Beverly Hills Cop Review

 

        During the 80s, Eddie Murphy was slowly becoming the next big comedian. He appeared as a supporting character in the films that he was attached such as Trading Places and 48 Hours. Beverly Hills Cop is the one to finally give him the top billing. What’s interesting is that Sylvester Stallone was originally supposed to be the main character. Anyways, the film is considered a buddy cop and comedic classic. Here’s what I think. 

1. Axel Foley

        My first exposure to the main character didn’t involve Murphy. For some reason in the early 2000s, some DJ made a remix of the music that plays in the film. It was then attached to a music video of an animated frog. Then, and knowing me that I watched a lot of Family Guy, it was referenced in an episode. Anyways, we see Foley as an undercover cop in Detroit. His friend Mikey gets murdered by drug dealers from his past. Axel then travels to Los Angeles, on the notion that it’s a vacation. In reality, he’s investigating who killed his friend.

        We get to see just how Axel is when he’s a cop. Since he’s undercover, he manages to be convincing when talking to the drug smugglers. You could say he goes above and beyond with trying to nab the thugs. and speaking about that it’s mentioned that he wasn’t always a cop. So, one could assume that he’s good with what he does, but at a price since we see that his coworkers assume he’s a criminal.

        What I find interesting is that he applies the same personality switch when he goes to Beverly Hills. I like the glamour shots of the affluent shops and of the folk. Obviously, it’s supposed to be the opposite of Detroit. Showing how different financially and socially well off they are. In one way, the film is sort of like a fish out of water story since Axel uses his methods to get an expensive suite without paying for it. 

        When he meets the LAPD is where the comedy starts. Lieutenant Andrew and Seargent John try to rein some sort of authority to Axel. As always, he manages to be one step ahead of them. We see them as usual wet blankets. I think the charm that Foley has manages to change them to be not as loose as him, but to be more friendly. 

2. Use of Cops 

        I find it interesting just how the police departments from both LA and Detroit are shown. In the start, it looks like a very basic antiquated office. Right down to the locker room, in the moment where Axel’s boss chastises him for his actions. Then we see the LAPD, talk about a huge shift. The CIA has a run for its money since the offices look completely sterile and new. 

        Anyways, we see just how the use of police are shown throughout the movie. Obviously, Axel is the butt of the joke when he gets arrested when he tries to interrogate his friend’s killer. It’s a funny moment since the cops arrest Foley for disturbing the peace. When he has window shards under him and attempting to explain that he was thrown out.

        With the two cops that follow Foley around the Hills, we see just how much they don’t trust him. Slowly they start to go along with his quest to find his friend’s killer. It pretty much adheres to the buddy cop dynamic that is imbued with this film. Like how Foley messes with the two cops that follow him and rope them to his personal investigation. 

3. Legacy

        When it came out, it was an immediate hit. As I mentioned earlier, Eddie Murphy was huge at that time. And having him in his own movie elevated that status further. It was the highest grossing film domestically at that time. Since it was a hit, sequels were made years later. Unfortunately, they weren’t as good as the first movie. While they made money, the reception among the sequels fell. What’s odd is that years later, in Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Tom Hardy’s character wears Foley’s jacket as an homage to him. 

4. Overall

        If you ever want to do a marathon of buddy cop films. Beverly Hills Cop is the one to include.