Hot Pursuit

An uptight by-the-book Texas cop (Reese Witherspoon) is assigned to escort the wife of a key witness (Sofia Vergara) safely to the trial in Dallas, but a series of betrayals and misadventures make her look like a rogue cop who has abducted the woman; a statewide (wo)manhunt and supposed hilarity ensue. David Feeney and John Quaintance's script is scattershot and silly (beginning with that sniggering double-entendre title), and Anne Fletcher's direction is often sloppy. Still, it's good to see Witherspoon doing a comedy again, and she and Vergara have a charming comic rapport, taking turns playing straight-woman for each other. Here's hoping this encouraging misfire does well enough that they're teamed again in a vehicle more worthy of their talents. J.L.