Why must I fall for these scrappily put together teen flicks? The
obvious explanation would be that I am a teenager and I’m supposed
to like them. But that’s not true; I hated Bad Company,
Mr. Deeds, and Men in Black II, unlike
every other person my age on the planet. I don’t know why I liked
Showtime, it wasn’t even funny for me; I giggled a
couple of times and that’s about it. I guess Robert DeNiro and Eddie
Murphy are just a match made in heaven; their differences,
physically and emotionally, just seem to converge and create
wonderful conflict on the screen. I wouldn’t trade this for anything
else on a Friday night, its very entertaining and fulfills my
comedic needs.
Mitch is a top detective for the Los
Angeles Police Department. Trey is a part-time actor and cop in
training. How in the world do they come together and make the best
out of their strange acquaintance? What did you think? Television!
One night across the street from a Mini-Mart, Mitch (Robert DeNiro)
is undercover with his partner investigating an illegal seller of
firearms, and less importantly; televisions (their cover during the
daytime). Trey, the police man in training is playing video games
across the street at the Mini-Mart. In hopes of scoring some points
with the police department and not knowing that Mitch is a cop
himself, he suspects something fishy and decides to investigate the
crime-scene. He signals in for backup on his radio, on a count of a
“potential” 4/11 in progress; again too stupid to figure out that
the local news station is listening in on police radio transactions.
When the news helicopters and police cars are hovering over and
around the illegal store the salesman automatically blame their
appearance upon Mitch and his partner; without thinking that someone
else could be looking in on their mischievous work. This triggers
anger, causing a brigade of bullets to fly through the air. Mitch
and his fellow cop make it out alive, but are very unhappy to see
that reporters and camera-men are at the scene. Mitch proceeds to
shoot one of the cameras lenses out in hopes that the newsmen will
leave; without thinking about the trouble that it might cause in
later days.
Right now you probably have the idea in
your head that this is some shoot ‘em up crime flick. Just wait; the
next paragraph explains where the comedy is born.
So anyways, Mitch knew that the bullet to
the lens would cause trouble in later days (only after he did it)
and it does; you can bet your life that it does. A television
network starving for a good story threatens to sue the police
department for endangering the camera-mans life, unless... Unless
Mitch and Trey team up and shoot a series of half-reality, half
studio-done television shows for their station. As we already know
from their bold personalities; Trey can’t wait, but Mitch is
incredibly reluctant to do so. When the show starts shooting, they
discover that Trey is a natural born star, and well, you know what
Mitch is. But as real life unravels, they become one of the best of
duos, that are incredibly entertaining to watch. This movie brings
humor in places you’d never think to look. Even though a widely used
genre, Murphy and DeNiro make the two-cop trip their own, and might
I mention very fun to watch.
Showtime is just great,
warm-hearted fun; hands down. Robert DeNiro and Eddie Murphy are an
infallible pair that I hope work together in the future. What makes
this so ideal is its simplicity. Much like My Big Fat Greek
Wedding you can just watch it, like it and appreciate it with no
thinking involved. This film makes a fun and entertaining Friday
night.
-Danny, Bucket Reviews