The Amateurs (2008)

THE AMATEURS is about as close to the quality of British film comedies (a high compliment indeed!) as we have seen, thanks to writer/director Michael Traeger. It is everything a small town community aura represents without the stumbling blocks of cruelty that so often provide the turning point in 'rural stories' that defame the simple homespun humanity that is too often foreign to the big city life. Perhaps to refer to it as 'sweet' will rile some review readers, but for this viewer the overriding emotion at the close of the story is just that sweet, in the finest sense of the term.

The film is narrated by the down and out, unemployed, newly divorced middle-aged crisis victim Andy Sargentee (Jeff Bridges) who spends his time in the local watering hole trying to come up with an idea that will change his fortune and life. Giving up his marriage to Thelma (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and his son Billy (Alex D. Linz) has been painful but Andy believes he will somehow regain their respect by discovering his 'big idea'. Surrounding him are other underachievers such as Some Idiot (Joe Pantoliano), Barney Macklehatton (Tim Blake Nelson) hopelessly in love with loony dreamer Helen (Glenne Headly), church janitor Otis (William Fichtner), local video store worker and video buff Emmett (Patrick Fugit), Moe/Ron (John Hawkes and Brad William Henke) who are never seen alone, the closeted gay Moose (Ted Danson), and bartender Floyd (Tom Bower) among other 'observers'. A wild idea occurs to Andy: he and his friends could make an amateur porn film and make money and gain fame. Out of both love of Andy and individual needs to make something of their boring existence in the little town, the group commits to helping Andy with his project. How the steps succeed and fail underline the integrity and unconditional friendship these simple people represent. Along the way we meet the porn film's stars including Valerie Perrine, Judy Greer, Fiona Hunter, Isaiah Washington, Melinda Dahl all of whom eagerly participate in the 'very private' filming concept of an amateur porn film. How the final product is threatened and ultimately survives produces the warm ending to the film. And along the way we get to know Thelma's new husband Howard (Steven Weber) who breaks the stereotype of the rich new stepfather, and these small town folk including Dawn Didawick, Jayne Taini, Lauren Graham, and Eileen Brennan (who contributes a very special cameo role).

The film has been named THE MOGULS and DIRTY MOVIE in other countries and perhaps that confusion of titles has been part of the problem of the lack of promotion the film received in the theaters. But in a way, seeing this very special movie in home surroundings adds to the intimacy and the very warmly honest view of the genuinely kind and caring interrelationships among the people of this small town. There is much to be learned from this film and the added features include the writer/director sharing the experience with each of the actors in this truly ensemble work. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, March 08

The low-key effect of the film grabbed my attention from the beginning as actor Jeff Bridges began his narration of his life in the little town of Butterface Field. He introduced the characters while playing his character engaged in troubled thought, sitting alone, in the local restaurant bar.

Bridges is Andy Sargentee, a husband and father who places his impulses above the economic viability of the family by relieving himself on the desks of every supervisor he has had (and despises). His wife, played by Jeanne Triplehorn, sets off into divorce and the sunset with the station wagon and their son.

Bridges only support now is the town of Butterface Field, the place in which he was born and raised. The townsfolk know him well enough especially when he is about to come up with a brainstorm, which they are apprehensive about. Friends and neighbors at adjacent tables see the mental storm brewing. (He led them into a Ponzi scheme before just when the tulip bubble bubbled, proving his brainstorm nothing more than a light drizzle).

But now, he's got it!

He and the town will make a fortune creating a genuine, amateur porn film! He quickly enlists his friends to invest their meager sum and even more meager talents as actors, writers, directors and so on. They also have to get girls for the part, and enlist Black actors for their presumed assets. They find a young, counter girl from an ice cream store, an aging stripper, and a bedding store saleswoman, who insists on getting it on with the storeowner.

Jeff Bridges, Ted Danson, Joe Pantoliano, William Fichtner, Lauren Graham, Glenne Headley, Tim Blake Nelson, and Jeanne Tripplehorn make this "light" film work along with the superb direction of Michael Traegor. No actor overplays his or her part. The humor is subtle, even hilarious at some points. And for a movie about porn, there is no flesh or foul language.

A colleague at work recommended this; her stock has gone way up.

This is a keeper.

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I can't quite put this up at the 5 star level, but it's awfully close.

Big props to the cast here as they really do a great job here and seem perfectly cast for the roles each is asked to play.

Lead actor Jeff Bridges puts on a great performance as a man (Andy Sargentee) that is looking for his one big break, but unfortunately has failed at everything he's ever tried. Early on we find that he lost his wife because he's just not able to be responsible and can't take care of his family because of his lack of steady income. His son's birthday comes up and he goes to the store to buy a gift for him only to realize he just can't afford the one he feels is right. Real embarassment kicks in when he goes to his wife's new home and finds that it isn't just a big home, it's a complete mansion.

