Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara Team Up in ‘Hot Pursuit’

Sandra Miska

There’s no arguing that Reese Witherspoon is one of the most versatile actresses working today. She’s equally at ease acting in dramas (“Walk the Line”) as she is with comedic roles (“Legally Blonde”).  This month the Oscar winner makes a return to comedy with the cop film “Hot Pursuit,” opening May 8.

Witherspoon teams up with Emmy-nominee Sofia Vergara, making “Hot Pursuit” a buddy comedy of sorts.  Witherspoon plays Officer Cooper, an uptight Texan police officer who is given the task of escorting the wife of drug dealer from San Antonio to Dallas to testify at the trial of a dangerous drug lord.  The woman, Daniella Riva (Vergara) is rescued by Cooper during an intense shootout at her own home that results in the death of her husband.   Once they hit the road, the two women face threats from henchman, criminals and dirty cops.

Tragic as all this may sound, moviegoers should expect lot of laughs in “Hot Pursuit,” with the sexy, uninhibited Daniella and the sensible, dorky Cooper each trying to impress on the other life lessons and skills.  The women’s journey attracts attention from the media, which makes for hilarious moments when newscasters misreport the petite Cooper’s height and the 40ish Daniella’s age.

According to Entertainment Weekly, there is an epic blooper reel at the end of “Hot Pursuit” that viewers should be sure not to miss.

Said Witherspoon, “Everything Sofia said was funny.  That’s why they decided to put the bloopers in. She has this thing where she starts speaking really fast, and the words become funny. She had to say The Wall Street Journal a lot. It’s hard to say!”

“Hot Pursuit” will also feature a steamy smooch between the two leading ladies, for anyone who is into that sort of thing.  The kiss takes place in a scene in which Daniella and Cooper pretend to be lovers in order to distract a farmer from calling the police.

“Hot Pursuit” was directed by Anne Fletcher, who previously helmed the female-driven comedies “27 Dresses” and “The Proposal.”

“Hot Pursuit” opens nationwide May 8.