Beverly Hills Cop is a strange one in terms of how it is ranked alongside other 80s movies. If you do a quick Google search of ‘Best 80s Movies’, the majority of lists (Rolling Stone and Time Out, for example) don’t even include it in their Top 50, 80 or 100. Conversely, Empire Magazine rates it ridiculously high at #16, which just seems insane. Then, when you look at Rotten Tomatoes, it narrowly misses out on the Top 100 by one spot. All this leads me to believe that Beverly Hills Cop is simply more loved by British critics than American critics, which is also weird because I oddly find myself in the more apathetic US camp of ‘this movie is okay’.
Growing up, I feel like I was coaxed into believing this classic comedy was more beloved than it actually is, and therefore it just felt like something I should make a note of here. Starring Eddie Murphy in one of his most famous roles as Axel Foley, we see his best friend murdered in cold blood outside his apartment. When his boss forces him to take a leave of absence to deal with his loss, Foley instead turns his attention to solving the murder himself and follows the trail to California where he finds some new (and old) friends to help him.
Before we get started, you’re telling me Sylvester Stallone was supposed to play Axel Foley? Sylvester Stallone?! Thank God that didn’t happen.
As we’ve already established, Beverly Hills Cop is generally regarded as a “classic”, right? I mean, I do understand… partially. In 1984, it was still kind of “new age-y” to see an African American man lead a movie, and playing a police officer nonetheless. I get that part. And Eddie Murphy is the sole reason that this film is as good as it is. And yet I can’t help but feel (as a first time viewer) that the admiration for this movie is rooted in nostalgia over actual substance, especially by British audiences, apparently.
Sure, there are really good things about it. The script – edited and often improvised by Murphy himself – is often laugh-out-loud funny, and some of the physical comedy is genuinely some of the funniest I’ve seen. Aside from the film’s star, the pitch perfect soundtrack stands out as one of the best I’ve heard in recent times (Rick James! Patti LaBelle! The Pointer Sisters!), but still, the plot and pacing are still pretty average, especially since the story is just a regular comedy buddy cop movie when it comes down to it. Surely I can’t be the only one who sees that? What am I missing?
Yes, this is a movie that is clearly of its time in more ways than one. For instance, if this movie was to be remade today, there’d be a much more “family friendly” feel to it (although I’m not saying that would be a good thing) and there for sure wouldn’t be any blasé homophobia thrown in (which actually would be a good thing). This only adds to the idea that the love of this movie is a nostalgia thing, if you ask me.
Anyway, did I enjoy this film? Yes – it’s (mostly) entertaining. But did I love this film? Sadly, no. Whilst Murphy is at his peak in this one, I just fail to see why it is so highly thought of today. As I said, I’m firmly in the American critics’ camp this time.
Beverly Hills Cop is currently available to stream on Sky Cinema, Now TV and Paramount+ in the UK.
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Overall Enjoyability Rating: ½
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