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Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that movie features young comedian Eddie Murphy at the height of his fast-talking and foulmouthed power. Much of what makes the film funny is his use of obscene or at least inappropriate language in a multitude of situations. While he is a cop, his character, Axel Foley, uses the "ends justify the means" approach to police work, and almost every scene involves him lying to various people in order to pursue his goal. Violence is not pervasive, but when it appears, it's rendered realistically -- fistfights leave marks and gunshots produce blood and/or death. Sex is not a major factor in the film, but there is a scene that takes place in a strip club that does feature female nudity.

Families who watch can discuss the following: Are Axel's illegal methods justified by the criminal behaviors of his suspects? What about the situations where his lying and scheming has no material effect on his investigation (as when he lies to an hotel clerk to get a room)? How much of the humor of the film is based solely on vulgar language? Would the film be as funny without it? Is it realistic that most of the characters are charmed by Axel's behavior? How does the humorous tone of most of the movie work with the more serious moments of violent action?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: David Gurney

Upon investigating a Detroit murder, police detective Axel Foley (Edddie Murphy) finds himself in Beverly Hills. He is put under the watchful eyes of two Beverly Hills cops for the investigation. His unorthodox detective skills reveal more pieces of the puzzle in this murder mystery.

Twenty-plus years after its original release, BEVERLY HILLS COP has not aged quite as well as one might have hoped. In its day, Eddie Murphy's rapid-fire, uncensored wisecracking was almost revelatory for a big screen comedy, but since then, it has lost some of its luster. That's not to say that Murphy's Axel Foley isn't charming. Then or now, a viewer easily allies with Foley through his unrelenting investigation of the man he holds responsible for murdering his friend. The problem is that the charm alone doesn't quite buoy the film in the way it did when it was a completely new and fresh entity.

Focusing on the soundtrack, one finds further signs of wear and tear. It is definitive cheesy 1980s pop. "The Heat Is On," "The Neutron Dance," "New Attitude," and the instrumental hit "Axel F.," have gained lives of their own as radio staples of the era, and the effect of this is obvious. It can become hard to take a truck chase too seriously with Glenn Frey constantly reminding us that the heat is on. However, in at least two ways, the film stands above many subsequent action comedies. The look of it is impeccable, creating a sense of Beverly Hills's excess that makes the film a time capsule of sort. Also, the action is relatively pared down to short but meaningful bursts, making it feel less cartoonish than a Tango & Cash (1989) or a Bad Boys (1995). That's why even with the age spots, BEVERLY HILLS COP still stands out as a stellar example of its genre. However, it is absolutely not appropriate for kids.

For further chapters in the Axel Foley saga, families should seek Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994). For Murphy in non-Foley roles, 48 Hours (1982) and Coming to America (1988) would be good places to begin.

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