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Beverly Hills Cop (R, 1984)

common sense media says

Classic '80s Murphy vehicle; fun but foulmouthed.

parents & educators say
  • 100% say violence is an issue
  • 100% say sexual content is an issue
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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.

Positive messages: The hero is an honest cop, but he disregards procedure.
Violence: Realistic hand-to-hand combat and gun-fighting.
Sex: Female frontal nudity briefly featured in strip club scene.
Language: Very strong language.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Hero drinks lightly.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

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What to talk about

Talk to your kids
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?

What's the story?

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?

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.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: Martin Brest
Cast: Eddie Murphy, John Ashton, Judge Reinhold
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 105 minutes
Theatrical release: December 1, 1984
DVD release: January 29, 2002
MPAA Rating: R
This review was written by David Gurney
 
 

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What parents & educators say

15
Based on 3 parent & educator reviews:
  • 100% say violence is an issue
  • 100% say sexual content is an issue
  • 100% say language is an issue
  • 67% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking
Read the reviews

Most useful reviews by all members

campcott4
kid, 13 years old
10
 
Perfect for older kids.
This movie is so good, I'm speachless!
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jamal67
kid, 10 years old
8
 
perfect for me
Its my favorite movie
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uhya
teen, 13 years old
15
 
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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moviereviewer
teen, 17 years old
 
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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EricCarrRulez
teen, 14 years old
12
 
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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changster.eminem
adult
12
 
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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watchdog512
parent
 
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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Cess711
kid, 11 years old
14
 
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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Original
adult
17
 
17+ and up
This movie is funny!
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helped me decide (5) | had useful details (3) | read my mind (5)

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ON: Content is 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
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