The buddy cop film has been a staple of the action film genre for decades. Comedian Eddie Murphy is no stranger to this genre as he burst onto the big screen with "48 Hours" and "Beverly Hills Cop" and followed them both up with sequels. In recent years Murphy has turned to more family oriented fair such as voice work in "Shrek" and "Mulan" as well as the Dr. Dolittle movies. The comedian once known for his blazing mouth and language, as well as his uncanny appeal and comic genius has returned back to his comedy roots in the new film "Showtime". Joining Murphy, as the other half of the cop duo is screen legend Robert De Niro as Detective Mitch Preston, a solid cop, who does his job in a no-nonsense style that gets the job done. Murphy plays officer Trey Sellars, a cop who spends most of his time guarding police tape lines on duty, and trying out for acting jobs in his off time. The two are about as opposite as cops can be. Mitch is professional and conservative, Sellars is flashy and loud, more style than substance.

The two meet during a botched raid, and end up being captured on film by the local media. Sellars for all the wrong reasons and Preston for shooting the camera that was annoying him by filming the events. Faced with a public relations disaster, the department is offered the chance to have the lawsuit against them dismissed by the network if Mitch will star in a new reality based cop show. Of course Mitch wants no part of this, and all the cajoling by the sexy network exec Chase Renzi (Rene Russo), cant change his mind. In the end, Mitch is forced to do the show by his superiors who want to see an end to the lawsuit. With one half of the team in place, Sellars conducts one of the most original and funny auditions in history. Despite not getting along, the two officers are soon on the case of a gunrunner who is bringing a new type of assault weapon into the market that is deadlier than anything ever created. Of course the two will grow to respect one another, as this is the nature of this type of film. What sets this film apart are the stars, Murphy, De Niro, and Russo have a easy-going chemistry and work very well with one another. De Niro has recently taken comedic turns in "Meet the Parents", and "Analyze This" and is very good playing the straight man to Murphy. William Shatner has a brief role as himself as he is brought in to teach the two how to look sexy for the camera. Despite the brevity of his role, it is nice to see Shatner have a sense of humor regarding his T.J. Hooker role and make a few loving jokes centered around it that will make those in the audience who can remember the show laugh. While "Showtime" is not a classic movie as it has a generic plot, stereotypical bad guys, and little new that audiences have not seen before, it is a fun movie, and should more than provide a relaxing and enjoyable time at the movies. The direction by Tom Dey is solid and neither of the leads walks over one another in an attempt to steal scenes. I for one would not mind seeing a sequel as the cast worked, and undoubtedly have some further adventures to show audiences.

3.5 stars out of 5

Do you remember those great "buddy-cop-movies" of the 80's? You know the kind of movies where there is always this "by-the-book" cop is partnered with some heavily flawed comic relief partner. In the 80's, they tried this formula every which way they could. There were styles on the genre ranging from totally comedic to heavy-action content. The ones that succeeded were the ones that were able to blend comedy and action seamlessly. Some of those success stories included "Lethal Weapon", "48 Hours", "Red Heat" and "The Last Boy Scout".

In "Showtime", it's a new millennium and Hollywood has decided to revisit the genre with a new spin. Why not partner up the old reliable "buddy-cops" on a "reality-based" TV show and let the sparks fly.

In "Showtime", Robert DeNiro stars as Mitch Preston, a "not-always-by-the-book" cop who finds himself front-page news when he shoots the camera out of the hands of a news channel cameraman. Preston impresses Chase Renzi (Rene Russo), a news channel producer with his no nonsense and attitude to police work. Renzi pitches her idea to her boss and then begins to sculpt a show around Mitch. The only problem is that Mitch needs a partner on the show and in steps "aspiring-actor-and-cop" Trey Sellers (Eddie Murphy). There is a lot heat between Mitch and Trey which makes Renzi drool. We have the perfect setup for a classic "buddy-cop" movie.

"Showtime" revisits the classic formula of "buddy-cop" films but with unique direction. This new direction comes from the reality-based angle and chemistry associated with DeNiro and Murphy. This chemistry is the foundation for the film. The film also capitalizes on a cameo appearance of William Shatner who pokes fun at his 80s cop series "T.J. Hooker". It would have been even funnier if they could have thrown in Heather Locklear with Shatner to keep the Hooker jokes going. There should have been more Shatner moments.

Eddie Murphy shines as Trey Sellers as he returns to his "delightful-in-your-face" comedic presence that probably hasn't been seen since "Beverly Hills Cop 2". Murphy does what he does best when he fleshes out Trey. His panache and "on-screen" energy has never been fully explored in the past five years and it's so refreshing to see him return. Most of his greatest moments come when he starts showing off for the camera. It is totally "classic" Eddie and I have so missed "classic" Eddie. If you love Axel Foley or miss the Eddie we lost in the 90s then you will love "Showtime". Now if only he could drop the "Dolittle" and the "Professor".

DeNiro's continuation into comedy doesn't make him the showcase of this piece but it does make him one of the better straight men in comedies today. DeNiro plays it straight a lot like he did with the gangster he played in "Analyze This". I have enjoyed all his comedic turns but I have always thought that "Meet the Parents" was his best comedy. With sequels to "Analyze This", tentatively titled "Analyze That", and "Meet the Parents", tentatively titled "Meet the Fockers", DeNiro has carved himself out a new career. I will be excited to see how DeNiro will be able to flesh out his characters more in those sequels.

The plot and scenario of "Showtime" reminded me a lot of the 1991 "cop-buddy" movie called "The Hard Way" which starred Michael J. Fox and James Woods. Fox played an actor researching a part for an action movie and is teamed up with hard-boiled and tough-as-nails street-cop Woods. The chemistry of Fox and Woods in the film is very much similar to Eddie and DeNiro in "Showtime". "The Hard Way" didn't work as film because the film went way to serious and drowned out a lot of the comedy. It was more of a wake-up call for Fox's character then a comedic adventure. This failure is cured in "Showtime" because of the comedic side of the "reality" series in the film. In some ways I liked the "The Hard Way" but "Showtime" really does take this style of plotline and do it justice without killing the film by taking itself too seriously.

I liked "Showtime" mostly because it returned to a genre I have always loved. Then throw in the return of "classic" Eddie and you have a comedy is well worth your bucks.

(4 of 5) So Says the Soothsayer.