Showtime (2002)

IMDb plot summary: A spoof of buddy cop movies where two very different cops are forced to team up on a new reality based television cop show, while tracking down the manufacturer and distributor of an illegally made semi-automatic firearm.

Directed by Tom Dey. Starring Robert De Niro, Eddie Murphy, and Rene Russo.

Showtime is a 2002 buddy cop comedy starring Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy. De Niro is the tough guy detective who's good at his job and takes nothing from nobody, while Murphy is a cop with a secret dream of breaking into show business. They end up being paired together as perfect unlikely partners for a new reality TV show about police life, and while Murphy is thrilled to get his big break, De Niro finds the whole thing demeaning. This plays out exactly how you think it will. De Niro and Murphy are both likable and surprisingly understated -- their character tropes are clear but not played to the point of caricature. The central mystery is pretty bland, but it's just a vehicle to get these two to work together. The movie does a fun job of playing with the idea of reality shows and how their attempts at "authenticity" are just as staged as anything scripted, and watching De Niro push back on that is pretty satisfying. Overall, it's enjoyable if immediately forgettable.

How it entered my Flickchart:

Showtime > Fahrenheit 451

Showtime < The Black Cat

Showtime < Furlough

Showtime > Source Code

Showtime > The Recruit

Showtime < The Chorus

Showtime > Toy Story 2

Showtime < VeggieTales: Esther, the Girl Who Became Queen

Showtime < Were the World Mine

Showtime < Interview With the Vampire

Showtime < Captains Courageous

Showtime > Radio Days

Final spot: #1430 out of 3591, or 60%.