From that embarassment springs inspiration as Andy sits deep in thought in the town bar. Eventually he's inspired to make a porn movie with the help and support of his friends, a cast of some of the weirdest and wildest characters you'd ever find assembled.

This film isn't a continuous laugh fest, but it is very entertaining. Some parts would seem predictable, but the story does a good job of planting timely distractions and diversions along the way that keep things very fresh.

While the movie is about the making of a porn film, the nudity in the film is fairly tasteful and there is no sex really shown in the film. There are however sexual references, sex toys and discussion of porn movies is prevalent so this isn't a film for the easily disturbed.

Well worth a purchase and priced at a fair level.

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"The Amateurs" Is a perfect little gem tucked between boxes of costume jewlery. With so many video choices out there just taking up space on the shelves, it is a pleasure to find a film that has real value.

When you finish watching "The Amateurs" you will feel like you have been given a very special gift. The framework around the substance of the film is recognizable: A father seeking a meaningful relationship with his son;"characters" in a small town who stumble around and win in the endbut the movie is much more than that. The characters have dimension, and belie stereotypes.

This film is about kindness, generosity, friendship, acceptance, and just doing the next right thing. Using the creation of such a crass commodity as a porno film as the vehicle these lessons arrive in is just sublime. "The Amateurs" may be rated R for language and sexual content, but I have never seen these potential offenders made so impotent than they are by their treatment in this film. If Frank Capra worked in 2008, "It's a Wonderful Life" might well have looked like this movie.

I keep very few films on video for repeated viewing. Most just don't have long-term presence. I'm keeping this one so my son and his friends can watch itseven years from now.

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"The Amateurs" won't change your life, but it may make it a little easier to bear.

Yes, it's heartwarming. Yes, the little town is filled with the predictable eccentrics who do the expected offbeat things. Yes, everything ends well for everybody (except the big brother). Despite all those drawbacks, this movie is funny. Great casting, great writing, great acting (as much as is demanded by the material).

The Jeff Bridges overstory and narration is the glue that brings all the individual characters and their lines into one whole; his gentle persona creates the film, not only in the story sense but in reality. A great entertainment if you're not offended by graphic but good-natured language.

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I Love You, Man (2009)

There is an audio commentary by director John Hamburg and actors Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. The three guys joke and banter with each other like old friends while heaping a lot of praise on their cast-mates as this track veers into a shameless love fest at times. They also point out acquaintances and crew members who have small roles in the film. They do tell some amusing filming anecdotes which somewhat salvages this commentary.

"The Making of I Love You, Man" is pretty standard press kit material as key cast and crew members talk about the characters and the film's plot. There are plenty of clips from the film along with behind-the-scenes footage.

"Extras" features 22 minutes of outtakes as we see the actors improvise various takes for a given scene that is pretty funny, especially whenever Paul Rudd is involved as he comes up with some amusing variations on dialogue.

Also included are six extended scenes that feature the cast riffing beyond what we saw in the film.

There are three deleted scenes which feature Peter going on a man date where he plays a game of rugby and gets injured. There is a scene where Peter and his brother talk about man crushes and friend sluts over bowling. And we see The State's David Wain as a wedding photographer getting Peter and his friends to do some silly poses.

Finally, there is a pretty funny gag real as cast and crew goof around on the set between and during takes. They also take pleasure in making each other crack up.

I hadn't heard anything about this movie before my husband dropped it into my lap today and said, "watch this. It's funny." He was entirely correct. I laughed out loud so many times that watching it was totally entertaining. The silly plot didn't even matter. This was more about the performances of some talented comedic actors than it was about the contrived tale of a young groom looking for guy friends to fill out his wedding party. What I especially appreciated was that it wasn't just base-level male humor, there was some base-level female humor in there too.

Fun to watch for couples who aren't easily embarrassed in front of one another. And BTW: How fun was it to see original Not Ready For Prime Time Player, Jane Curtin??? Great ensemble cast.

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This is a very funny movie, yeah its a bit of a guy movie, well maybe a lot guy movie, some of the humor is very crude. The good news, its not mean funny, the laughs are good natured. Jason Segel, seems to be getting better and better in films.

Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd, The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Unrated Widescreen Edition), Knocked Up (Unrated Widescreen Edition), The OH in Ohio, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Unrated Widescreen Edition)), is engaged to Zoe (Rashida Jones, The Office Television series). Zoe has a bunch of girl friends, Peter has no male friends. In fact, Peter is very creepy around guys; and is pretty darn clingy with Zoe (she really should have run and hidden when he served the hot chocolate to her girls night out). So Zoe kind of pushes Peter into finding some male friends and manning up. Peter's younger brother (Andy Samberg, SNL) is openly gay and advises Peter on how to get male friends. Eventually Peter runs into Stewart, (Jason Segel, How I Met Your Mother, Knocked Up (Unrated Widescreen Edition), and Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Unrated Widescreen Edition)), and they quickly become friends. The movie moves into a form of love triangle at this point. Along the way, a lot of funny things happen. I really enjoyed Jon Favreau being the butt of many jokes in this film. Jamie Pressley (My name is Earl) was just outstanding in her directness.

Please don't expect this film to be cinema, its just a good solid comedy, that will appeal to a mostly male audience. Jason Segel emits confidence in this film. After doing full frontal nudity in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, he seems to have nothing more to prove. Paul Rudd is good at being annoying early in the film Mr. Clingy, Mr. eveything is too nice. He does a good job transitioning to a more likeable, normal character later in the film.

There were a few good hommages to SNL and How I Met Your Mother (in the man cave, Stewart was frequently seen in front of Marshall amps). Funny, fake movie critic conversations. This is a pop culture / cinema literate film.

At almost 2 hours, the film is just about the right lenght. Technically, surround sound was well used. There were a couple of bad edits where reaction shots were cut off early or changed too quickly. Shots were good and steady, no stupid random handheld camera movement. Overall, nicely done. The director, John Hamburg, has done mostly television; however this effort is very nicely done way better than those credentials.

The movie is definately rated R, and is not for younger viewers. There is no nudity in this film. The R rating is for strong language and explict discussions about sex. No violence, unless you count Lou Ferrigno putting Jason Segel in a sleeper hold. The jokes are crude.

The DVD is packed with some nice bonus features. There is a commentary track with Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, and John Hamburg (I can only imagine that is very funny).

Three deleted scenes that gratefully were left out of the movie (a rugby game, gay bowling, and groomsmen photo session) they were bad.

Extended scenes were actually really great Rush fans, there is an extended version of the concert footage that is excellent; the discussion at ladies night is longer and cruder; the engagement dinner at the Chinese restaurant Stewart talks about his job; Tuxedo shopping goes on a bit longer (not so good); Peter and Stewart hugging in front of the fountain gets another story thread added; and additional conversation at the wedding about gifts.

Extras a bunch of short clips that were in the film, but pushing the joke a lot further a combination of extended scenes and out takes. Best watched long after seeing the movie, they kind of overplay the jokes.

A making of featurette forgettable.

A good funny movie. There are moments when Peter made me feel uncomfortable with his stupid comments, he says things that he regrets or says without thinking. But overall, the jokes work well.

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I think the previews of this movie made it seem better than it really is.

I expected more laughs out of it, but instead got BASICALLY the same scene at least 10 times.

Here's the gist:

A couple gets engaged, and the groom-to-be has trouble finding a best man because for about his entire life ALL his friends have been women. Desperate to find a group of guy friends to call his own ;P he gets into a few "man-dates" before FINALLY finding a guy that seems to have potential "bromance" material. The groom-to-be and this guy soon become the best of friends, but eventually this "bromance" gets to be a bit too much for his fiance to handle, and a conflict breaks out between the two friends.

While I wish this movie had more to the storyline, my boyfriend and I did get a few good laughs out of it, but this isn't a movie that I'd/we'd watch a second time in a row without at least a six months to a year time interval since the last time I/we saw it.

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When `I Love You, Man' first came out I rushed to the theater with my then best friend to see it. We had the type of relationship that was very rare I think; a bond that was unlike any I had with anyone else and, to be honest, one I never want to have again (the closer you are the harder they hurt you). Anyways, I'm not trying to be a downer, and I know that no one wants to hear this, but the reason I bring it up is this; when I left the theater that day I really, really loved this movie. I was ready to give it a five-star blazing review. Now that my then best friend and I are no longer speaking to one another I began to wonder if my adoration of this film was blinded love based on a personal connection I had with the subject matter.

It wasn't.

So that is why I mention my god-awful story of betrayed friendship, because in the end `I Love You, Man' still holds up, regardless of you current situation. It is genuine, charming, authentic, original and very, very funny.

