After last year’s misstep “The Land of the Lost,” Will Ferrell is back in his comedic groove in his latest film, “The Other Guys,” a consistently funny spoof of buddy cop films.

Reuniting with writer/director Adam McKay (whose previous work with Ferrell includes “Step Brother,” “Talladega Nights” and “Anchorman”), this is the comedy that many of Ferrell’s fans will appreciate, with a talented cast and a solid script peppered with some truly laugh-out-loud moments.

Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg play Allen and Terry, two New York detectives confined to desk duty – Allen by choice and Terry because of an unfortunate shooting of New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

When the precinct’s most high-profile duo (hilarious cameos from Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson) are forced out of action, Terry sees this as a chance to get back on the street. Allen reluctantly agrees and they stumble into an investigation that centers on a shady capitalist named David Ershon (Steve Coogan).

This is the film Kevin Smith tried to make in his last effort, “Cop Out,” which proved to be more of a rehash of the buddy cop movie than an actual satire. While “The Other Guys” does rely on some of the buddy formula, it also manages to expand on it, taking the story in some silly directions.

Ferrell and Wahlberg prove to be a solid comedy team, with Wahlberg actually being more outgoing and Ferrell not quite in Ricky Bobby or Ron Burgundy territory (although there are some moments that do evoke both of those characters).

The supporting cast is also pretty solid, including Michael Keaton as the detectives’ supervisor moonlighting at Bed Bath & Beyond and Eva Mendes as Allen’s wife.

The film is a little uneven, with the first hour raising the bar so high that it loses some steam in the second hour. But it is a small flaw in a film that is every bit as funny as “Step Brothers,” “Anchorman” and “Talladega Nights” – perhaps even a tick better. It’s certainly a comedy that, like the other three films, can stand the test of time – and multiple viewings.

DVD dandy of the week

This week’s dandy is “The Joneses” (B-), a decent little satire about consumer envy that is pretty spot-on until a somewhat soft final act.

David Duchovny and Demi Moore play Steve and Kate Jones, a seemingly perfect couple who move into a suburban neighborhood with their teenage daughter, Jenn (Amber Heard), and son, Mick (Ben Hollingsworth). They immediately become the envy of the neighborhood, with their endless supply of high-tech toys, cool clothes and the latest gadgets.

But the Joneses aren’t who they appear to be. Instead, they are a group of salespeople for a large corporation and are paid to influence the community into buying their products.

It’s a job that Kate, Jenn and Mick are quite experienced at, while Steve is still learning the ropes. When Steve starts to buy into the whole scenario just a little too much, things start to unravel – and the Joneses’ real motives are put in jeopardy of being revealed.

For the first hour, “The Joneses” is a dark and funny social commentary that works thanks to the four leads and a great supporting job by Gary Cole as a neighbor trying to “keep up with the Joneses” at all costs.

But as Steve’s character softens, writer/director Derrick Borte’s film softens as well, leading to a preachy final act that feels wedged into the material.

It is a disappointing end to a film that starts with such promise. Still, “The Joneses” is worth a look simply for Cole and the first hour, which rolls as well as any dark comedy released this year.

“The Joneses” is rated R for language, some sexual content, teen drinking and drug use. It is now available on DVD.

— To get sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton’s up-to-the minute thoughts on all things movies, visit his blog at mcompton.wordpress.com or his Twitter page at twitter.com/mcompton428. You can also e-mail him at mcompton@bgdailynews.com.