Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violence, profanity, racial epithets in dated '80s movie.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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48 Hrs.
What's the Story?
Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) is a tough San Francisco cop who doesn't always play by the book. The only survivor of a shoot-out with a sociopathic escaped convict who kills Cates' fellow police officers, he takes an unlikely approach to solving the case. He gives Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy), a cocky convict almost finished with his three-year prison sentence, a 48-hour parole to help him track down the killer. Hammond does this because he knows the killer is looking for hundreds of thousands of dollars Hammond has kept hidden in the trunk of his car this whole time. Through this unlikely partnership, Cates and Hammond must try not to kill each other or get into too much trouble out on the street as they go on an all-out search for the elusive murderer.
Is It Any Good?
Although it was a hit at the time and launched Eddie Murphy's film career, 48 HRS. has not aged well; not only that, most of the dialogue is pretty groan-worthy and trite. The biggest reason it doesn't stand the test of time is simply that its formula -- the "unlikely partnership" cop-action movie -- has been done to death since the movie's 1982 release. Furthermore, the movie's attempts at "realistic" dialogue, by giving Nolte's character no compunction about throwing out terms like the "N" word (among others) toward his black partner, are utterly pointless.
All in all, 48 Hrs. is just another dated '80s movie. Even a passing familiarity with the "unlikely partnership" formula of action movies should give the viewer a good idea of how the story will unfold.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about profanity. How is profanity used in this movie? Does it seem gratuitous or a reflection of the way white police officers and African-American convicts might talk to one another?
Did the violence seem necessary to the story, or do you think it was used for entertainment purposes?
What are some other examples of action movies in which police officers are put into a partnership with someone they don't like at first?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 8, 1982
- On DVD or streaming : January 26, 1999
- Cast : Nick Nolte , Eddie Murphy , Annette O'Toole
- Director : Walter Hill
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : July 2, 2022
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