Stakeout (1987)

This 1987 oddball buddy flick was a commercial success thanks in part to its loose, hammy cast and its peeping Tom sensibility. Although certainly not of Rear Window's caliber, the film borrows from the Hitchcock classic's central premise of invading a stranger's private life. Director John Badham gives the concept a sleazy spin that generally adds to the overall comedic mood of the film, while Richard Dreyfus and Emilio Estevez make for an upbeat pair of clowns, espousing homoerotic humor and all manner of comic pranks and hijinks. Aidan Quinn is convincing as an escaped convict and Forrest Whitaker also lends support with a brief appearance. Badham uses the bleak, overcast city of Seattle as the story's backdrop, eliciting a surprisingly subtle mood for the farcical action-comedy. Stakeout was a big enough hit at the box office to produce a sequel of much lower quality. ~ Mike DiBella, All Movie Guide