CAST

Eddie Murphy
Judge Reinhold
Lisa Eilbacher
John Ashton
Ronny Cox
Steven Berkoff
James Russo
Jonathan Banks
DIRECTED BY

Martin Brest
PURCHASE

Movie
Soundtrack
Book
Poster
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"This is the cleanest and nicest police car I've ever been in my life. This thing is nicer than my apartment."
Time: 105 mins.
Rating: R
Genre: Action/Comedy

Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
SYNOPSIS: A freewheeling Detroit cop pursuing a murder investigation finds himself dealing with the very different culture of Beverly Hills.

BOTTOM LINE: Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Murphy wasn't even supposed to be in this movie, and yet now we can't imagine it without him. Though somewhat dated, BEVERLY HILLS COP is one of the first films to successfully marry high action and low comedy. The role of Axel Foley, a smart-mouthed, relentless Detroit cop, launched Murphy's career into the stratosphere. The plot follows Axel as he tries to solve the mystery behind an old friend's recent murder. The trail leads to Beverly Hills, which is where the comedy comes in. Outspoken black cop who doesn't play by the rules, meets up with rich, uptight white people who do everything by the book. Hilarity ensues. Though some of the jokes are obvious and silly, Murphy's energy and timing make them seem fresh and funny, even after repeated viewings. What doesn't hold up is the plot, which isn't very hard to figure out, and the supporting cast, who are no match for Murphy. Judge Reinhold and John Ashton are just too inept and goofy. If they represented Beverly Hills' finest, that city would be burned down in a matter of hours. Steven Berkoff does a passable job as the villain of the piece, but his character isn't well-defined, so he's not as scary as he should be. The soundtrack, adds style and energy to this comedy classic. A Murphy must-see.