movie review detective school dropouts

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Detective School Dropouts Reviews

Somewhere in this lousy, stupid, cheap little movie is pure comedy gold.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 30, 2008

Detective School Dropouts

Where to Watch

David Landsberg (Donald Wilson) Lorin Dreyfuss (Paul Miller) Christian De Sica (Carlo Lombardi) George Eastman (Bruno Falcone) Valeria Golino (Caterina) Mario Brega (Don Lombardi) Alberto Farnese (Don Falcone) Rik Battaglia (Don Zanetti) Franco Angrisano (Uncle Baba) Giancarlo Prete (Mario Zanetti)

Filippo Ottoni

Two bumbling private detectives get themselves hired to find a missing person. They find themselves in the middle of a mob war when it turns out that the missing person is somebody the mob wants to stay missing.

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Detective School Dropouts

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Detective school dropouts.

Directed by Filippo Ottoni

A Couple Of Detectives Without A Clue!

Two bumbling private detectives get themselves hired to find a missing person. They find themselves in the middle of a mob war when it turns out that the missing person is somebody the mob wants to stay missing.

David Landsberg Christian De Sica Lorin Dreyfuss George Eastman Mario Brega Giancarlo Prete Mickey Knox Valeria Golino Ennio Antonelli Alberto Farnese Rik Battaglia Franco Angrisano Lewis E. Ciannelli Geoffrey Copleston Andrea Coppola Carolyn De Fonseca Annette Meriweather

Director Director

Filippo Ottoni

Producers Producers

Menahem Golan Yoram Globus John Thompson

Editor Editor

Cesare D'Amico

Cinematography Cinematography

Giancarlo Ferrando

Stunts Stunts

Franco Maria Salamon Benito Pacifico

Composer Composer

George S. Clinton

The Cannon Group Golan-Globus Productions

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

English Italian

Alternative Titles

Attention, Privé, Asilo di polizia, Die Klugscheißer, Escuela de detectives ineptos

Comedy Action

Releases by Date

07 aug 1986, 05 jun 1987, releases by country.

• Theatrical PG

92 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by James Patrick ★★

If the Marx Brothers were only 2 brothers and they made movies in the 1980s and had a tendency to overkill every decent gag, you might get something approximating this oddball, intermittently amusing comedy starring Richard Dreyfuss' brother.

Review by Garlock ★

I have a podcast devoted to Cannon Film Group: I am forced to watch these sort of things. You don’t have to. Save yourself

Review by Paddy Feehan ★½

When I came across this on Letterboxd I thought “a Cannon film with Italian B-movie legend George Eastman in the cast” Sign me up”. However after a promising opening montage this comedy falls very flat. Lorin Dreyfuss looks like his brother Richard after he was spliced with Jerry Lewis. Just thought I’d share that.

Review by DarthMurdock ★½

Nobody drops out of detective school

Review by Ashley Lynch ★

Maybe stay in school if you're going to suck this bad.

Review by BamWhamShazam ★★★

With no ifs and buts, this movie is tons of fun. I think one of the best things about this movie is how easy and entertaining it is to watch. You can watch this film in any atmosphere and just simply enjoy it with all of the humor and absurdness of it. There’s just something about this kind of film and this trope that hits every single time. It also helps that the plot was no quaint and fun. This movie will probably be one of those that I always throw out as recommendations to watch whenever I find out a friend hasn’t seen it just so they can experience it. This might be the definition of it’s so stupid that it’s brilliant. You really have to just give this film a chance

Review by Micah_W ★★½

Ok but when the mood is right this movie is actually pretty good

Review by bandsaboutmovie ★½

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

David Landsberg and Lorin Dreyfuss — the older brother of Richard — teamed for this movie and Dutch Treat and I have no idea who was clamoring for their duo to be in any films. They wrote and starred in this movie, which was directed by Filippo Ottoni, who wrote A Bay of Blood.

Three mob families — the Lombardis, the Zanettis and the Falcones — don’t want either of two of their children — Carlo Lombardi (Christian De Sica) and Catherina Zanetti (Valeria Golino, Gina Piccolapupula from Big Top Pee-Wee) — to get married, all while Landsberg and Dreyfuss, as detectives Donald Wilson and Paul Miller, try to keep their families from ending their relationship and lives, thanks to…

Review by John Charles ★★

There's a good reason why Cannon was not known for its comedies, but this farce does have a few chuckles. David Landsberg and Lorin Dreyfuss (who looks a fair bit like his brother Richard and sounds exactly like him) play a couple of New York City dimwits who find themselves in Italy on a missing person case and in the middle of a murderous feud between three crime families.

Most of the gags are overly familiar and not executed especially well, and the sub-Harold Faltermeyer synth score is cheesy beyond belief, but Landsberg and Dreyfuss do have chemistry and generate occasional laughs. Italian exploitation movie fans will have a field day spotting many genre regulars in supporting roles, most notably George Eastman, Timothy Brent, Mario Brega, and Carolynn DeFonseca, and sync sound recording allows you to hear the real voices of the ones usually dubbed.

