Beverly Hills Cop
How is it that one of the biggest hits of the 1980s is an action comedy that runs a lean and mean 105 minutes, and didn’t get bogged down by sequels that only expanded the run times, and excised the fun? I’m not saying either of the first two sequels to “Beverly Hills Cop” are good, but the fact that later filmmakers didn’t go heavy into overplotting is something of a miracle to consider now. This is one of those films that I very likely watched as a kid with my parents (it’s actually a fairly tame 1980s R rating), but don’t remember seeing entirely. Now, I can officially say I’ve seen it, and that’s all that matters.
Few star vehicles from the ’80s are better calibrated for their stars than “Beverly Hills Cop.” It gives Eddie Murphy plenty of latitude to be a smartass, but also shows off Axel Foley’s ability to put together a case. When we first see him, he’s working undercover on a sting in Detroit which goes sideways. Right away, we see how he’s a rebel who works against orders, but cares about getting the job done. When his friend gets murdered right in front of him, and he uses some of his vacation to go to Beverly Hills to investigate, we know he’s going to get in trouble, but it will be oh so fun to watch.
The opening scene with Foley defines his personality, but it’s Harold Faltmeyer’s indelible “Axel F” theme that gives him life beyond the screen. This is the best Looney Tunes score not composed for Looney Tunes, and it makes Axel a live-action Bugs Bunny. When he’s sending room service to the Beverly Hills PD cops on his tail, or when he manipulates traffic to get away from someone, and when he’s being a wise guy to either Lieutenant Bogomil (Ronny Cox) or Inspector Todd (Gilbert R. Hill). Nothing seems to be able to touch him, even the threat of prosecution when he seems to go too far in investigating a local art dealer (Steven Berkoff). The only thing missing is a love interest to bounce off of, but the screenplay by Donald Petrie does a great job of making up for that by how the friendship with Jenny Summers (Lisa Eilbacher) is developed, and the fact that the real love in the film is seeing how Taggart (John Ashton) and Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) take to Axel. They are an irresistible trio.
I don’t know if “Beverly Hills Cop” is the most representative example of the Simpson-Bruckheimer formula (it’s hard to go against “Top Gun”), but it is probably the best film they ever produced. Murphy is a natural for Axel, and understands the assignment at every turn; the supporting cast is fantastic; the film is light and tense in equal measure; the action and comedy both deliver the goods, and feel in place next to one another; and the soundtrack- not just Faltmeyer’s score but the terrific songs- is an all-timer. This is an absolute blast that, 40 years later, still has juice.
