 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Beverly Hills Cop
- Review Date: October 30, 2005
- R
- Genre: Comedy
- 1984
Common Sense Media says
Classic '80s Murphy vehicle; fun but foulmouthed.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this 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.
What's the story?
Detroit police officer Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) experiences a severe case of culture shock when clues in the murder of his good friend lead him to Beverly Hills. Put under the watchful eyes of two Beverly Hills cops (Judge Reinhold and John Ashton), the maverick outsider infuriates his superiors and rattles the ritzy city with his wildly unorthodox detective skills. But, Axel's entertaining antics expose the truth about Victor Maitland, a British art dealer who turns out to be the crime king who killed Foley's friend. It all comes down to an on-the-edge-of-your-seat shootout at Maitland's Beverly Hills mansion.
Is it any good?
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 luster. That's not to say that Murphy's Axel Foley isn't charming. It's still easy to side with Foley's mission to bring his friend's killer to justice. Yet this alone doesn't quite buoy the film as it did when it was completely fresh.
The soundtrack is definitive cheesy 1980s pop, however, the film stands above many subsequent action comedies. The look of it is impeccable, creating a time capsule of Beverly Hills's excess. Also, the action is relatively pared down to short but meaningful bursts, making it 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.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about 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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AGE
Perfect for older kids.
This movie is so good, I'm speachless!
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Kid, 11 years old
February 25, 2010
AGE
perfect for me
Its my favorite movie
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AGE
a good action movie!
Most of the reviews I saw were downing the movie by saying it is inapropriate for children but i wtched the movie anyway and noticed that the only real issue is thaat there are alot of inapropriate language.This movie has a very good storyline about a cop from detroit who goes to beverly hills on "vacation", but he is really there to investigate the killing of his friend.In the process he makes friends with a beverly hills cop
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AGE
HILARIOUS MURPHY CLASSIC
this is great, but has some intense violence, a strip club scene and continuous strong profanity (s--t, f--k). However, it's an amazing classic.
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AGE
Hysterical.Their is some female frontal nudity.No heavy sex content.If you've heard people curse a lot then this would be for any age.As long as your good with hearing some bad language the movie is fine.
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AGE
A movie suited more for 12+
Look. There are shoot-outs, blood, and violence. Not the worst thing. The A-Team had more violence. So did Rambo. But still dependent on your child. As for the sexuality/nudity, three cops go to a strip club. You see much exposure of the body, not something all parents want their children to see. The biggest issue is the language used by the characters, mainly Eddie Murphy. Every few seconds or minutes, depending on the scene, has the word f--k or s--t in it along the line. One or two usages of the word d--k. I thought that this wasn't a very amusing/entertaining movie. It was one of those stupid cop movies where the crazy cop is the hero. Not necessarily for all.
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AGE
Wow, don't remember the foul langauge
Lots of foul language. I didn't remember it having this much. Definitely not for kids.
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Kid, 11 years old
October 30, 2010
AGE
A funny, but foul mouthed, film.
I bought this film in the charity shop for £2.99 and it was worth it. My mum was a bit worried, because of the language used in it. It has got lots and lots of f**ks and its brothers and sisters, and a few son of a b***hes and s**ts as well. There is quite a bit of violence; some bloodless and some not. Mikey gets shot twice in the head and dies, but that shows no blood. Victor Maitland is shot many, many times with a little blood splattered on the wall, but blood all round his stomach. There are also some punches, and some crime. Thre is a strip club scene as well where you see a women's bosoms. It was more inapropiate than I thought it was gonna be. It is funny as well. A good buy, as long as your not letting your 7 year old watch it.
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Martin Brest |
| Cast: | Eddie Murphy, John Ashton, Judge Reinhold |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 105 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 1, 1984 |
| DVD release date: | January 29, 2002 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
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