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Produced by, released by, detective school dropouts (1986), directed by filippo ottoni.

• AllMovie Rating 6
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Detective School Dropouts (1986)

Genre: comedy, duration: 92 minuten, alternative titles: dumb dicks / private detectives, country: italy, directed by: filippo ottoni, stars: david landsberg , lorin dreyfuss and christian de sica, imdb score: 5,4  (367), releasedate: 7 august 1986.

This movie is not available on UK streaming services.

Detective School Dropouts plot

"A Couple Of Detectives Without A Clue!" In Italy, Donald Wilson has to make constant efforts to keep his job. Since his hobby is reading detective stories, he thinks his future might lie there. He comes into contact with Paul Miller, a former detective who finds himself in need of money so that he cannot pay his rent. Paul hires Donald as a student with the intention of knocking all his money out of his pockets. However, the duo ends up in all kinds of complications, such as the fight between a number of Italian families and a kidnapping.

Actors and actresses

Bruno Falcone

Little Ricky

Don Falcone

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Detective School Dropouts

About this movie.

Detective School Dropouts

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We checked for updates on 246 streaming services on April 24, 2024 at 7:26:19 AM. Something wrong? Let us know!

Detective School Dropouts streaming: where to watch online?

Currently you are able to watch "Detective School Dropouts" streaming on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM Plus Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel or for free with ads on Amazon Prime Video with Ads.

Two bumbling private detectives get themselves hired to find a missing person. They find themselves in the middle of a mob war when it turns out that the missing person is somebody the mob wants to stay missing.

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Detective School Dropouts Reviews

• 1 hr 30 mins
• Watchlist Where to Watch

Escapades of blundering gumshoes who run afoul of kidnappers and murderers in Italy. Donald: David Landsberg. Paul: Lorin Dreyfuss. Carlo: Christian De Sica. Caterina: Valeria Golino. Written by Landsberg and Dreyfuss. Also known as "Dumb Dicks."

DETECTIVE SCHOOL DROPOUTS is a good example of bad marketing. This funny film came and went with the speed of lightning but deserved a far better fate than it received. In this crime comedy set primarily in Italy, Landsberg is a klutz who has trouble holding a steady job. As his hobby is reading detective stories, he thinks he might have a career in that field, so he gets in touch with Dreyfuss (brother of Richard), a bust-out detective who is in danger of being evicted for nonpayment of his rent. Dreyfuss signs Landsberg on as a "student" with the idea of milking him of all his money. In the twinkling of a private eye, the duo is in the midst of a battle between a pair of Italian families and a kidnaping, with the possibility of a murder rap over their heads. The film has some excellent sight gags, some old jokes, and two winning performances from Dreyfuss and Landsberg, who could very well be a comedy team to reckon with, if their next pictures are handled better by the distributor. DETECTIVE SCHOOL DROPOUTS has good cinematography and nice production values. Rarest of all, it is a comedy that you can take the children to see.

Watch Detective School Dropouts

• 1 hr 30 min
• 5.4   (364)

Detective School Dropouts is a slapstick comedy from 1986 that follows the story of Harry Petry, played by David Landsberg, and his friend Fred, played by Lorin Dreyfuss, as they try to become private detectives. The two friends get kicked out of the police academy and decide to open their own detective agency. However, they quickly realize that running a detective agency is not as easy as they thought it would be, especially since they have no experience.

The movie opens with Harry and Fred attending the police academy. They both have dreams of becoming police officers, but they end up getting expelled for causing chaos during a training exercise. Feeling lost and without any direction in life, Harry and Fred decide to become private detectives. They set up their own detective agency called Petry and Fatty's House of Gumshoes, and start advertising their services in the local newspaper.

Their first case involves a wealthy widow who wants to know if her late husband was having an affair. The two friends start investigating but soon find themselves in hot water when they accidentally set the widow's house on fire. They manage to escape without getting caught, but the widow decides to hire a real detective to investigate the case, which leads to more trouble for Harry and Fred.

The movie is filled with comical moments and slapstick humor. Harry and Fred are not the smartest private detectives around, and they often stumble into situations that are way over their heads. They also have a lot of bad luck, which leads to some hilarious outcomes. For example, they stumble upon a drug cartel while trying to catch a cheating husband, and end up getting chased through the streets by armed thugs.

As the movie progresses, Harry and Fred start to learn some detective skills and become more competent at solving cases. However, they still make a lot of mistakes along the way. For instance, they accidentally leak a story to the press about a corrupt politician, which ends up putting them in the politician's crosshairs.

One of the funniest parts of the movie is the relationship between Harry and Fred. They are complete opposites, and their personalities clash all the time. Harry is more serious and methodical, while Fred is more carefree and laid back. However, they both have a good heart and a desire to help people, which is what makes them such endearing characters.

