Review of Hollywood Homicide (2003) by William R — 06 Feb 2015

Written and directed by Ron Shelton (Bull Durham (1988), White Men Can't Jump (1992) and Tin Cup (1996)), this action comedy originally started out life with former policeman Robert Souza, who worked with Shelton on Dark Blue (2002), when Shelton heard that Souza moonlighted as an estate agent, he thought it was a good idea, and used Souza's life as a subplot here.

Shame it's all derivative. Sergeant Joe Gavilan (Harrison Ford) worked for the LAPD, but is finally stuggling, so he has a side job as a real estate agent, his partner is the much younger K.C. Calden (Josh Hartnett), who has aspirations of becoming a successful actor.

Gavilan and Calden are assigned to investigate the murders of all 4 members of rap group H2OClick. Their investigation takes them to H2OClick's manager Antoine Sartain (Isaiah Washington), who has something to hide.

Plus, Internal Affairs Lieutenant Benny Macko (Bruce Greenwood) seems to be on Gavilan and Calden's case all the time, then the pair make a shocking discovery. It should have been a good film, but all this ends up being is a poor man's Lethal Weapon, the comedy doesn't work, there's too much shouting, a lot of celebrity cameos and a stew of half-baked ideas.

Which is a shame. Plus Ford and Hartnett reportedly didn't get along during the shoot, and it shows during the film.