Stakeout

Two detectives shadow the ex-girlfriend of an escaped convict to gather information. The plan hinges on careful surveillance, steady nerves, and quick improvisation when things go off script. Living in close quarters during the stakeout, they trade wisecracks and bravado while keeping their distance, hoping to outwit both the fugitive and their stubborn impulses. When the mission starts to blur lines between duty and attraction, the job becomes less about proof and more about timing, trust, and personal risk. The clock ticks as stakeout drags on, turning a routine assignment into a test of character, competence, and complicating feelings. Both men learn to read lines between professionalism and desire, and mounting tension never becomes grim, keeping the comedy buoyant.

Directed by John Badham, Stakeout came from Jim Kouf's original screenplay. The 1987 action comedy blends crime policing with romance and laughs, anchored by the chemistry of Dreyfuss and Estevez and a strong supporting turn from Madeleine Stowe delivering chemistry.

The film earned about $65.7 million worldwide against a budget of $14.5 million, making it a solid box office success for its time. Its commercial performance helped launch a follow up in later years, pleasing studio executives and fans worldwide.

Critics welcomed the easygoing chemistry between Dreyfuss as Lecce and Estevez as Reimers, noting the film's mix of suspense, fast dialogue and a light romantic thread. The humor lands in stakeout mishaps while the romance nudges them to rethink authority and loyalty, giving a breezy twist to buddy cop norms.

Stakeout helped cement late 80s buddy cop vibes by pairing sharp dialogue with a rom com tilt. It popularized surveillance humor and flirtation as plot motors. The brisk banter and accessible stakes connected with audiences, shaping how crime comedies mixed action with romance in mainstream cinema overall for many viewers.