The supporting cast in the movie is also excellent. Christian De Sica plays a suave Italian detective who Harry and Fred try to emulate, but they always fall short. There is also a love interest for Harry in the form of a beautiful news reporter who is investigating the corrupt politician. She provides some romantic tension in the movie, as Harry tries to impress her while also trying to solve the case.

Overall, Detective School Dropouts is a fun movie that will have you laughing from beginning to end. It's not a deep, thought-provoking film, but it doesn't need to be. It's just a lighthearted comedy that will leave you feeling good. David Landsberg and Lorin Dreyfuss have excellent chemistry, and their comedic timing is spot on. If you're looking for a movie to watch with friends or family and just have a good time, then Detective School Dropouts is definitely worth checking out.

Detective School Dropouts is a 1986 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.4.

• Genres Comedy
• Cast David Landsberg Lorin Dreyfuss Christian De Sica
• Director Otonni Philip
• Release Date 1986
• MPAA Rating PG
• Runtime 1 hr 30 min
• IMDB Rating 5.4   (364)

Detective School Dropouts (1986) Stream and Watch Online

Watch 'detective school dropouts' online.

Yearning to watch ' Detective School Dropouts ' on your TV or mobile device at home? Tracking down a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or watch the Filippo Ottoni-directed movie via subscription can be a huge pain, so we here at Moviefone want to take the pressure off. We've listed a number of streaming and cable services - including rental, purchase, and subscription choices - along with the availability of 'Detective School Dropouts' on each platform when they are available. Now, before we get into the various whats and wheres of how you can watch 'Detective School Dropouts' right now, here are some finer points about the The Cannon Group, Golan-Globus Productions action flick. Released August 7th, 1986, 'Detective School Dropouts' stars David Landsberg , Christian De Sica , Lorin Dreyfuss , George Eastman The PG movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 32 min, and received a user score of 74 (out of 100) on TMDb, which compiled reviews from 5 respected users. What, so now you want to know what the movie's about? Here's the plot: "Two bumbling private detectives get themselves hired to find a missing person. They find themselves in the middle of a mob war when it turns out that the missing person is somebody the mob wants to stay missing." 'Detective School Dropouts' is currently available to rent, purchase, or stream via subscription on Amazon Prime Video with Ads, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video , EPIX Amazon Channel, and Epix Roku Premium Channel .

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Detective School Dropouts

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• eFilmCritic.com David Cornelius Somewhere in this lousy, stupid, cheap little movie is pure comedy gold.

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Detective School Dropouts Streaming: Watch & Stream Online via Amazon Prime Video

By Tamal Kundu

Detective School Dropouts is a1986 action-comedy film directed by Filippo Ottoni from a script penned by David Landsberg and Lorin Dreyfuss. Despite performing poorly at the box office at the time of its release, Detective School Dropouts has since come to be regarded as a cult classic.

Here’s how you can watch and stream Detective School Dropouts via streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video.

Is Detective School Dropouts available to watch via streaming?

Yes, Detective School Dropouts is available to watch via streaming on Amazon Prime Video .

The film revolves around Donald Wilson, who can’t seem to hold down a job. A fan of detective novels, he starts attending detective classes taught by Paul Miller. It soon becomes clear that the entire thing is a fraudulent operation that Paul set up to deal with his debts. Unfortunately for both him and Donald, the latter is the only student the former has. Things become complicated when they draw the ire of three cheese-making Italian families that are locked in a Shakespearean conflict among themselves.

Some members of the cast of Detective School Dropouts are David Landsberg as Donald Wilson, Lorin Dreyfuss as Paul Miller, Valeria Golino as Caterina Zanetti, George Eastman as Bruno Falcone, and Christian De Sica as Carlo Lombardi.

Watch Detective School Dropouts streaming via Amazon Prime Video

Detective School Dropouts is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

Amazon Prime Video was launched in 2006 and has since one of the biggest streaming platforms in the world. Its subscribers can catch content that Amazon, its affiliates, and other studios developed on the platform.

You can watch the film via Amazon Prime Video by following these steps:

• Go to Amazon Prime Video
• Select ‘Sign in’ and ‘Create your Amazon account’
• $8.99 per month for a standalone Prime Video membership

Amazon Prime is the online retailer’s paid service that provides fast shipping and exclusive sales on products, so the membership that includes both this service and Prime Video is the company’s most popular offering. However, you can also opt to subscribe to Prime Video separately.

Detective School Dropouts’ official synopsis is as follows:

“Two bumbling private detectives get themselves hired to find a missing person. They find themselves in the middle of a mob war when it turns out that the missing person is somebody the mob wants to stay missing.”

NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.

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A student of cinema, Tamal has written on a wide range of topics over the years — from entertainment to literature to pop culture. At ComingSoon, he is an SEO Contributing Writer developing content on films, TV, and anime.

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