Beverly Hills Cop Packs a Punch

"Beverly Hills Cop" is a great cop buddy movie, but it's really Eddie Murphy's film. He dominates every scene with his wise-ass comments, defying authority, and pushing the edge of the envelope. He's a Detroit cop who lands in Beverly HIills where he's a fish out of water. Being out of his element makes for some very funny moments. Murphy's previous movie "Trading Places" showcased his comedic talents but "Beverly Hills Cop" raises him to leading star status. The movie starts with Murphy as Detective Axel Foley getting a visit from his childhood friend, Mikey, who landed a job in California working for an art dealer through another childhood friend, Jenny. He ends up shot because Mikey took some bearer bonds from his employer. Foley takes vacation time to find his friend's killer, which takes him to tony Beverly Hills, a far cry from the streets of Detroit. Foley reconnects with Jenny who takes him to Victor Maitland, Mikey's former boss. He's thrown out and ends up catching the attention of Sergeant Taggart and Detective Rosewood. Their boss assigns them to watch Foley while he's in Beverly Hills on "vacation" to keep him out of trouble. The three cops end up teaming together to take down the evil Maitland, who's dealing drugs and illegal bearer bonds. I don't want to reveal every comic scene between the straight-laced, by-the-book Beverly Hills cops and the rough and tumble Detroit cop, but the chemistry is great. Foley cannot believe the grandeur of the BH Police Department, as well as the "I'm better than you" attitude of the population of this famous zip code. In the beginning, Foley questioned Taggart and Rosewood's ability to follow one's instincts and disregard regulations for the sake of catching a killer. By the end, the cops are allies and friends. "Beverly Hills Cop" has great action scenes and, of course, plenty of humor. It's worth the price of the ticket.