MOVIE SCENE
'Super Troopers' warrants laughter

By Chuck Graham
Tucson Citizen

SUPER TROOPERS (Rated R for profanity, nudity, mock violence) Five Vermont highway patrol men fight to keep their jobs in this laugh-out-loud film. Starring the comedy writing team Erik Stolhanske, Steve Lemme, Kevin Heffernan, Paul Soter and Jay Chandrasekhar. Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar. FOX Searchlight, 100 mins.

"Super Troopers" confirms that suspicion. It's no comfort to know a lot of the incidents in this wacky comedy are said to have come from the revelations of actual traffic officers.

Made by five Colgate University buddies calling themselves Broken Lizard, the group took the hilarious film (in which they also star) to last year's Sundance Film Festival and sold distribution rights to Fox Searchlight Pictures.

While there are times when "Super Troopers" feels like a home movie made by some good friends with a very big back yard, there are other times when the hilarity is sparked by the kind of comic timing you can only get among longtime friends who enjoy being funny together.

In "Super Troopers" the Vermont highway patrol officers are aghast when told the state's budget constrictions may force the governor to cut back on the number of state troopers — eliminating this particular tight-knit unit.

But their real problem is that they haven't met their monthly speeding-ticket quota. As far as the governor is concerned, she just isn't getting her money's worth. As far as these officers are concerned, they would rather be good guys than good cops.

Take Foster (Paul Soter) for example. When he's patrolling Vermont's highways he always takes a mannequin dressed in a Vermont state trooper uniform. That way, any time he spots a good fishing hole during duty hours, he can park the patrol car by the side of the road, place the mannequin in the driver's seat and sneak off with his fishing rod.

Just as in real life, there are always mean-spirited competitors who can't stand to see anyone else have a good time. The local Spurbury, Vt., police department fills that role, determined to get more of the state's law enforcement money for itself by doing everything possible to get the congenial highway patrolmen in trouble with the governor.

As the harried patrolmen — Erik Stolhanske, Steve Lemme, Kevin Heffernan, Soter and Jay Chandrasekhar — fight to keep their jobs, they are frustrated by the mistakes of the rookie officer, Rabbit (Stolhanske), as well as a highly-efficient marijuana dealer, identity unknown.

Solving the drug case becomes pivotal to keeping the super troopers on the payroll.

A plea to keep the patrol unit on the budget has been submitted to the proper officials. Having the governor (played by none other than former "Wonder Woman" star Lynda Carter) show up is part of the movie's madcap ending.

Rated R for profanity, nudity, mock violence