Review of Beverly Hills Cop (1984) by Peter P — 04 Mar 2015

One of the all-time 80's comedy classics, Beverly Hills Cop was also the biggest money-maker at the box office in 1984. A rising Hollywood star, a fun comedic story, a great supporting cast, and a hit soundtrack all came together in this prototypical 80's comedy blockbuster.

The journey to get Beverly Hills Cop made in the first place is just as interesting as the movie itself. The script languished in development for nearly six years before Martin Brest finally attached himself to the project as director.

At one point, Mickey Rourke was up for the part of Axel, as was Sylvester Stallone. Before pre-production could begin, Rourke dropped out and Sylvester Stallone signed on with the intention of making the movie a much more hard-edged piece (eventually using the unused material in Cobra three years later).

Due to creative differences, Stallone left the project, and in an inspired bit of casting, up-and-comer Eddie Murphy was handpicked for the role by the film's producers. Once he was hired, the film's tone changed from a gritty revenge tale into a more comedic/dramatic romp.

The film may be severely dated, but I still love it. It was a big part of my childhood and it's just as laugh-out-loud funny today as it was in 1984. Therfore, my rating may be a bit biased.