Published 2004-03-24T00:00:00Z”/>

Helene Hogue<br>Staff Writer

Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson are back.

This time, they’ve busted out the tight jeans, their 1976 Ford Gran Torino and the way-cool cop moves in “Starsky & Hutch.”

Director and co-writer Todd Phillips (“Road Trip” and “Old School”) turns the 1970s cop show into a comedic takeoff with the perfect pair for the job. The film is not as outrageous as you might expect, but a few scenes and motifs will trigger some good laughs.

Stiller plays David Starsky, the leather-jacket-wearing flop for a cop, who is all about bringing down the bad guys. He’s ready to bust anyone who holds up a gum ball machine.

When his performance on the job isn’t up to par, he gets paired up with Ken Hutchinson, played by Wilson. Unlike Starsky, Hutch is the cool womanizer who sometimes breaks the cop rules.

This doesn’t get the new partners off to the best start, but this clash is what brings them together and fits well with each character.

Hutch himself isn’t all that successful either, but he works it by getting his leads from some not-so-innocent sources. His main source, for example, is Huggy Bear, played by the sassy, always pimp-styled Snoop Dogg.

After the two unwillingly become partners, they’re assigned to bust some coke dealers. The head dealer is the sleazy Reese Feldman, suitably played by Vince Vaughn.

The only problem is that the coke they’re after is undetectable and tastes and tests like artificial sweetener.

The movie does have some memorable perks. When on a date with two hot cheerleaders (Carmen Electra and Amy Smart), Starsky “sweetens” his coffee and enthusiastically takes part in a drugged-up disco dance-off.

It’s a great opportunity to see Stiller’s wacky facials and uniquely intense dance moves.

And their undercover disguises from Starsky’s “wig man” created some added characters, in addition to Starsky’s undercover deep voice.

To find his stash, they even disguised themselves as a pantomime act, with painted white faces and all, at Feldman’s daughter’s bat mitzvah.

And then there was Big Earl, a prisoner with crucial info for the cop duo, played by Will Ferrell.

Of course, the information came at a cost, which meant the two had to meet Big Earl’s perverted, been-in-jail-too-long requests.

It was quirks like this that suggested a gay relationship between the pair — from Big Earl’s requests to Hutch’s sappy guitar serenade, which Starsky mistakes as being sung for him while on “artificial sweetener.” There’s even a slow-motion scene of the two prancing on the beach wearing rainbow-printed “Starsky & Hutch” T-shirts.

Starsky and Hutch will be a hit for the college crowd mainly because of Stiller and Wilson as a polished pair. But the film also has the added bonus of a cast that appeals to younger audiences — those who liked “Road Trip” and “Old School,” only not nearly as raunchy.

The 40-and-older crowd will like the parody of the show and the cameos from the two original Starsky and Hutch stars. Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul come in toward the end.

Everybody will love the goofy ’70s nostalgia. Although, with the ’80s already making a comeback, movie makers may need to start looking for new vehicles to ride. How about MacGyver?

<em>Helene Hogue can be reached at <a href= ‘mailto:[email protected]’>[email protected]</a></em>