Two streetwise cops bust criminals in their red and white Ford Gran Torino, with the help of a police snitch called "Huggy Bear".
Set in the 1970s in a metropolis called "Bay City," this is the tale of two police detective partners, Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson, and Dave Starsky, who always seem to get the toughest cases from their boss, Captain Dobey, rely on omniscient street informer Huggy Bear and race to the scene of the crimes in their souped-up 1974 Ford Torino hot rod, telling the story of their first big case (as a prequel to the TV show), which involved a former college campus drug dealer who went on to become a white collar criminal.—[email protected]
It's 1975, we witness the birth of the partnership of undercover cops Starsky and Hutch. One is uptight and by-the-book, the butt of hazing by other officers; he runs through a dozen partners in two years. The other steals from bookies and hangs out with low-lifes. Bad-guy Reese Feldman is importing an odorless, tasteless cocaine that fools drug-sniffing dogs. One of his murder victims washes up on shore about the time Hutch's informants tell him a big cocaine deal is going down. But, our fearless duo moves too quickly, and they are suspended from the force; the partnership founders amid bad feeling. Can they patch it up, don disguises, and ferret out where the murderer hid the coke?—<[email protected]>
In the city of Bay City, California in 1975, live 2 cops who eagerly work for the Bay City Police Department. The city has a distinctly southern California atmosphere to it and Bay City is very similar to Los Angeles. The two cops are, David Starsky (Ben Stiller) a loudmouth, wannabe macho cop who loves his Ford Gran Torino and is paired with the cool, easy-going Ken 'Hutch' Hutchinson (Owen Wilson).David believes that keeping the city safe is his responsibility and the city pays him for it, while Hutch looks at police work as a "job" and is dispassionate about the same. Hutch uses his police information to rob criminals themselves.David once chased a perpetrator when he stole a purse which had $7 in it. David has had 12 partners in the last 4 years. Hutch has robbed 7 bookies in the past 6 months. The duo is so opposite of each other that their Captain Doby decides to make them partners. The two are wary of each other in the beginning.
Hebrew-American drug kingpin, Reese Feldman (Vince Vaughn), and his partner-in-crime, Kevin (Jason Bateman), are planning to bring in a shipment of drugs worth millions of dollars. They have developed a new type of cocaine which is untraceable in scent and taste. When Feldman finds out that one of his drug suppliers failed a drug transport operation (he lost one of four planes that were bringing the drugs into Bay City), he kills him and leaves the body in the ocean.
Huggy Bear Brown is a local mafia and provides protection services to local businesses. Hutch is friends with Huggy, who also is an informant, but David barges into the meeting. David gets trigger happy when he finds all of Huggy's henchmen having guns with no permits. A standoff ensues in which David shoots off Huggy's Iguana's (named Corky) tail. Huggy forgives David as the Iguanas can regenerate their tail.
Other cops on the force like Manetti (Chris Penn) make fun of David by putting him on fake calls of crimes in his patrol area.Hutch takes care of an African American boy named Willis Lewis (Jeffrey Lorenzo), and keeps him out of trouble, like a big brother.
Starsky and Hutch are called to the scene where the body of the murdered pusher washes up a few days later. A clue from the dead man (he has Feldman's business card in his wallet) leads them to Feldman's house for questioning. Feldman denies any knowledge of the crime and states his regret for the man's death.Feldman's girlfriend Kitty lets slip that the dead man Terrence was dating a Bay City Cheerleader, but then realizes her mistake and says that she does not remember which one.
After meeting cheerleaders, Stacey (Carmen Electra) and Holly (Amy Smart), they meet another cheerleader, Heather (Brande Roderick), who strips herself completely naked while preparing for her shower. Heather used to date Terrence but didn't know much about him. She gives the detectives a jacket that belonged to Terrence. The detectives meet Huggy again and learn that the jacket worn by Terrence was made by Big Earl (Will Ferrell). They find that Big Earl was imprisoned 2 weeks ago.
Starsky and Hutch go to a prison to speak with Big Earl, who has connections with Feldman's drug business. Big Earl then makes the officers do embarrassing things to get what they want (He makes Hutch show his belly button, then walk slowly back and forth seductively, arch his back and look at Earl like a Dragon and David and Hutch performing a sex act together). He gives them a packet of what they think is cocaine. When it is taken to the lab for testing, Doby (Fred Williamson), their captain, tells them it is artificial sweetener. Starsky uses it in his coffee and he, Hutch, Stacey, and Holly go to a disco where Starsky suffers the effects of the drug after winning a dance-off with a disco patron who chided David. The disco MC announces the patron as the winner, prompting David to pull his gun on him. Hutch takes him home and proceeds to have a threesome with Holly and Stacey.
Feldman continues to be the main suspect of the duo's investigation. They believe that Feldman stores drugs in his garage, and during his daughter's Bat Mitzvah, they go undercover to attempt to locate the drugs. After confronting Feldman, Starsky shoots the lock off the garage door, accidentally shooting and killing a pony inside. As a result, Captain Doby indefinitely suspends Starsky and Hutch; the partners then argue, leading to a split in their friendship.
Meanwhile Hutch's neighbor, Willis (Jeffrey Lorenzo), is involved in a bomb blast in Hutch's house, and breaks his leg (the bomb was intended for Hutch). Starsky comes to visit Willis in the hospital where a "who's at fault" argument with Hutch finally leads to reconciliation. They both decide to go after Feldman and put an end to his drug business. With help from Huggy Bear, (Snoop Dogg) their compatriot and informant, they learn that Feldman plans to sell the drugs at a charity ball by hiding them in Volkswagen Karmann Ghia's to be given away to Pre-planned dope pushers.
The disguised duo manages to enter the party and hold up Feldman, pretending to be winners of a car. Upon shooting open the hood of the car, a large amount of cocaine is found. Feldman takes Hutch hostage, and Starsky's attempt to rescue him, he accidentally shoots Captain Doby. In the confusion, Feldman and his girlfriend Kitty (Juliette Lewis) escape outside with the money that was used to buy the drugs. Starsky and Hutch pursue them in a car chase over a golf course.
Feldman and Kitty then take off in his yacht hoping to escape the partners. Not far behind, Starsky and Hutch decide the only way to catch Feldman is to ram Starsky's car into Feldman's yacht. Starsky gets the car up to speed on a pier and then hits a ramp but jumps way off course and misses the yacht. It slams into the sea and sinks as the partners safely escape. However, all is not lost; Huggy, who was hiding in the yacht, knocks out Feldman.
At a party celebrating the capture of Feldman, Starsky is still upset about the loss of his car. Huggy surprises him by buying him another Torino from the original Starsky and Hutch duo (David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser). The two happy cops roll out in their new car answering to the police radio.
