150 Word Review: 'Beverly Hills Cop' (1984)
The heat, as they say, is on
I didn't see Beverly Hills Cop when it came out in 1984—I was too young. Then, I ignored it for the next 40 years. This comedy blockbuster made Eddie Murphy, already a star, a massive box-office draw, and I see why: it's funny. Murphy is also a credible action hero. His Axel Foley is a down-to-earth rascal with a badge hunting the thugs who murdered his friend, which takes him from dreary Detroit to the palm tree-lined streets of sunny Beverly Hills. Watching Murphy antagonize Lalaland snobs is a good time.
This isn’t intense like 48 Hours or madcap like Trading Places, two other Murphy vehicles from the early 80s. But it's got shoot-outs! John Ashton and Judge Reinhold play two straight-laced detectives who learn to love fish-out-of-water Foley. Beverly Hills Cop is an outdated but light-hearted celebration of macho law enforcement featuring a bad guy with a European accent.