I hate any website that makes a person click through 17 web pages just to see a top ten or top five list. Instead, we’re going to get right to the best.
When determining the best crime comedy movies, the search takes us back to a time long ago, known as …… The 80’s.
A review of this neon and hairspray-soaked decade in search of crime comedies leads to only one name, Eddie Murphy.
This was the golden era for crime comedy movies and Mr. Murphy is the king. He rattled off three epic movies in this genre in a row:
- 48 hours
- Trading Places
- Beverly Hills Cop
48 Hours
48 Hours was Eddie Murphy’s first jump to the big screen from his smaller screen success on Saturday Night Live. In fact, when the movie dropped during the Christmas season in 1982, costar Nick Nolte was supposed to host Saturday Night Live to promote the movie. He fell sick and Eddie took his place as host, making it the first time Saturday Night live had an active cast member host the show (also the last time).
In this profanity-laced buddy action movie, Murphy’s criminal character is a fast-talking criminal named Reggie Hammond. His role is to lead the grizzled police veteran, Nolte, to the rest of his gang of thieves.
While fast-moving action scenes drive the majority of the film’s plot, there are moments when the camera simply points at Eddie and lets him do his thing. The most notable scene of this is either Eddie’s rendition of the Police’s hit song Roxanne or how Eddie works a honky-tonk bar while pretending to be an actual cop.
“You said that bullshit and experience is all that it takes right? Well, come on in and experience some of my bullshit.”
After the release of this movie, the entire American film industry was notified that there was in fact a new Sheriff in town and his name was Eddie Murphy.
Trading Places
Trading Places, released one year later in 1983, combines two Saturday Night Live alums with Dan Aykroyd joining Eddie for this comedic romp through the world of commodities and insider trading.
This story follows the adventures of Lewis and Billy Ray Valentine (Capricorn), as their lives are “traded” by their employer, Duke and Duke Commodities. The film was the fourth highest grossing film in 1983 (and made for pennies).
This movie is a comedic classic.
The juxtaposition between Aykroyd’s straight-laced portrayal of Louis Winthorpe and Murphy’s depiction of the down-on-his-luck replacement is onscreen gold. Both actors are at their best with a great supporting cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis. Soon-to-be Senator, Al Franken and Jim Belushi making a cameo appearance during the New Year’s Eve train scene (Merry New Year!).
This movie is often forgotten when it comes time for peoples’ Best Christmas Movie List, but make no mistake, Aykroyd’s portrayal of Santa Claus is depressing and spot on, and those scenes alone place this movie among the great Christmas movies of all time.
Beverly Hills Cop One And Two
Eddie Murphy capped his trifecta of criminal comedic greatness in the 80’s with Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and Beverly Hills Cop 2 (1987). We’ll just forget that there was a Beverly Hills Cop 3 released in 1994, like it never happened.
The movie series follows the adventures of Detroit’s finest police detective, Axel Foley, as he maneuvers through the gold-paved streets of Beverly Hills.
The first BH Cop was groundbreaking and held the country’s attention for that entire summer and beyond. The movie was so popular that the Axel F theme song can still be heard and immediately recognized to this day. Some notable moments from the first BH Cop was the big-screen debut of a very young Damon Wayans, “Go ahead, take those bananas”. And the comedic scenes starring Serge, played by 80’s funny man Bronson Pinchot.
Beverly Hills Cop II gets a bad rap because it wasn’t the runaway success the first movie was. However, the expectations for the movie were sky high compared to the first movie when people had much lower or even no expectations.
But BH Cop 2 stands the test of time just as easily as the first one. For starters, the audience is already comfortable with the characters’ dynamic. So when the main characters first reunite, learning that Foley has in fact stolen a house comes as no surprise.
The movie is shot well, with the blue and orange background colors that would eventually become a Tony Scott/Jerry Bruckheimer staple. And Brigitte Nielson makes a fantastic enemy for Foley’s character to compete against.
Just like in the first BH Cop, if you blink, you will miss a young and upcoming comedic great with Chris Rock playing a valet.
The Ocean Movies
Selecting this group of movies was easy from the “crime” aspect. Obviously, each and every plot is about one or multiple crimes happening.
But are the Ocean movies comedies? Yes they are. There is a constant thread of comedy running throughout all of the Ocean movies.
Most of the comedy is driven by the secondary characters, like the Malloy brothers, played so well by Casey Affleck and Scott Cain. Of course, every scene the late-great Bernie Mac (R.I.P.) is in is pure comedic gold. Bernie Mac was a walking laugh track. There are also the running jokes between Danny and Rusty and their parenting-esque relationship with Linus.
One of the best comedic/Easter Egg elements of any Ocean movie is the jargon used to describe a con or job. For example, early in the first Ocean movie, Danny and Rusty are planning the first job. To do the job properly, Rusty tells Danny they will need the following:
- A Boesky
- A Jim Brown
- A Miss Daisy
- Two Jethros
- Leon Spinks
- And the biggest Ella Fitzgerald ever.
This trend of cleverly naming the cons happens in all of the Ocean movies.
All of the Ocean movies are great examples of comedy being deployed to help properly pace the plot.
Identity Thief
Unfortunately, these days, identity theft has become a common white-collar criminal activity. But what is not common are extremely funny movies about identity theft.
Enter Identity Thief starring Melissa McCarthy and Jason (I launder money throughout the Ozarks) Bateman. The supporting cast is excellent with Jon Favreau and Amanda Peet. While the plot of this movie is basic and self-explanatory, the level of humor in it is not. This under-the-radar comedy does not disappoint in the laugh producing area.
The Other Guys And All Of The Other Movies
How many cop/buddy comedies are there? A Crap Ton!!
Hollywood LOVES the cop/crime buddy movie. It has been a constant theme at the box office since the 80’s and there are many that are good and many that are bad.
21 Jump Street, MIB, Rush Hour, Central Intelligence, Ride Along, and on and on and on the list goes.
The Other Guys
The Other Guys stands above the rest with regards to the level of comedy present. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg both play their roles perfectly. It’s often difficult to tell who is the straight person in the scene and who is supposed to be delivering punchlines. Both characters alternate back and forth. Both characters take their responsibilities so seriously, that comedy is the natural end result.
The supporting cast is top notch. Samuel L. Jackson and The Rock are superb set-up men. Eva Mendes and Ferrell light up the screen with the running joke that Ferrell’s character is the ultimate ladies man. And Michael Keaton doesn’t chase any Waterfalls in his No Scrubs portrayal of the police captain.
Expectations go a long way in determining a person’s level of enjoyment of a movie. This one waaaaay exceeded expectations.