch of familiar character actors who include Charles Tyner, Britt Leach, Albert Popwell, Norman Burton, and a very young Charles Martin Smith (as a whiny'n'wimpy arsonist). Evan Hunter's episodic script neatly captures the chaotic and unpredictable nature of police work. The fact that this film shows the cops going about their daily routines gives it an extra credibility. The exciting climax nicely ties several subplots together. Jacques Marquette's crisp widescreen cinematography boasts lots of cool mobile camera-work. Dave Grusin's funky-throbbing score hits the get-down groovy spot. A nifty flick.

udar55 This is billed as a Burt Reynold's vehicle but he is actually part of a great cast in this Ed McBain 87th Precinct comedy-thriller. The police in Boston are searching for an extortionist dubbed "The Deaf Man" who is demanding cash or he kills a high ranking city official. Reynolds along with Tom Skeritt and Jack Weston are the cops on the case. The film really has a great ensemble feel and, I hope, accurately predicts the goings on inside a police station. Raquel Welch co-stars as a female detective out to snag a rapist. Yul Brynner, who must have been having lots of fun at this point in his career, is "The Deaf Man." His screen time is minimal but he does a good job. Familiar faces pop up in nearly every other scene with guys like Charles Tyner, Albert Popwell, Tamara Dobson and a very young Charles Martin Smith in small roles. The film's only major problem is that it neatly wraps up everything in the end. Seriously, every crime the cops are investigating is solved in one scene that relies heavily on convenience.

sol1218 ***SPOILERS*** There's these two snot-nose teenagers out to clean up the neighborhood by setting homeless persons on fire. I guess murderers rapists and muggers were a little too tough for these fearless heroes to handle. This leads Det. Carella, Burt Reynolds, to go undercover in hand-me-down cloths as bait to catch these self-anointed crime fighters. It seemed that Carella was so surprised that the two were overage bed wetters, like you have to be a grown up to do these kind of things, that he loses his concentration drops his guard and almost gets burned to death by them throwing a lit can of gasoline on him.At the Boston 87th precinct police station there's a call demanding $5,000.00 or else the parks commissioner would be killed. Laughing off the threat a while later like the call said the commissioner is blown up in his car going to a political dinner. The threats to murder top city officials and the two young creeps setting homeless men on fire at first have nothing to do with each other at first. Yet by the time the movie "Fuzz" is over they somehow become connected to give the movie a happy, and ironic, ending."Fuzz" is a M.A.S.H like story of police in the big city with some dozen sub-plots going on all at once. The sub-plots make you feel like your watching four or five movies, by turning the channels, at one time. For us guys in the audience there's busty and almost unapproachable especially by Det. Carella, who's can't even get into a single scene with her, Det. Eileen McHenry, Raquel Welch. Det.McHenry is assigned to the 87th as a specialist in rape cases. Later she's put undercover, or under the covers, with cute and cuddly as a Teddy Bear Det. Kling, Tom Skeritt, in trying to find who's extorting the city of thousands of dollars in threats to kill off it's top officials.The film "Fuzz" has a number of scenes that are totally unconnected with the extortion plot by this El Sordo, Yul Brynner, better known as the guy with the thing, hearing aid, in his ear who's the main villain in the movie. Where as for the two aforementioned wimpy teenage "crime fighter", who fight crime by setting innocent and helpless bums or hobos on fire, are just too cowardly and stupid to be anything approaching a criminal master mind or villain like El Sordo the bald headed deaf man.Unelievably complicated ending with El Sordo and his gang about to celebrate their blowing up of Boston's City Hall going to a liquor store, to buy a bottle of champaign. The liquor store that's about to be robbed by these two not too bright hoodlums Tony & Pete, Don Gordon & Charles Tyner, of a big $86.00 in the till, with Det. Carella and his partner the bumbling Det. Meyer, Jack Weston, assigned to stake the place out.The shootout that follows foils El Sordo's plan to blow up City Hall with his plans discovered by Det. Kling who just happened to show up. The now on the run deaf one, soaked with booze after the liquor store shootout, ends up passing out along the docks only to run into the two teenage crime fighter, mistaking him for a drunken bum, who set the poor and almost unconscious man on fire with a Molotov cocktail.What's really interesting about the movie "Fuzz" is that it's two top stars Burt Reynolds and Raquel Welch weren't even on speaking terms with each other, on and off the screen. Which made it very difficult if not impossible for any interaction between the two. It was as if you were watching a split-screen of two different films with two totally different stories. El Sordo did somehow survive his ordeal as the movie ended to the tune of Burt's girlfriend, at the time, the late Dina Shore singing "I'll be seeing you". Still after that final scene in the movie "Fuzz" that was the last time we ever saw him since there was no "Fuzz" sequel.