The film tells of Peter Klaven; the `girlfriend guy'. He never really had steady friendships because he's not like most men. He's sweet and sensitive and emotional and caring and so he has a great track record with women, but when it comes down to selecting his bridal party (a guy that perfect can never stay single for long) he realizes that he has no friends. So, he embarks on a quest to find a best man, and that is when he runs into Sydney Fife; the complete opposite of Peter. He is crude and abrasive and a total womanizer and comfortable bachelor, but he possesses the same genuineness that Peter has. Each man compliments the other, helping them edge out their own personalities and become more complete individuals.

Why is writing this review making me so depressed?

Anyways, the film is littered with very funny scenes and a lot of well placed humor, but the heart of this film takes a tenderer and even more serious tone of true friendship and that act of finding oneself for the first time. The acting is very good all across the board, especially for this type of feature, but no one does as good a job at really reaching the audience as Paul Rudd. Rudd is flawless here, really grabbing hold of the awkwardness of making friends, of being yourself while constantly trying to impress another person. I know exactly what it's like to call up someone you don't really know but want to get to know (on a friendly level) and find yourself stammering through the most painfully awkward voice mail you've ever left.

I'm telling you; he really is OSCAR worthy here, and that is not something you say very often about performances in this genre of film.

Everything in this film feels so genuine because it is all so believable. I remember looking at my then best friend throughout the film smiling and nudging him, saying "this is so us" and it was; yet sadly it wasn't.

Friendship, and by that I mean TRUE FRIENDSHIP is a rarity today, and I'm thankful that someone finally broke the male bonding stereotype by making a film that is a true testament to the need for real friendship. This is a very smart film that mixes the funny with the heart without ever overdoing it and without ever straying from its objective. With a slew of nicely placed supporting performances (and a scene stealer by Andy Samberg), `I Love You, Man' is the complete package that will make you laugh and smile and, if you're me, cry.

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American Wedding (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (2003)

I really should dislike this movie, because the comedy is even more disgusting and base than the previous movies in this series, but when the movie is funny, it's hilarious, and I couldn't stop laughing. Be warned, however, that much of the humor comes from gross situations.

In this edition, Jim Levinstein (Jason Biggs) asks Michelle Flaherty (Alysson Hannigan) to marry him. The big moment is to happen in a very nice restaurant. Jim hints that he wants to ask Michelle a very important question, and his hinting about is misinterpreted by Michelle, who crawls under the table to do what she thinks Jim wants. In the mean time, Jim's dad, played by SCTV alumni Joe Levy, shows up and sits in Michelle's chair, unaware that she is under the table. Michelle goes unnoticed until Jim's dad mentions the wedding proposal, which causes Michelle to bump the underside of the table. Jim jumps up, his pants are down, and it's embarrassment and pandemonium. As funny as this scene is, it gets better, or worse, depending on how you look at it, from there.

The movie ends up being a series of gags from beginning to end, that are both funny and often disgusting. Steve Stifler (Seann William Scott) is often involved in many of these scenes. In one scene Steve and Jim are in the library with a dog when an accident with a cake happens. When Jim's dad opens the library door to bring in Michelle's parents, Steve and Jim appear to be in a very bizarre position with respect to the dog. You'll have to see this one to understand it or believe it.

There are another pair of scenes that are related involving a gay bar, a bachelor party, with Stifler involved, of course, and Michelle's parents. While not every moment of these scenes are funny, they are in several places, and I found myself laughing all the way through the scene where Jim is supposed to be having dinner at home with Michelle's parents.

Stifler manages to get himself invited to the wedding, and even manages to convince Michelle's mother to let him carry the wedding ring. Unfortunately Stifler manages to lose the ring, which a small dog then eats. How Stifler gets the ring back is simultaneously funny and gross.

While Stifler acts like the jerk he is for much of the movie, near the end we see Stifler make a mistake, and then pull out the stops to correct his error. For just a moment we get to see Stifler actually act like a human, and the movie turns out all right.

I watched many of the extra features on the DVD. The two features I thought were the best were the deleted scenes and the outtakes. Watch them after seeing the movie.

I gave this movie three stars even though it was a laugh-fest all the way through. Much of the humor is gross and disgusting, and the situations used to get the laughs are totally unrealistic and bizarre (well, none of these have ever happened to anyone I know). If you enjoyed the first two "American Pie" movies, you'll enjoy this one as well. Definitely not a family movie and many adults will find portions of the movie a bit too bizarre to be enjoyable. However, for those who like Mad Magazine and can handle gross jokes, this movie is a blast.

