In the film, Eddie Murphy seems to resemble me in a few aspects. He's intelligent and funny, yet does not fully submit to authority. He questions his boss quite a bit. Even when told not to take the case, he does what he knows is right and does it, and of course it works out for the best. 
Eddie Murphy, or Axel Foley, is a Detroit cop whose best friend is murdered by some thugs asking about some Germany bearer bonds Mikey (his friend) has in his possession. Because of his close ties with the case, his boss tells him not to go near it. So Axel, being the wise guy he is, tells his boss he needs some vacation time to get his mind of things. Ironically, it's to investigate the case head on. What follows is a hilarious bout with gangsters, women, police, and drugs.
The filming for the Detroit scenes were mostly done in Pittsburgh, with a few in Detroit, and the remainder in California. The film shattered records at the box office and grosses almost 285 million making it the highest in 1984 and the third Highest grossing R rated film ever behind The Exorcist and The Godfather.
Another great aspect of the film is the music. During that time period, upbeat techno music was prevalent, which is why the theme song is what it is. Duh duh duh du nuh nuh nuh duh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh duh duh duh duh duh nuh duh. Duh Nuh.
My film ratings are based upon four criteria: Plot, Acting, Lead Female Character, and Overall Satisfaction with the film.
Plot: 9 Stars. Comedies are known for generally having poor, unoriginal plots. This one is actually surprisingly good. From Detroit to Beverly Hills, we see Axel Foley doing his thing with no regard for how people view him .The film was also extremely well written, with the first draft having been written seven years before the movie even came out.
Acting: 8 stars. In the film, Eddie Murphy is spectacular. Probably a solid 9 or 9.5. However, I found it difficult to draw any tangible connection to the supporting characters, who play a huge part in movies if you want to enjoy the overall experience. If that makes sense. It's 1 o'clock and i'm tired from work, so bear with me.
Lead Female Character: 7.5 Stars. Honestly, women do not really come into play much in this film. Therefore, the lead female character, Lisa Eilbacher, is a supporting character, but not extremely relevant in the film. She is, however, pretty for that time period, and is a straightforward, quaint individual whom one can not simply dislike.
Overall Satisfaction : 9 Stars. This is shockingly a great film taking into account numerous things. First, it's a comedy and it has a great plot. Secondly, Eddie Murphy was not well known, and this role shot him into his spot as an A-Lister. Overall a solid film.
