Denis Leary plays Raymond Pluto, a detective fallen from grace after his bad back causes him to fail preventing a fast-food shooting. Worse yet, a nerdy seven-year old kid saves the day. Now Pluto, along with his partner (Buscemi) and his chiropractor(Hurley), is searching for redemption. And, with the help of a pair of inept screenwriters and some unscrupulous gang members, Pluto may save the day yet...or die trying. The unique cast works towards the film's strengths, as do the wry comedy, but the film's obvious low budget hinders it from achieving it's obvious potential. Still, it's a lot more enjoyable than most of the mainstream stuff that Hollywood is trying to pass off as entertainment these days. Buscemi steals every scene he's in as he reveals problems with his sexual identity.

I can't believe how stupid I have been all these years relying on doctors and pills. Why should I suffer in pain when I could have some hot chiropractor like Elizabeth Hurley crawling all over me? I just have to make an appointment.

This was not an ordinary cop picture. Sure, Denis Leary and his partner, Steve Buscemi are trying to solve crimes, but they are really trying to straighten out their messed up lives. Leary's back causes him to be the laughing stock of the city, and allows the other cops to get a good laugh; especially Chris Noth, a big favorite of mine.

Leary seems to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time until he is hooked up with two whack screenwriters that can't even see a good scene when they are in it. It is then that he gets the guys that attacked Luis Guzmán and becomes the hero.

Lots of laughs in this film written and directed by Tom DiCillo.

One man band auteur DiCillo adds another almost-but-not-quite pic to his resume with "Double Whammy", a carousel wacky comedy which creates sets of characters and then visits them sequentially going round and round until we begin to see how they relate to one another as the meager story develops. The film relies heavily on star power with Leary out front as a bungling cop with a bad back and Hurley as his sexy chiropractor. "Double Whammy" is a lukewarm watch with too few laughs and too much filler probably best saved for broadcast. (C+)