Stakeout

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Stakeout

R

1987

1h 55m

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

27 Reviews

56%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Police detectives Chris Lecce (Richard Dreyfuss) and Bill Reimers (Emilio Estevez) are on the hunt for escaped prisoner Stick Montgomery (Aidan Quinn). When the trail dries up, the pair are put on around-the-clock surveillance of the fugitive's former girlfriend, Maria (Madeleine Stowe). What starts as a boring assignment monitoring the woman with binoculars quickly turns into something more exciting when romance -- and Maria's gun-toting ex -- arrive on the scene.

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Critics Consensus

Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez make for great company during this Stakeout, a bawdy procedural that mines great pleasure from the odd couple's comedic chemistry.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Mar 26, 2009

Slick, sure-footed entertainment, one part buddy comedy and one part police actioner stitched together with a dash of romance.

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Derek Adams

Time Out

Jun 24, 2006

Between Lecce's illicit courtship and Reimers' consternation, there are some hearty laughs of a juvenile nature.

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Walter Goodman

New York Times

May 21, 2003

The director uses the conventions of the action-comedy in so adroit a way that you may even forget the hundred other films you've seen lately about a couple of cops kidding around with each other in between battling the bad guys.

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Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 16, 2026

The liveliest buddy movie -- police division -- in years.

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Juan Carlos Coto

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Aug 19, 2021

2.5/4

Dreyfuss' capability for comedy is what saves Stakeout He unequivocally steals every scene he is in, except for the action scenes, most of which are surprisingly bad.

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Ángel Luis Inurria

El Pais (Spain)

Apr 22, 2020

The clever script has a mix of ingredients that include romance, male friendships, professional relationships, and chases. [Full Review in Spanish]

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Landon J

@Minxsykitty Jul 30, 2026

Super creepy vibes from 1/2 of our cop duo. It was pretty entertaining and gives a comfortable and familiar vibe, but there isn't much to the plot. I love how artificially drawn out the final fight scene is, kinda reminded me of They Live.

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Alain E

@AlainE Jun 16, 2026

Too much comedy to work as a police/crime story.

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Jo P

@Jo_Parker Jan 11, 2026

If you're in the mood to be cheered up with a light hearted feel-good film that makes you laugh out loud - then I highly recommend this comedy! It cannot fail to make you smile. Even though it's old it still funny!

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Stephen C

@bob25009 May 27, 2025

1 hour and 55 minutes of unfunny material!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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X O

@RT27220563 Oct 21, 2023

A great film for the time. MS is gorgeous, not for how she looks, but how she works she's attracted. The thing I love is when she moans when RD kisses her. I'm watching this just for her doing that. I know she is acting, but she does a great job. Sometimes over the top, but she is great.

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Jack t

@RT29143273 Jun 18, 2023

Stakeout. This is one of those movies which I love watching. The thrills, the laughs and also the good fun.

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John Badham

Director

Richard Dreyfuss

Chris Lecce

Emilio Estevez

Bill Reimers

Madeleine Stowe

Maria McGuire

Aidan Quinn

Richard "Stick" Montgomery

Dan Lauria

Phil Coldshank

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Synopsis

Police detectives Chris Lecce (Richard Dreyfuss) and Bill Reimers (Emilio Estevez) are on the hunt for escaped prisoner Stick Montgomery (Aidan Quinn). When the trail dries up, the pair are put on around-the-clock surveillance of the fugitive's former girlfriend, Maria (Madeleine Stowe). What starts as a boring assignment monitoring the woman with binoculars quickly turns into something more exciting when romance -- and Maria's gun-toting ex -- arrive on the scene.

Director: John Badham
Producer: Cathleen Summers
Screenwriter: Jim Kouf
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 9, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $65.4M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Surround

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