This is DEFINATELY one of the FUNNIEST movies of the year! I give mad props to the director for creating such a incredible and hillarious movie. Like many people have said, I thought it would be a total letdown without some of the other characters but after watching the movie, I wasn't disappointed at all. To be honest with you all, I truly do believe that this is the BEST movie in the series. This made me laugh my mouth off from start to finish and the plot to the story was incredibly done. I also believe that the actors and actresses put their best effort to make a great ending to the series. However, this does get me questioning: will this movie truly end the series? I highly believe that there will be another one (I'm hoping too) and I'm sure a lot of people out there would want to see another AMERICAN PIE once they see this. There are some funny scenes and scenes you won't want to miss in this movie! The scene where Stifler enjoys the dogs licking his pants has to be the funniest scene I have seen so far this year! The bachelor's party is the best scene by far... see it and you will understand why this is so. The most disgusting scene is where Stifler eats the dog's crap, to save Michelle's mom from eating it (she believes it's chocolate and Michelle's mom loves eating chocolate). It was so disgusting, it put me off my food after seeing that bit but that definately wasn't a let-down to the movie. Another disgusting part which will make you jump off your seats is the part where Stifler is in a rush to meet Cadence in the closet. It's dark so Stifler cannot see and believes Cadence is in there so he starts feeling up "Cadence". Eventually, you'll find that Stifler is having sex with... Jim's grandmother when Finch opens up the door! There are some new characters added to the movie, like:

Michelle's hot as blonde sister, Cadence

Michelle's parents

Jim's grandma

and plenty more.

I really enjoyed this movie and I wouldn't mind seeing it again. There are a lot of excellent scenes in here and the movie is just fantastic. I would highly reccommend anyone to see this movie. It's so funny, even your parents will enjoy it. This is a great and memorable way to end the series, but I hope that AMERICAN PIE does come out.

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I went to the cinema today to see the third and "last" part of the series, which kept me laughing in every movie.

And to my own surprise I noticed that this is definetely the best and funniest part of the series.

The jokes doesn't sounds old and it's still fresh and dirrty exciting. All the actors are great and the storyline is interesting and gives the audience a good and lovely "end" of a movie series that will stay in mind.

P.S.: My parents did also think that it is very funny.

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I must say that while I am very satisfied with how they ended this series, I am a little sad to see Jim (Jason Biggs), Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), and the gang leaving. Unlike most teen movies, the American Pie series actually gets you to care for the characters. I feel a slight connection to these characters. For example, I want to see Michelle again. The character, who has grown from a mere punch line into a frontman, is hilarious not to mention beautiful. When I heard that Alyson Hannigan was getting married in real life, I was a little sad (darn you Alexis Denisof), but it's not like I have a chance or anything. Also, Jim and Michelle are, in this way only, like my parents: my mom is Irish Roman-Catholic while my father is Jewish. Anyway, the movie follows the continuing exploits of Jim and Michelle before their wedding. They want the wedding to be perfect so they naturally choose NOT to invite Stifler (Seann William Scott), but he eventually is able to wrangle himself into the ceremony. Like Michelle, Stifler has grown in importance. In the first movie, he was a supporting character; he wasn't part of the group or the pact. In the second movie, the gang didn't want him at the beach house, but they needed him. In this one, they don't want him at the wedding, but he actually is the unofficial star of the movie. He and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) are both vying for Michelle's hot (but nowhere near as beautiful as Alyson) Cadence (January Jones) and they actually switch personalities; Stifler becomes cultured and polite (only in front of the Flaherty family) while Finch becomes the rude "Finchmeister". Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) doesn't have much to do besides add a little support to Jim. The film could have been done without him. I'm not saying that it should have been done without him, I'm just saying that it could have. I wanted the entire gang back, but I'll elaborate later. Meanwhile, Jim is trying hard to impress Michelle's parents while Michelle struggles to write her vows. As usual, laughs are inevitable while the characters struggle to achieve their separate goals: there is Stifler with the bachelor party, Jim and his nervousness, Michelle's dirty nature, and Finch's strange knowledge. If you liked the first two movies, you owe it to yourself to see "The Thrilling Climax". However, not everyone in the group decided to be a part of that climax. The one that I'm most surprised about is Oz (Chris Klein). He was part of the main group, something that Stifler was not. He was one of Jim's best friends and he wasn't even mentioned throughout the film. Also, he is a good counter-balance to Stifler: they are both popular jocks, but Oz is sensitive while Stifler is crass. Now if you have Oz, you have to have Heather. After all, the two are in love. If Heather was cut first, I can see why Oz wasn't there, but I don't understand why anyone was cut. Next is Vicky and Jessica. They are a pair, and while Vicky wouldn't have too much to do, Jessica (who would have Vicky with her for the ride) would be able to give advice to Jim and Michelle. Finally, there is Nadia, the only member of the lost gang who was even mentioned. I can understand why she was cut the most, however, she could have created some conflict for the two lovebirds. Before I wrap up this review, I must say this: be warned: there is a scene in this movie so disgusting that I almost threw up in the theater. I have never in my life come that close to barfing due to a movie in my life. So in conclusion,... It's like Michelle says in American Pie 2; you can't be too uptight. It causes problems. Enjoy this last piece of pie.

