Review of Hollywood Homicide (2003) by Ryan B — 20 Jan 2014

Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett are not to blame for this. Their characters suck, and the writing is worse. Nothing remotely funny happens in the first half of the movie, as a straightforward murder case it set up.

If the filmmakers want us to take this seriously, then why spell everything out right up front. On the other hand, if they are shooting for comical, they flat out missed. Are we supposed to think two cops working part-time jobs on the side while on duty during a serious case is funny? The second jobs of real-estate agent and part time yoga instructor and aspiring actor do not enrich the story, nor do they help crack the case .

They do not even contribute any amusing laughs. Things seem to pick up, and then it loses all credibility when they go to Ford's psychic girlfriend to locate the murder. The only thing worse than this is that it works! The ending is a long chase sequence that is funny and entertaining, but payoff is not there.

It is just not clear whether this movie intends to be serious police mystery or playful action comedy, either way it fails at both. I can excuse Hartnett for taking this movie, but Harrison Ford is above this kind of work.

He has a legacy to protect and disappointments like this tarnish it.