Showtime

Name: Showtime
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Released: March 15, 2002
Duration: 95 min
Rating: 32
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Robert De Niro

2002

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 34 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 50 Ratings

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3.9

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3.9	User Score Generally unfavorable reviews based on 50 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: March 15, 2002 | PG-13

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Robert De Niro

Summary: In this spoof of cop buddy movies, a no-nonsense LAPD detective (De Niro) is forced to star on a reality-based TV show with a frustrated actor-turned-LAPD patrolman (Murphy).

Director: Tom Dey

Genre(s): Action, Comedy, Crime

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 95 min

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Critic Reviews

Kevin Thomas

From frame one Showtime displays an ingenuity, cleverness and briskness that never flags. Read full review

Chris Kaltenbach

Humorous but much too predictable send-up of reality TV and the sheer banality of it all.

Jonathan Foreman

It's a wretchedly dumb, lazy and incoherent movie that's magically rendered watchable by Eddie Murphy's charm and Robert De Niro's presence. Read full review

Steven Rea

A flat-out cynical attempt to launch a new Lethal Weapon-like franchise. Read full review

Todd McCarthy

A shrill, strained and shallow riff on a tired idea. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

De Niro seems to be reacting to nothing so much as the lame movie he's stuck in. Read full review

Jessica Winter

Should come with a disclaimer. Read full review

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User Reviews

TDizzle

Oct 20, 2006

this movie was hilarious, good stuff! Robert DeNiro's attitude is hilarious, and Eddie Murphy

1 of 2 users found this helpful

Voodoo123

May 13, 2023

In such an over saturated genre its near impossible to be original. The whiff of Hollywood schmooze is strong here but theres a heart to it which kept me watching. Ultimately it never truly settles on being a comedy or action film instead wavering between the two with some average editingIn such an over saturated genre its near impossible to be original. The whiff of Hollywood schmooze is strong here but theres a heart to it which kept me watching. Ultimately it never truly settles on being a comedy or action film instead wavering between the two with some average editing and screenplay. it is however far better than some of the negative reviews I saw would give it credit for! Light if unadventurous entertainment.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MovieGuys

Mar 22, 2014

Showtime is living proof that Eddie Murphy's career has just gone downhill. From Harlem Nights to A Thousand Words, he needs to stop making movies. Thank god that veteran actor DeNiro wasn't phased by this movie. Overall, the film was a tedious, mediocre, and uninspiring satire.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

annbd

Jan 30, 2018

Nice comedy, far not the best. Eddie was playing very annoying and irritating character, so... Team Preston yeeeey! :D

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

DawdlingPoet

Nov 28, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is quite watchable for the action scenes, there's a fair mix of comedy and action present with one particular scene sticking in my mind that involves a dumper truck (bin lorry) speeding along the city back streets chasing the two main characters. This movie stars Robert De Niro as detective Mitch Preston trying to stay cool and be serious, the genuine detective who wants nothing to do with the loudmouth, brat-ish reality star officer Trey Sellars. Yes, this is another movie with De Niro playing a slightly serious but more comedic role, trying to be patient while being rather frustrated by the other lead role, that being a rather over the top, bumbling character, much along the lines of the Meet The Parents movie and the comedy is somewhat similar to the 'Analyze' (Analyze This & Analyze That) movies.

The movie pokes fun at or exaggerates the buddy cop genre, which has already been done to death really, yet I don't feel this was really witty enough to make it particularly memorable. The story is what really brings it down though, well ok perhaps not so much the story as such but the way its handled as I found myself feeling a bit confused in parts about which scenes were genuine and which were set ups to do with the reality show 'Showtime'. I thought that the dialogue was really quite predictable and it was one of those movies that you'd happily glimpse at but could also get quite distracted from if there's anything going on around - it didn't really 'pull me in' as such. However, I felt that the movie was saved, so to speak, by the at times quite outragoues action scenes, which were worth watching and left me gasping at times. There are a few amusing scenes, De Niro has a good scene at the start of the movie where he's seen giving a speech about his profession and being very stern and serious and then the camera pans round and you realise who he was talking to, which puts a different take on it, that was quite funny for a moment. There's a decent cast with Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy playing the lead roles but it also features (in far fewer scenes, popping up here and there) William Shatner (legend! lol just to confirm this movie is most certainly not to be taken seriously(!)), Rene Russo and Mos Def, a well known hip hop artist who has also appeared in a few movies, so it will have been made to bring in the audiences based on that. Whether you'd enjoy it depends on if you can stand Murphy's usual wise cracking, loud mouth type performance (can you tell im not a major fan of this? also, for one thing, if you don't like the idea of hearing him shout *in an exaggerated 'Hollywood' type voice* showtime! multiple times in the movie, then this might not be for you!). I don't mind these roles as such but its nothing new - Murphy trying to be the hero, the cool guy and De Niro being stuck with him, trying to 'grin and bear it' - yup it really is a typical buddy movie but then the movie is surely about poking fun at this genre? ehh...it works, kind of. I think if you like these kind of movies then it may be worth a watch but I certainly wouldn't bother spending too much to see it. I did enjoy the large scale action scenes, thats what saves it for me personally, they are quite inventive and quite funny due to how over the top/outrageous a few of them are and I liked De Niro in this movie, both Murphy and De Niro give competent performances given the script, its nothing particularly out of this world but its not really awful either.

I feel this could have been better overall - there is an idea tucked behind the plot which does have promise, I feel but it wasn't really handled in a way to really make the most of it, I feel. I felt it was a little 'slapdash' somehow... I can't say its compelling viewing as its a bit predictable and nothing particularly clever for the most part but yet there are some action and chase scenes which were quite compelling for as long as they lasted.

If your a fan or either/both of the main actors and keen on action comedies then this may be worth a watch but I wouldn't get too excited about it really. Its worth catching on TV or renting if you can get it for a couple of quid or so max to catch the comedy chase scenes, for the odd scene and its good in that it doesn't go on past the two hour mark - thinking about it, it could have been stretched out longer and that may well have made it become far too tedious and brought down my rating further but whether thats a big plus or not, I don't know(?).

Basically this is an average movie, with a few good scenes but the dialogue and the slightly muddled plot drag it down a bit. Its certainly not one to be taken too seriously and although the plot shows promise, I feel it perhaps could have been written to be a bit better. Its entertaining in parts, its even compelling to watch in some parts but in others I was left feeling rather fidgety and distracted, so make your own mind as to whether you'd like to see this or not.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

jp992751

Jan 18, 2011

Showtime has a few moments that make you chuckle but the whole story seems discombobulated. You would think that a comedy with Murphy and De Niro would work....it should have but the storyline was just one that didn't allow the actors to really flourish in a buddy cop type movie. Drop theShowtime has a few moments that make you chuckle but the whole story seems discombobulated. You would think that a comedy with Murphy and De Niro would work....it should have but the storyline was just one that didn't allow the actors to really flourish in a buddy cop type movie. Drop the whole reality show premises and you might have had a decent flick but with it Showtime is just to unbelievable.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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