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I love this movie. It's awesome on Blu Ray. The picture and sound is great!A must have for all American Pie fans.

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Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

This is one of those simple movies that is so deceptively good, you don't realize how good it is. I have probably unintentionally seen this movie 30 times. Every single time it is on TV, I end up stopping whatever it is I was doing and end up watching it to the end, even though I know who the bad guys are and how it ends.

Murphy is Axel Foley, a Detroit police detective. His boss, Inspector Todd, is portrayed by real life Gilbert Hill, a semi-famous police detective in his own right. "Mad About You" creator and star Paul Riser has a small role as Foley's fellow detective. Todd is always threatening Foley with termination due to his costly methods of crime busting.

When his friend Mikey Tandino (James Russo) arrives from Beverly Hills to Detroit to visit with his childhood friend, Foley, Mikey gets murdered. Foley is hit on the head during the hit on his friend, but is otherwise unscathed.

Because of his relationship with Mikey, a guy with a lengthy record of minor petty thefts, Todd assigns another detective to the murder and orders Foley to stay away. Lacking confidence in the skills of the assigned detective, and determined to get justice for his friend, Foley takes a "vacation" and goes to Beverly Hills to see if there is a connection.

The plot is more than just some laughs and gun fire you truly feel like you are part of Team Foley, investigating the case. Does the murder involve the German Bearer Bonds that Tandino had on him when he was murdered? Is it about U.S. Customs? Is it about cocaine? Is it about expensive art? There are so many different aspects interwoven, a first time viewer is really taken for a ride.

From the get-go, you know who the bad guys are but will they be caught, and why did they kill Mikey? This film, released in 1984, seemed to recognize the unique nature of the 80s and rather than some dated film with neon socks and big hair, it seems to make itself into a time capsule. Foley's hair and clothing are timeless for any decade from the 70s to today, so it's almost like he's a time traveller, laughing at some of the styles, cars, & habits of the rich & famous in the 1980s in California.

The music is also excellent and fits the mood for each scene. The main theme, "Axel F," a techno-type of instrumental, was on Billboard's top 10 for weeks on end and is often heard as a polyphonic ring tone on today's phones. One of Murphy's all-time best second only to his role as "Donkey" in the "Shrek" franchise.

Although his present career may be waning Eddie Murphy will always be remembered for his role as Axel Foley, narcotics detective. Sadly it may also be due to films such as this that the paying public will never see him as a serious actor. Despite these negative aspects Murphys performance in this rip roaring satire on the Beverley Hills lifestyle never fails to raise a smirk and possibly a little envy. To remind those readers who may have forgotten the plot Murphy plays an out of state detective, Alex Foley, who travels to Los Angeles in his leave time, and against his superiors direct orders, to suss out the suspicious death of a close friend. Inevitably he meets up with his dead mates former associates and along the way uncovers a drug smuggling ring. Enough said.

Although Eddie is the star of the show and does a good turn he is unforgettably upstaged in two memorable scenes. The first is with "the banana man" at the hotel, Damon Wayans in a brief but comedic cameo. Thank God he went on to better things. The second is with Bronson Pinchots character Serge, the gallery assistant. For the life of me I couldnt fathom his accent or his gender, but it will never be forgotten. He had so much potential. Oh well. It is also where Judge Rheinhold makes his big supporting actor debut. I always found it amazing how two straight actors like Stephen Elliot & John Ashton managed to keep such straight faces working with such characters as Murphy & Rheinhold. Lisa Eilbacher also gives us a solid performance as does Steven Berkoff as the arch villain. A role he seems to have been typecast in to. The upbeat pumping soundtrack also deserves honourable mention. I never bothered to view the sequels because I knew they would be disappointing, and they were if one believes the reviews. Eddie Murphy may never top the success of BHC but even if he does I will still always remember him for this film. Not a bad first time effort for a 23 year old black comedian.

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Detroit cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is in Beverly Hills for a few days to investigate the murder of an old acquaintance. Axel assumes the suspect is a local tycoon, but no one seems to believe him including the police force, being semi-run by Ronny Cox (in one of his rare good-guy roles).

Axel comes into trouble with the law his first day on the job after getting thrown through a glass window by some thugs. He is arrested, and when released finds himself hounded by a pair of inept police officers around the town for a few days. After outsmarting them (in one of cinema's most delightful moments ever) Axel gets hooked up with an old friend and manages to roam the streets looking for clues which, of course, he finds very easily.

