Comcast cable lists this movie as a comedy. IMDb lists it as comedy/drama. I found no comic moments in it. Yes, the Bill Murray character attempts some stand-up comedy. But his jokes are flat and his delivery too.
It also fails as a drama because we really get no explanation for the behavior of the characters. How did the police crime scene photographer (De Niro) earn the nickname "mad dog"? Is it normal for crime scene photographers to carry weapons and to interact socially with detectives? Why does the mob boss (Bill Murray) attempt to do night club comedy? Why does the mob boss' henchman take his scotch with milk? What's with the mob boss taking advice from a psychotherapist? There are a couple of slug fest scenes between cops and the mob, with kicks to the ribs when someone is down, heads bumped into walls, etc. Yet injuries are only superficial, no broken bones or concussions, just a few cuts.
It also fails as a drama because we really get no explanation for the behavior of the characters. How did the police crime scene photographer (De Niro) earn the nickname "mad dog"? Is it normal for crime scene photographers to carry weapons and to interact socially with detectives? Why does the mob boss (Bill Murray) attempt to do night club comedy? Why does the mob boss' henchman take his scotch with milk? What's with the mob boss taking advice from a psychotherapist? There are a couple of slug fest scenes between cops and the mob, with kicks to the ribs when someone is down, heads bumped into walls, etc. Yet injuries are only superficial, no broken bones or concussions, just a few cuts.