Showtime
Year: | 2002 |
Studio: | Warner Bros |
Director: | Tom Dey |
Cast: | Robert De Niro, Eddie Murphy, Rene Russo, William Shatner |
Reviled and thrown to the cinema history garbage bin, this is one of those movies you have to see to try and understand why so many critics hated it.
The only reason I can come up with is because every times De Niro is on the screen, we expect something extraordinary, where this was a plain buddy cop action comedy genre picture that we've seen a million times before.
However, it was competently done, realistically portrayed (instead of being slapstick Disney children's comedy) and well executed.
After shooting a TV camera, straight laced, no nonsense detective Mitch (De Niro) is a PR nightmare for the LAPD - when a TV producer wants to do a reality cop show, following him around all day, his department makes him do it to salvage their community image.
He's partnered by a beat cop and wannabe actor, Trey (Murphy), who takes every opportunity to overdramatise and overact everything that goes on as the two try to crack a weapons racket.
De Niro somehow brings credibility to the whole things because of his presence. The chemistry between the two is strong, Murphy's shtick is relaxed but definitely there, and it has some snappy dialogue and a tight storyline, but a mediocrity that appears to have unfairly killed it to critics and investors.
The only reason I can come up with is because every times De Niro is on the screen, we expect something extraordinary, where this was a plain buddy cop action comedy genre picture that we've seen a million times before.
However, it was competently done, realistically portrayed (instead of being slapstick Disney children's comedy) and well executed.
After shooting a TV camera, straight laced, no nonsense detective Mitch (De Niro) is a PR nightmare for the LAPD - when a TV producer wants to do a reality cop show, following him around all day, his department makes him do it to salvage their community image.
He's partnered by a beat cop and wannabe actor, Trey (Murphy), who takes every opportunity to overdramatise and overact everything that goes on as the two try to crack a weapons racket.
De Niro somehow brings credibility to the whole things because of his presence. The chemistry between the two is strong, Murphy's shtick is relaxed but definitely there, and it has some snappy dialogue and a tight storyline, but a mediocrity that appears to have unfairly killed it to critics and investors.