Before this film Eddie Murphy had starred in one film that had launched his name into Hollywood: "48 HRS." But by all reasonable comparisons this is a much, much better film, and it's also much, much funnier, too. What's most refreshing is that it doesn't fall back upon the stereotypes of African-Americans inherent in so many mainstream motion pictures the role of Axel Foley was originally written for Sylvester Stallone (who was actually attached to star early on in pre-production before dropping out of the project) and it's quite clear that Foley was intended as a white character. Although massive rewrites were employed only two weeks before shooting, script flaws can still be spotted the heroine of the story is a white businesswoman, for example, and we expect some sort of sexual tension between them but there is none. We begin to question the very presence of the female lead because in essence it leads nowhere. We can imagine how it might have developed into a love story, but Murphy works against the flow, awkwardly treating her as nothing more than a friend.

These sorts of things sometimes bring out the occasional odd touches in the film ironically they unintentionally set the film apart from other such movies of the genre because it's not typical in any sense. Sure, it has the routine shoot-outs but there is no romance subplot, no pointless racial comparisons (more of which would be seen in the two sequels), etc. The movie greatly benefits from this because it seems so fresh, and far more believable after all, rarely are romances developed in two days. The action genre always seems to end with the hero sending off the crooks to jail, and finally getting a long-awaited kiss from the leading lady. "Beverly Hills Cop," to its credit, manages to avoid this and the result is a far more enjoyable film, even if most of its sequences are far from being 100% realistic.

The film's director, Martin Brest, has a clear handle on the buddy genre and would go on to direct the immensely successful Robert De Niro / Charles Grodin road-buddies-comedy "Midnight Run," one of the most popular (and best) of the genre. Beverly Hills Cop works just as well it's funny when it needs to be, thrilling when it wants to be, and features a stellar lead performance by Murphy in his most unusual role.

Murphy is the driving force behind the film, presenting us with a truly likable character the most likable character he's ever played, as a matter of fact. Axel is unorthodox but a generally good guy Murphy is sometimes typecast into playing roles similar to that of which he played in "48 HRS." (being the loud, obnoxious racist who's got it all together), but here he plays someone we actually want to root for. At one point in the film he manages to get a couple of police officers in trouble with their superior but he takes all the blame, and actually fabricates a lie wherein they were heroes doing their job, despite the fact that they were all actually hanging out at a strip club. Axel is tough, cool, quick-witted, nice, sarcastic, and likable one of cinema's most enduring characters, and proof that African-American cinema heroes don't always have to be loudmouths in order to succeed as characters (pay attention, Chris Rock and Chris Tucker).

The now-famous soundtrack (including 'Axel F' by Harold Faltermeyer) is a great blend of techno-pop and electronic rock the movie's theme is bouncy, rambunctious and fun: a good parallel to Axel himself.

Overall "Beverly Hills Cop" exceeds exceptionally well, even if a great deal of the film's success itself derives from pure accident and chance. I don't think anyone can say that those involved in the production knew exactly what they were doing at the time (DVD supplements include anecdotes about hectic filming and the project almost falling through at one point) -but as luck would have it everything turned out fine. "Beverly Hills Cop" is an immensely enjoyable film, and one of the best examples of the cop-comedy genre executed properly.

Read Best Reviews of Beverly Hills Cop (1984) Here

Starring in arguably his most memorable role, Eddie Murphy lights up the big screen with his 1980's blockbuster hit Beverly Hills Cop. Showcasing the unique comic talents of a young career on the rise, the former Saturday Night Live cast member's smiling humor and charismatic onscreen presence take an adequate screenplay and turn it into a smash film. Appearances by Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot (as the trendy 'Serge') combine with Murphy's antics to make Beverly Hills Cop a hilarious and highly entertaining movie...

Eddie Murphy plays the role of Axel Foley, a freewheeling Detroit police officer who witnesses the murder of a close friend on the force during a botched drug bust. Linking the murders back to Beverly Hills, Foley takes an extended vacation from his job in Detroit. But rather than relax, he makes his way to Beverly Hills where he plans on conducting his own investigation.

In pursuit of the murderers, Foley uncovers a massive drug smuggling operation run by one of the elite socialites of Beverly Hills. Digging for the truth, the Detroit cop is forced to butt heads with the Beverly Hills police department and confront the drug ring's various henchmen. Despite direct orders from their superior, Beverly Hills cops Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) eventually change from adversaries of Foley (attempting to halt his illegal investigations) to willing participants in his uncovering of the illegal drug ring. In the end, Foley finds the murderer, but will he get his revenge? Will the Beverly Hills police arrest him before he does? You'll have lots of fun finding out...

