Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Axel Foley	Eddie Murphy
Jenny Summers	Lisa Eilbacher	½
Victor Maitland	Steven Berkoff
Det. Billy Rosewood	Judge Reinhold
Lt. Bogomil	Ronny Cox
Sgt. Taggart	John Ashton
Mikey Tandino	James Russo
Chief Hubbard	Stephen Elliot
Serge	Bronson Pinchot	½

Review

The crime plot was familiar enough, with its creepy crooks, mob-style killings and bags of white powder in crates, but a clever approach combined with Eddie Murphy's playful, novel hero made Beverly Hills Cop stand out and become an instant hit. Despite its strong stylistic connection to the 1980s, the film has stood the test of time well (better than comparable 1980s action-comedies like Lethal Weapon). Because what this film lacks in scale and arguably depth, it makes up for with its surprising human side; these are characters that you actually care for and feel you've come to know. They aren't just cardboard figures, despite the fact that many of them are typical cop movie characters (such as detectives Rosewood/Taggart or lieutenant Bogomil). And then there is a fantastic cameo by Bronson Pinchot, which is almost worth the admission alone. Beverly Hills Cop was nominated for an Academy Award for best original screenplay, elevated Eddie Murphy to superstar status, and spawned two sequels – both of which were panned by critics.