Frank (John Candy) is a good policeman but he is framed for theft when he catches other officers pilfering electronics. He is kicked off the force in short order. Meanwhile, Norman (Eugene Levy) is an inept lawyer who messes up big time when he assigned to defend a Charles Manson type offender. The judge in the case orders Norman to find alternative work. With few options, Frank and Norman both enroll in a security guard officers training school, where they become fast friends and partners. This is, in part, because so many of their classmates are complete idiots, like the man who wonders if he should put his own name on the application line that says "name"! Frank and Norman's first assignment is to stand watch inside a factory but they soon realize that their company, Guard Dog Security, may have some criminals on the staff, ones that are stealing from the companies they are supposed to be guarding. Can Frank and Norman, with the help of the firm-owner's daughter, Maggie (Meg Ryan),expose the bad elements in the company, without getting fired or killed? This is a very funny film with abundant laughs. Yes, it may be considered a more "low-brow" vehicle, but it is still very mirthful and will cause any viewer to laugh themselves silly. Just watching the less-than-intelligent guards on the staff of the security firm makes for a fun, fun evening. Candy, Levy, and Ryan are terrific but, then, so are the relative unknowns who round out the rest of the cast. Sets, costumes, and production values are great, too. If you want to see a classic Candy film, this is a great choice, for it displays his marvelous and abundant talent, no doubt. But, anyone truly wishing to transport themselves to a world of laughter will find this one a very good choice.

In a way, maybe it does weaken "Armed and Dangerous" just a little to have so much high action, but how can you not like a John Candy/Eugene Levy movie? In this case, they play security guards who discover all sorts of corruption. But mostly, it's an excuse to be silly. Low humor, sure, but still likable (especially the clothing-switching scene; I bet that they liked filming that!).

Anyway, it's one of many movies that shows what we lost when John Candy died. In other words, it's armed and dangerously funny. Also starring Robert Loggia (happy birthday, Robert!),Kenneth McMillan and Meg Ryan.

A 50 caliber...

When I think of films that just seem like they never were edited and the stories were never re-written to work out all the kinks, I can't help but think of this one.

Having been a huge fan of SCTV, I was looking forward to seeing this film. In fact, my wife and I had just gotten married and could barely afford the price of admission but we found a way because we thought with Eugene Levy and John Candy is HAD to be great! Wow, were we disappointed. While we had a few laughs here and there, the film never really gained any momentum and could have been so much better. In particular, Eugene Levy was mostly wasted in his flat and uninteresting performance. Someone apparently forgot to tell him it was a comedy! As for the plot, it's about two security guards who make good. That's really all I care to say. I mean, considering the lack of effort of practically everyone involved, why should I bother saying anything else? If it's on TV, it's worth a look if you have nothing better to do.