Complimented by a hit soundtrack which features four smash hits (Glenn Frey's "The Heat Is On," The Pointer Sisters' "Neutron Dance," Patti LaBelle's "New Attitude," and Harold Faltermeyer's breakthrough hit "Axel F"), the film's action and suspense sequences play out to the backdrop of adrenaline pumping beats and synthetic keyboard sounds. The music itself provides a small glimpse in the musical experimentation of an age that witnessed the convergence of high technology and sound. In a way, Beverly Hills Cop typifies the decade of the 1980s, but it does so without being so overly engrossed in the cultural fads of the day as to be outdated and ridiculous in the eyes of a modern audience. This is one of the core strengths of the film and one of the reasons millions of fans enjoy watching reruns of the movie on cable.

One of the more unique films of the 1980s, Beverly Hills Cop created a new sub-genre of film by splicing the serious action/suspense genre with the comedic personality/comedy genre. As a rare talent, Eddie Murphy is uniquely positioned to pull off the coup, carrying the film on the back of his personal likeability and hilarious brand of comedy. Performances by Judge Reinhold and John Ashton serve to compliment Murphy, and together, the three form a relatable, "average guy" click that audiences feel inclined to root for. As a result, the viewer is never bored, whether being entertained by mere suspense or hilarious comedy. Without a doubt, Beverly Hills Cop is one of the top ten comedies of its decade, and that's why it's a definite must-see movie...

The DVD Report

Want Beverly Hills Cop (1984) Discount?

"That the film turned out to be coherent is a miracle. That it is successful proves there is a God." -Martin Brest on his own movie.

It's easy to understand his feelings when you consider the endless changes made to Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie Jr's script. They got an Academy Award nomination, but the final product is a million miles away from what they originally conceived.

Axel Foley was originally written for Mickey Rourke, then it was geared around Sylvester Stallone, who significantly rewrote the script further before abandoning the project a couple of weeks before shooting was scheduled to begin. Eddie Murphy was brought on board at the last minute, and the script was re-written yet again to form the movie we know today. Bizarrely, all of the work Stallone did on the script was recycled into his reprehensible 1986 action movie Cobra, which, on top of being nothing at all like Beverly Hills Cop, called itself an adaptation of a novel called Fair Game by Paula Gosling (which it also bore little-to-no resemblance to). Nine years later, that novel was once again made into a movie of the same name starring William Baldwin and Cindy Crawford, which bore no resemblance to Cobra. When I say that Beverly Hills Cop had the biggest hodgepodge of a shooting script ever, you better believe it.

The story could not get any simpler. Young renegade Detroit cop Axel Foley, forever tormenting his no-nonsense boss with his reckless antics, meets up with a childhood pal only for him to be murdered that very night. Axel follows the trail and travels to Beverly Hills in his crappy, banged-up sky-blue Chevy Nova. It's a world away from the streets of Detroit. Even the patrol cops look like soap opera actors. Axel's fast and loose work ethic, barely on the good side of the law, doesn't sit well with the Beverly Hills police department. Detectives Taggart and Rosewood (John Ashton and Judge Reinhold doing a Laurel and Hardy routine) are assigned to keep an eye on Axel as he very quickly discovers the bad guy.

No twists, no surprises, and barely a couple layers deep, it's amazing that a story so superficial is able get 105 minutes of mileage. The film works thanks to Murphy's cheerful, upbeat performance and Martin Brest's ability to keep it light. Beverly Hills Cop would not have worked as a dark thriller. Harold Faltermeyer's iconic score and world-famous Axel F theme tune certainly help the happy-go-lucky nature.

There are certainly shortcomings. Steven Berkoff, as Victor Maitland, is completely unconvincing as the villain. In fact, with the exception of Bennett from Commando, he's probably the least threatening/most campiest villain I've ever seen in a movie. And, as I have mentioned, the story is very straightforward. Taggart and Rosewood do virtually no police work and are just bystanders watching and reacting to Axel's hustles. Apart from one cruise along Rodeo Drive, we never really see or feel the glamor of Beverly Hills to juxtapose it next to the grime of Detroit. There are just too many interior scenes.

But it never fails to entertain and is truly the highlight of Murphy's career. Once, long before he sold out to family audiences, his R-rated movies were huge business, and Beverly Hills Cop showcases his leading man ability at its very best.

The Blu Ray sports a fine 1.78:1 1080p picture with DTS HD-MA sound and a slight amount of old, recycled extras. Unfortunately, it also comes in a cheap, flimsy, easily broken eco-case.

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