Downtown

My review was written in January 1990 after watching the movie at a Chelsea theater in Manhattan.

"Downtown" is a routine buddy cops film, with no chance to give 20th Century Fox a hit in the genre to parallel its loner cop annuity, "Die Hard".

Scripter Nat Mauldin's by-the-numbers premise has white bread young cop Anthony Edwards become the fish out of water transferred from the comfy suburbs to Philadelphia's inner-city Diamond Street district. He's had a run-in trying to arrest powerful businessman David Clennon for speeding. It's telegraphed tha Clennon will be back as the main plot cog.

Emphasizing his flair for slapstick (with oodles of blood and bruises that the Three Stooges never incurred), Edwards displays myriad forms of incompetence, instantly incurring the wrath of his new boss (Art Evans). He attaches himself, unwanted, to young but seasoned black detective Forest Whitakr and tries to solve the murder of his former partner from the 'burgs, perpetrated near the Diamond Street police station. A scam involving stolen Mercedes autos and corrupt police provides some interest along the way.

Chemistry between the two leads occasionally works, but helmer Richard Benjamin fails to maintain a consistent tone. Atop the slapstick and black humor there is some unnecessary ultra-violence and both mawkish and dramatic scenes that clash with the intended good-timey feel. Best attempt at injecting depth beyond the surface gags is Whitaker's lengthy monolog recalling the death of his first partner, delivered movingly by the "Bird" star.

Supporting turns by Penelope Ann Miller and Kimberly Scott as the leads' wives are well-played, and ic's most memorable role is Evans' showy effort as the foul-mouthed, explosive top cop downtown. Villains Clennon and Joe Pantoliano seem miscast and he thesps play it tongue-in-cheek and way too light.

Pic's biggest bone comes when Whitake is written out of the film before the last reel. It's designed as a plot twist, but comes off as pointless -one infe4rs while watching that the thesp had to run off and fulfill another film assignment. He pops back in for a coda scene but it's too late since he's missing at the de rigeur shootout with the heavies.

Tech credits are impressive, notably Terry Leonard's frequent and scary car chases and stunts. War zone atmosphere of the Philly setting is well conveyed, though the film was shot primarily in L. A.

OK, so it's not Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, but this cop movie deserves a look.

It's not really a cop movie. Yes, the scumbags are dealing dope and killing cops, but this is about a black cop that lost his partner (Forest Whitaker) and a fish out of water - a white cop in the worst precinct in the inner city (Anthony Edwards). One is afraid of losing another partner, and the other just wants to learn how to do real police work.

It's funny, it's tender, it's sickly sweet at times, but it is really a good story about relationships; not only between cop partners, but between the wives and their husbands.

Give it a chance.

Police Officer Alex Kearney is a keen by the book cop who's happy with his beat in a nice part of Philadelphia. Unfortunately his adherence to the rules lands him in trouble with his chiefs after he tries to arrest an important businessman who has long standing police connections. When his side of the story is not believed, he is given the choice of suspension or a transfer to downtown. Choosing the transfer, Kearney isn't quite prepared for just how dangerous and crime filled downtown actually is. Worse still, his new tough no nonsense partner positively hates him!

It's churlish to suggest that Downtown is merely a cash in of the buddy buddy inter racial cop movies, that, as we know, were made viable entertainment fare by the likes of Lethal Weapon and Beverly Hills Cop. Starring Forest Whitaker (Dennis Curren) and Anthony Edwards (Alex Kearney), Downtown is as much about a fish out of water scenario than it is polar opposite cops working together. With both things dovetailing together to create an engaging actioner that's worth the time of those who are stuck for something light to watch.

Suffering a touch in the last finale due to an inevitable mawkish character strand, some minor irks stop this from reaching greater heights, chiefly that David Clennon's barely grumpy villain is just not strong enough for some dramatic heft. However, there's some genuinely funny scenes between Edwards and Whitaker, the action set-pieces are well staged and thus Downtown gets most of the genre's requisites right. Nice support comes from Joe Pantoliano as a bizarre looking hit-man and Penelope Ann Miller as Kearney's fraught girlfriend, Lori Mitchell. 6.5/10

Here is another of my personal favourites 80's comedies. A solid production with a marvellous Anthony Edwards and a bad-ass Forest Whitaker. Lots of the scenes have an unique Choreography.

A good surprise for 80's fans!!

Simply a boisterous, if run-of-the-mill buddy cop action comedy that won't offer much in a way of surprises, but delivers a good amount of laughs, action, "Beach Boys" tunes and actor chemistry between Anthony Edwards and Forest Whitaker as two mismatched cops. One that is a rookie, by-the-book civil officer compared to the other who's a rogue, street-smart cop who does anything to get the job done. This wouldn't have been the first time these guys shared the screen, as Edwards and Whitaker had worked with each other in the classic 1982 teen comedy "Fast times in Ridgemont High". The plot follows that of a idealistic young rookie cop Kearny of a rich, peaceful suburb taking a transfer to downtown; Diamond street the most brutal and crime-ridden district. When his ex-police partner is brutally murdered in the area, he goes about trying to get those responsible but he will need the help of a detective Curren who knows how to get around this neighbourhood. Director Richard Benjamin provides many chaotic situations, clichéd but amusing and surprisingly brutal at times with its war zone like feel etched out from its urban settings. The bad guys here really do earn their strips. David Clennon is perfectly smug and showy as a rich, important community figure and Joe Pantoliano is effective as the ruthlessly psychotic hired killer who goes out in a very memorable manner. But where the amusement arises is the constant clashes between Edwards and Whitaker. Also showing up is Penelope Ann Millar, Ricky Aiello, Art Evans and Roger Aaron Brown. Generic, but still a fine addition to the fold.

"See I have this problem with authority".