Beverly Hills Cop
I always knew Beverly Hills Cop as that movie where renegade Detroit cop Axel Foley puts a banana in the tailpipe of the car of the two Beverly Hills detectives that don’t want him investigating the murder of his friend Mikey. Foley, as played by Eddie Murphy, does a great imitation of another cop telling him “We’re not gonna fall for a banana in the tailpipe!”
Anyway, the All 80s Movie Podcast featured an episode on this movie, and Bill and Jason, the hosts, wondered why Foley didn’t couple up with his friend, Jenny, who assisted him in solving Mikey’s murderer. I hadn’t even thought of this until hearing their complaint. So naturally, Beverly Hills Cop is now a pro-single movie.
The movie is a standard cop flick. After he witnesses the murder of Mikey, his buddy and old running partner (they used to boost cars), he takes it upon himself to drive his beat-up blue Chevy Nova from Detroit to Beverly Hills right after his commanding officer warns him not to investigate the murder. The result consists of his bemusement at the staidness of the Beverly Hills Police Department, as well as the city as a whole. It follows a formula: Foley clashes with the “square” cops, bonds with them, and finally, they aid in his investigation. But it is elevated by Murphy’s mugging.
One of his other “running buddies” is Jenny, who went straight to work for an art gallery owned by the villain/murderer, who’s smuggling cocaine. I loved that they didn’t hook up. I mean, why would they? Their friendship is solid, and he belongs in Detroit, she in Beverly Hills. Romance would be disingenuous between the two. Shame on you, Bill and Jason, for even questioning it, much less not being more critical thinkers about that tired trope.
Another nice point: one of Mikey’s killers is played by Jonathan Banks, who’s every bit as menacing as he was in Breaking Bad.
Anyway, the All 80s Movie Podcast featured an episode on this movie, and Bill and Jason, the hosts, wondered why Foley didn’t couple up with his friend, Jenny, who assisted him in solving Mikey’s murderer. I hadn’t even thought of this until hearing their complaint. So naturally, Beverly Hills Cop is now a pro-single movie.
The movie is a standard cop flick. After he witnesses the murder of Mikey, his buddy and old running partner (they used to boost cars), he takes it upon himself to drive his beat-up blue Chevy Nova from Detroit to Beverly Hills right after his commanding officer warns him not to investigate the murder. The result consists of his bemusement at the staidness of the Beverly Hills Police Department, as well as the city as a whole. It follows a formula: Foley clashes with the “square” cops, bonds with them, and finally, they aid in his investigation. But it is elevated by Murphy’s mugging.
One of his other “running buddies” is Jenny, who went straight to work for an art gallery owned by the villain/murderer, who’s smuggling cocaine. I loved that they didn’t hook up. I mean, why would they? Their friendship is solid, and he belongs in Detroit, she in Beverly Hills. Romance would be disingenuous between the two. Shame on you, Bill and Jason, for even questioning it, much less not being more critical thinkers about that tired trope.
Another nice point: one of Mikey’s killers is played by Jonathan Banks, who’s every bit as menacing as he was in Breaking Bad.
