Beverly Hills Cop

“Beverly Hills Cop” is not just funny; it’s laugh-out-loud funny. Not just a few times, but consistently. It’s no wonder Eddie Murphy shot to stardom after this sharply written, intelligent film. Even 32 years after it’s release it still sparkles with wit and charm.

Axel Foley (Murphy) is a fast-talking, sharp, street-wise detective. He may be a little unorthodox in his methods but he knows the law and the rules of the streets. There’s hardly ever a jam he can’t chatter his way out of. When his childhood friend Mikey (James Russo) is assassinated, Foley goes against his superiors’ wishes and travels all the way from Detroit to Beverly Hills to solve the case.

I’ve been starved for a film like this. So many comedies depend on people being stupid. It becomes exhausting to watch people falling and screaming at each other (I’m looking at you, “Ride Along 2”) “Beverly Hills Cop” is about smart people. Axel may be off-putting but that’s because he’s clever, maybe too clever for his own good. He needs to lure those around him in with his charm and sass. Otherwise they’d never be able to catch up with him and find the clues that he uncovers. The other officers become frustrated with him because they think he’s just a loose cannon, but you know that eventually they’ll be won over. How could they not be? And yes, I realize that what I was feeling deprived of is a movie that was released back in 1984, but that’s the beauty of today. We have home video. It means we don’t have to put up with new garbage if there are old favourites ready to be rediscovered.

The film is consistently funny and you don’t hear me say that often. Murphy has this charisma that makes him irresistible. Even his laugh is infectious. His cackle is a little bit off so you want to laugh at it and in laughing at it the laugh makes you laugh. It’s this cumulative effect that gives the movie this whole new level of comedic energy. Normally that would be enough, but “Beverly Hills Cop” is not content with simply delivering what’s “adequate”. Beneath the humour, you actually have a clever detective film. This mystery Axel is trying to get to the bottom to, you really want to see where it goes. Along the way you have this roller coaster ride of big laughs and genuine excitement as Axel gets close to nabbing the villains.

I have to confess that before this film, I don’t think I had ever really seen Eddie Murphy at the top of his game. The man’s been in downright awful films, including the zero-star “A Thousand Words” and not much else recently except for doing voice work in the “Shrek” films and associated spin offs. You have no idea how good it is to see the man at the top of his game, in a career-defining picture that still holds up so well. This is a comedy I’m looking forward to seeing again and will be adding to my DVD and Blu-ray collection. (Theatrical version on the big screen, February 9, 2016)