Turner & Hooch is a 1989 comedy/drama about a detective who must adopt the dog of a dead man to help him find the murderer.
Today’s Netflix Pick is one of those ostensibly funny buddy cop movies that ends up really being a touching drama. It stars Tom Hanks and a French Mastiff and if for some reason you haven’t seen it, then it’s time to make things right and get this one checked off your list. It’s Turner & Hooch and it’s what you’re watching tonight. Here’s why.
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THE STORY: Directed by action film director veteran Roger Spottiswoode, it follows Scott Turner (Hanks), a borderline OCD-esque police investigator in the fictional town of Cypress Beach in Northern California. He’s about to transfer, looking for a more exciting gig, but a friend of his is murdered, leaving behind a rather large dog named Hooch. While Turner investigates the homicide, he finds living with a reckless and destructive dog more than daunting, hoping to get rid of it by passing it on to the attractive veterinarian named Emily (Mare Winningham), though that’s not so easy as sparks od romance fly. Meanwhile, Hooch spies the real killer. Can Turner & Hooch make amends before it’s too late?
WHY YOU NEED TO WATCH: Dog and cop movies are somehow a thing, mostly geared towards young audiences of course, and while Turner & Hooch does bend a bit in that direction, it’s much more an adult action thriller with even some touching moments. Hanks is the whole show of course but Hooch, played by a canine named Beasley the Dog, is a ton of fun to watch. There’s great chemistry between the two and Hooch makes for a rather emotive animal. While there are some grown-up situations to be sure, children of a certain age will enjoy it and there are some good teachable moments to be had by the end. Funny and heartwarming with bits of good romance, comedy and action, this is a great night at the movies. It’s streaming on Netflix right now.