In Los Angeles, puppets live alongside humans as second-class citizens, harassed by police, kids, dogs and everyday bigotry. The only puppet to ever join the police, Phil (Barretta) is now a private eye whose new case involves the nymphomaniac Sandra (Davies). Then someone begins killing the cast members from The Happytime Gang, a vintage TV show. And Phil is forced to work with his antagonistic ex-partner Detective Connie (McCarthy) to solve the case, hopefully before the killer reaches Phil's actor brother Larry (Yerrid) or the show's human star Jenny (Banks), Phil's ex-girlfriend.

The film looks great, with puppeteers skilfully performing in real locations. But the plot trundles along without much momentum, neither generating mystery nor suspense. Action beats are perfunctory, and the plot's twists and revelations are amusing rather than clever. So the most enjoyable element is the interaction, including terrific puppet-human moments between Phil and both McCarthy and Banks. The show-stopping sequence features McCarthy and Rudolph (as Phil's blase secretary), who have exquisite timing together.

But frankly the puppets have more depth than the humans. Phil is a likeably jaded former cop trying to hide his soft spot for those around him, and Barretta gives him a gruff charm. McCarthy occasionally shines too, delivering some hilarious throwaway lines, but Connie never really becomes a fully rounded person. Banks and McHale (as an intrusive FBI agent) have very little to do, but Rudolph has a lot of fun with her side role.

This is definitely a missed opportunity, a chance to make an adult-oriented Roger Rabbit-style noir comedy. But the film feels as simplistic as the other comedies McCarthy has made with husband Falcone (avoid Tammy and The Boss), as opposed to the great ones she has made with Paul Feig (see The Heat and Spy). The secret is simple: it's always about the script, refining the characters, finding thematic resonance and, most of all, hashing through the gags to make sure that at least most of them hit their mark.

themes, language, violence, sexuality, drugs

27.Aug.18