This is an unusual "cop movie" as it combines serious crime, comedy, and the poor inner city world of Detroit, MI (black world) in contrast to the grotesque opulence of Beverly Hills, CA (white world).
STORY: The plot is simple, and there aren't any real sub-plots, but it works well. What's interesting is that these two (2) worlds are brought together unintentionally. Here we have a black Detroit cop who just mixes in with the "rich and famous" without care. Granted, his "fashion" stands out as "inner city," but his easy and comfortable interactions are what set him apart. There's the normal cop stuff: guns, crime ... but it's done with lots of comedic tone - an unusual blend.
ACTING: The acting was fine all around. While Murphy is very talented, the rest of the cast play substantial roles and perform equally as well. Frankly, everyone worked as team, and I got that feeling clearly.
TEMPO: The beginning of the film in Detroit sets up Murphy's visit to Beverly Hills, and it's done fine (though a bit "crazy" with an opening car chase). Overall the pace was fine.
CINEMATOGRAPHY: There weren't a lot of especially brilliant scenes here, or the sound. The film focused on characters and their interactions.
DIRECTING: I thought it was well directed, nothing horrible or brilliant. This director shot "Scent of a Woman," which I thought stunk, being little more than Pacino barking like a dog, and "Meet Joe Black," which I didn't care for either. Not a great resume, but neither a made-for-TV hack.
This was fun, different, and it showed how Murphy is both talented and able to work well at binding people together. Nice work. I'd give it a solid 7.5.
STORY: The plot is simple, and there aren't any real sub-plots, but it works well. What's interesting is that these two (2) worlds are brought together unintentionally. Here we have a black Detroit cop who just mixes in with the "rich and famous" without care. Granted, his "fashion" stands out as "inner city," but his easy and comfortable interactions are what set him apart. There's the normal cop stuff: guns, crime ... but it's done with lots of comedic tone - an unusual blend.
ACTING: The acting was fine all around. While Murphy is very talented, the rest of the cast play substantial roles and perform equally as well. Frankly, everyone worked as team, and I got that feeling clearly.
TEMPO: The beginning of the film in Detroit sets up Murphy's visit to Beverly Hills, and it's done fine (though a bit "crazy" with an opening car chase). Overall the pace was fine.
CINEMATOGRAPHY: There weren't a lot of especially brilliant scenes here, or the sound. The film focused on characters and their interactions.
DIRECTING: I thought it was well directed, nothing horrible or brilliant. This director shot "Scent of a Woman," which I thought stunk, being little more than Pacino barking like a dog, and "Meet Joe Black," which I didn't care for either. Not a great resume, but neither a made-for-TV hack.
This was fun, different, and it showed how Murphy is both talented and able to work well at binding people together. Nice work. I'd give it a solid 7.5.