The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)

I always enjoy having a good laugh every now and then, and it takes a lot to make someone as overly serious as me to even show the slightest chuckle. Well, I can’t remember the last time I laughed my ass off as much as I did after finally watching the original Naked Gun. I grew up watching the movie Airplane and I was very excited to watch Naked Gun, being that this film was written by the same trio behind Airplane: David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams, and it stars comedic legend, Leslie Nielsen, who was also in Airplane. I haven’t seen too many films with Nielsen but one thing’s for certain, he was an absolute genius when it came to comedy. From his line delivery, his facial expressions, and the way he brought his zany portrayal of his character to life was nothing short of amazing. Of course, somebody who’s seen this movie will probably find some of the jokes in this film problematic or outdated but in my opinion, that’s part of what makes it fun. I have more to say about this comedic classic so let’s crack open the chaos!

     The film follows Nielsen as bumbling police Detective Frank Drebin, as he tries to stop an assassination attempt on Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Los Angeles. The cast also includes Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban, George Kennedy, and O.J. Simpson (yes, that guy). If you’re a fan of Airplane, then you should definitely be a fan of this film’s humor as it bounces off the screen every five seconds and the laughs never end. As the movie progresses, each scene gets even more chaotic than the last. It can feel like it’s all over the place, similar to how my brain works, but I mean that in a positive way here. For me, the scattered storyline of random scenes popping up is some of the funniest material I’ve ever seen. Plus, without spoiling it too much, it is pretty fun to watch O.J. Simpson get his ass handed to him whenever he’s on the screen (I’m sure you can imagine why). I won’t lie, I do have the occasional bad day from time to time, and it would make sense when it comes to a guy like me, but I would definitely add this movie to my list of films to watch whenever I’m having one of those days. This just feels like the kind of movie that would put a smile on my face and make me feel a sense of joy. Even if you’re not a neurodivergent nutcase like me, I think it will have the same effect on you when you’re head’s not in the right place too. Movies have always felt like a safe place for me and this one is definitely a reminder of why I feel that way. As hard as some things can be, movies like Naked Gun really know how to relax my overstimulated mind and show me how things can be easy, even if it’s just for an 85-minute run time.

     I don’t think I could recommend this movie enough. I would absolutely consider this as one of the best satirical films I’ve ever seen and when I need something to brighten my day, I’ll always come back to this film to make that happen. For that, I would have to give this movie a solid 10 out of 10. If you’re a fan of comedy or if you’re just looking for something to turn your frown upside down, then look no further than The Naked Gun. The gold standard of silly.