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Chevy Chase's family comedy "Cops and Robbersons" might have been made during the period where his box-office success was in a rapid decline (as this was somewhat a flop and the previous two before it), but I've always have a soft spot for this professional looking, but farcical comedy outing and that was mainly for the amusingly dry performance of Jack Palance as a weathered detective.

Norman Robberson is a mild-mannered accountant who spends his free time watching TV cop shows. Soon enough he's living that life, when detective Jack Stone and his partner use his house as a stakeout to watch his neighbour that's a dangerous counterfeiter. Stone then finds himself caught up with the family and Norman's cop show obsession could just endanger the whole operation.

As much as I enjoy watching a Chevy Chase film, it does pale in comparison to his early work but watching it again it surprised me how well it actually stood up. While not overly funny, it kept me watching. Teaming up again with Michael Ritchie the director of his smash 1985 hit "Fletch", Ritchie and Chase might not have the luxury of that smart script, but "Cops and Robbersons" is still sprightly written with the odd witty remark and amusing depictions of middle class suburbia. It's a typical formula, but it raises some inspired shenanigans if growing a little repetitive with its choices. Thinking about it, there was probably just not enough humour there or effectively brought across. It's madcap, accidental gags relying more so on the psychical and visuals with comical interactions between the dysfunctional characters. Ritchie's direction is straight-up, competently tidy with a slick streamline to it and having confidence in his timing.

The cast balances out quite nicely. Chase gives his usual quick-on-the-feet performance, while alongside him Palance superbly grits his teeth. Dianne West is equally good with a level-head turn and Robert Davi suitably goes with a mock serious approach in a pigeon hold villain role. There's decent support by David Barry Gray, Jason James Richter, Fay Masterson, Miko Hughes and Richard Romanus.

Following the utter failure of his TV show, Chevy Chase began a long stretch of embarrassing roles. First off, he starred in this ridiculous - if cute - story of some cops hiding out with a suburban family to catch a criminal. The whole movie is all about gags; if you like that, then this is the movie for you (I will say that the whole sequence where the cops first meet the family is pretty funny). But if you like really creative humor, then you'll probably want to avoid "Cops and Robbersons". Chase, Jack Palance and Dianne Wiest probably want to downplay their participation in this idiocy. And to think that Michael Ritchie also directed such greats as "The Candidate".

I accidentally fell upon a showing of this comedy on a night show on TV, and was immediately drawn into the films parody music. I got a good feeling for what's worth to watch. But I had never heard about the movie before. And boy, was I right.

I looked this up on IMDb, after watching what I thought was a charming and hilarious movie, and was baffled about a score of 4,7. I understand this film didn't hit the right spots back in 1994, but I'll tell you: That was wrong then, and it's wrong now. If it felt was right to bash this back in 1994, this is still what should be considered as a gem now.

The film is a typical Chevy Case movie from the 80'ies and 90'ies. It's almost like the Fletch movies or the National Lampoon's best vacation movies. But then, it's also Fletch- director Michael Ritchie. What's worse; this is rated at Ritchie's worst movie. Well, it's so wrong! I laughed way more then I have in many recent movies.

Here Chase is doing a great job of a cops and robbers story, where Chase's strange family, called the Robbersons, is encountered by and awful lot of challenges, as he is when on his best. Jack Palance is great as the old "Dr. Jeckyll and Mister Hyde"-detective, and so is Robert Davi as the scaring and dangerous Osborn, which is staked out from Robbersons house, as their new neighbor. Diane Weist is lovely naive is the wife, and the kids are also great, with extra kudos to Miko Hughes as the youngest son with a Dracula-mania. He is so funny!

This film is stupidly funny. It's silly, and it gets sillier the longer into the film you get, In the good way. It's charming, with hitchcockian mystery music, it's well played, an it's funny without full of foul language, being harassing or embarrassing the wrong way, like many comedies do now.This is plain funny, with stupid persons, which is all quite lovable. In style of "Dumb and dumber" I recommend this for the whole family.

Chevy chase and jack "i'll take any role for the money" palance. When counterfeiters move into the hood, cops jake and tony (palance, gray) move in with the robberson family (chevy chase, diane wiest) to keep an eye on the crooks next door. Unless norm goofs it all up with his stumbling and bumbling. The stuff that made chase's career. It's all very okay. Pretty silly stuff. Really drags in the middle. They kind of ran out of material. Keep an eye out for the cook in the diner..... that's telly savalas' brother. Emmet walsh plays captain corbett. Walsh was hilarious in "what's up doc?". Story by bernie somers. Directed by michael ritchie, who is quoted as saying " i have no interest in directing. I'd be a bad director." and then directed 38 films. One of those was the awesome "fletch", also starring chevy chase!

This is a truly funny film that the whole family can watch, and enjoy. Amazing! Mom cooks enough food for a White House reception, the kids are mostly normal except the youngest, who is channeling Bela Lugosi as Dracula, and Dad can't get a bagel without cream cheese on it. The cops are standard film cops except that Jack Palance is even more overpowering than usual. His best line (you have to be there) is "Never throw a cat at me again." He never yells, although he has plentiful provocation. This is refreshing; we laughed through the whole movie.