Un flic et demi

Until he died, Gene Siskel kept making fun of Roger Ebert for giving this movie a positive review. That's certainly more funny than anything in this movie! A short but to the point review: UNFUNNY! Not one laugh! Yes, Reynolds needed the money, but surely he could have found something of better quality - couldn't he? Cliched, blandly directed, sweet to the point of giving diabetes! UGH!

There's a whole host of movies that are so bad that they are worth watching purely for a laugh. There's even more that are not worth watching because they're boring as well as being bad.

And then there is this movie.

You know that feeling you get when a good friend of yours is embarrassing themselves in public? That's what watching this film is like -- and Burt Reynolds isn't a friend. It's just that this movie is so bad that he feels like one - the only thing recognizable and close to normal that you can clutch at desperately as you're riding this movie as it swirls around the bowl...

What's wrong with this film? In short: everything. A horrible conglomerate of ill-conceived and irresponsible ideas. I can just see the plot being sketched out:

"Let's have this kid witness a crime!" "Won't that be a bit scary?" "Ok then, we'll have the killer sing a song before he does it." "Yeah, and his dumb goons have got to like it even though it's bad." "Ok, but only if we can show someone getting kicked in the nuts a few times..."

I want these 97 minutes of my life back. No, I want them back, plus interest. The advent of DVD commentary tracks allow directors to walk viewers through their films. Perhaps the reverse should apply: directors of films like this should be forced to sit through a screening of their film while it's ridiculed by even the most amateur of film critics.

Cop and A Half is not a materpiece. It isn't something remarkable or memorable, but there is a significant difference between a bad film and a masterpiece. Although not a terrific movie, Cop and A Half is an entertaining and good comedy, with some really funny moments. With great performances and an above-the-average production (it was produced by Imagine, Ron Howard's company), this is a fast and simple motion picture. Burt Reynolds is charming and excellent as Nick Mkenna, the solitary cop who turns out to be a better person in the end, by living the most exciting adventures with the kid Norman Golden Jr. (who is very funny and talented too!).Despite all said about Cop and A Half, despite the reviewers who claim that this is a stupid picture, rent Cop and A Half, because at the same time it isn't a terrific work, it is a good and simple comedy about friendship, forgiveness and love.

Third-grader Devon wants to be a cop (though he has an idealized notion of what being a cop means from watching TV), and he pretends he already is when he is at school. This gets him in trouble with the principal.

Devon must also deal with bullies. He's not that tough when the kids are bigger.

Devon lives with his grandmother Rachel, a nurse who does the best she can to raise him. One day Devon goes off by himself when he is not supposed to, and he witnesses a murder (we don't; it's implied).

Reckless and curmudgeonly detective Nick McKenna is always getting in trouble, and when Devon wants to ride along with him, Nick has to let him. It's not like Nick's job is that secure. Nick has an attitude and seems to hate kids, and Devon is making his life miserable. Things get even worse when the crooks who committed the murder find out there was a witness and how to find him. Nick ends up with a roommate! But maybe Devon can Nick's attitude.

This is pretty close to being a family-friendly film (acceptable for older kids, maybe), and it's quite funny. There are a couple of fun chase scenes. One scene is surely the fantasy of every kid who was ever in trouble with the principal. And the bullies get theirs too. Plus the crooks aren't all that bright or dangerous, and kids will love a scene reminiscent of "Snow Day" and the original "Home Alone".

Burt Reynolds gives a good performance, although not one that compares with anything considered Oscar-worthy. Norman Golden is probably as close as any kid will ever be to becoming the next Gary Coleman (there was only one). And Ruby Dee has nothing to be ashamed of here: her character is strong and has values. And she's funny. No, it's not the sort of quality production she is normally associated with. But she adds to this movie.

It was fun. That's the important thing.

It doesn't rate MUCH higher than that, but Norman D. Golden II is so preciously precocious as to wax reminiscent of Shirley Temple's early performances.

Burt is great here, though his character is quite irascible and curmudgeonly, but he plays those parts very well. This film features some decent action, a story and plot line which is quite cliché, and some good elemental twists, which balance out the many clichés throughout.

It was muddled in that you had to suspend belief to an extreme level in order to embrace the work, but once done, there is a lot of heart and entertainment to be had. I'm not saying this is "great" or even "compelling," but I did derive some level of enjoyment from Norman D. Golden II's performance.

It rates a 5.2/10 from...

the Fiend :.