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| Hollywood Homicide |
| Director |
Ron Shelton |
| Genre |
Action-Comedy |
| Starring |
Harrison Ford |
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“Hollywood Homicide” features Harrison Ford near the top of his game in an enjoyable light-hearted action film that gets the job done.
Director Ron Shelton, of "Bull Durham" and "White Men Can't Jump", specializes in funny dialogue for manly characters who enjoy rounds of spirited banter. One of the pleasures of "Hollywood Homicide" is that it's more interested in its two goofy cops than in the murder plot. The genre action can always fall back on the comic interplay between the young Josh Harnett and action legend Harrison Ford.
The movie opens with the murder of a rap group in a L.A. club. Four people are dead when Joe Gavilan (Ford) and K.C. Calden (Harnett) turn up to investigate. The cops aren’t really that into the case. They both have other jobs: Joe Gavilan is a struggling real estate agent while K.C. Calden is a wannabe actor and yoga instructor. Adding to the complications is the fact Gavilan is under investigation by Benne Macko (Bruce Greenwood), an Internal Affairs guy who despises Joe.
The hip-hop element allows writer-director Ron Shelton to continue the trend of letting Rappers be in movies. This time we get Master P, Kurupt and Dr. Dré. Other big names include Eric Idle , Lou Diamond Phillips, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Martin Landau, Keith David, Isaiah Washington and country singer Dwight Yoakam.
"Hollywood" marks a return for Harrison Ford after a string of mild disappointments. I think this is Ford’s best since "Air Force One" if not "The Fugitive". He has never been more comedic. Ford gives us vintage doses of his patented charm. In the middle of a seduction, he bites into a doughnut covered in white icing and chocolate sprinkles. Later on Ford confiscates a woman’s bicycle so he can peddle down Hollywood Boulevard in hot pursuit that is classic.
Harnett (“40 Days, 40 Nights”) is cast well for the part as kind of a dim-witted aspiring actor. Though having only slightly more charisma than Mark Walberg, he manages to have some decent banter with Ford. I’ve never thought of him as a terribly deep person. To his credit, Hartnett seems to know this and works it to his advantage. He projects a vapidness of spirit, creating an understated character who's pure and just a little bit out of it.
What really drives the film home is the act III climax. Whereas “X2” and “Die Another Day” had long climaxes that seemed to drag on forever, “Homicide’s” brilliant ending chase is about 20 minutes, but every one of them was gripping. By the end Ford is bloodied, raging, screaming and still has time to close a real estate deal on his cell phone.
"Hollywood Homicide” deserves credit for combining genres. Part buddy flick, part action caper and part comedy, it has its moments. Shelton acknowledges the absurd conventions of summer action movies seems to have fun with this one. "Hollywood" has the same breezy irreverence and sunny day atmosphere of Shelton's 1992 "White Men Can't Jump".
"Hollywood Homicide” is a fun film. If you enjoyed Shelton’s past films like “Tin Cup” and “Bull Durham” then you’ll buy what he’s selling. B+
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| "We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then question the manner in which I provide it." |
- Jack Nicholson
A Few Good Men
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Distributed Beers
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| 5 |
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot |
| 4 |
Guinness Draught |
| 3 |
Newcastle Brown Ale |
| 2 |
Bass Pale Ale |
| 1 |
Samuel Adams Boston Lager |
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