A hard-nosed cop reluctantly teams up with a wise-cracking criminal temporarily paroled to him, in order to track down a killer.
Acting
Murphy's 'redneck bar' scene invented the charismatic disruption.
Direction
Walter Hill's clockwork pacing—96 minutes, zero fat.
Writing
The slur-laden dialogue that somehow built a franchise.
Director
Walter Hill
Nick Nolte
Jack Cates
Eddie Murphy
Reggie Hammond
Annette O'Toole
Elaine
Frank McRae
Haden
James Remar
Albert Ganz
David Patrick Kelly
Luther
Sonny Landham
Billy Bear
Brion James
Ben Kehoe
Kerry Sherman
Rosalie, Hostage Girl
Jonathan Banks
Algren
James Keane
Vanzant
Tara King
Frizzy, Hotel Desk Clerk
Greta Blackburn
Lisa, Blonde Hooker
Margot Rose
Casey
Denise Crosby
Sally
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Eddie Murphy was only 21 and had never done a film before; Paramount executives wanted to fire him after the first week.
This film essentially created the 'buddy cop' template that Lethal Weapon, Rush Hour, and even 21 Jump Street would follow.
US
