Theres a new Sheriff in town and his names Reggie Hammond

A reasonable film, with a simple story and action scenes that can be considered average by today's standards. It can be said that the film has aged a little compared to what is expected nowadays.

I miss the gritty Dirty Harry like violence these days. Dirty Harry is what it is pretty much before Murphy shows up to add laughs.

Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy (in his first big-screen role) play the yin to each other’s yang; opposites in most every way, but with a common enemy. This is the prototypical buddy cop movie, except these two are far from buddies and one of them isn’t even a cop. Nolte plays the hulking, grizzled asshole gumshoe, a slovenly old-school stereotype who grunts and barks any time he’s caught between cheap cigarettes. Murphy, on the flip side, nails the part of a slick, diminutive, smooth-talking convict with his own set of ulterior motives. This odd couple really can’t stand to be near each other - they even trade late-night haymakers on a San Francisco street - but a tough case and a snug deadline force them to pull their act together and cooperate. As it stands, Nolte could only check Murphy out of prison on a forged weekend pass. _48 Hrs._ is an interesting one. Its plot is competent, but not special. Angry bad guys are busting out of prison and killing former associates in search of a lost cash stockpile. Equally angry authority figures chase leads, crack skulls, make noise and close in on their quarry. Doubt and suspicion between mismatched partners eventually melts into trust and respect. The factors that most set this apart are its atmosphere, its personality and its willingness to go places and say things that are normally taboo. Director Walter Hill had just helmed _The Warriors_ a few years prior, and knowing that, it’s easy to see the parallels. His rendition of the SF alleys and slums is dark and seedy, populated by all sorts of segregated bars and severe characters. I didn’t spot any baseball-themed gang members in clown makeup, but I’m sure we could find a few if we waited around. The film’s liberal use of slurs and racially charged dialogue is its most brow-raising quality. This ugly discourse goes both ways, paints its cast with an extra dash of reality and gives the whole picture a little more bite than your usual ‘80s police action flick. These bits aren’t aggrandized or embraced, they’re just presented as a fact of life. I believe that these guys would speak and act this way in 1982. It’s grounding that they don’t try to pretend otherwise. I think it’s pretty clear that Nolte was brought on board as a failsafe, to salvage something release-worthy if Murphy (or whichever black actor the producers selected) couldn’t hang. Fortunately, Eddie hits the ground running. He’s a natural, making most of the comedy work, but also holding his own in the heavier scenes and enthusiastically returning fire when his counterpart punches below the belt. That even footing and give-get-give attitude is a crucial factor, and a large part of the film’s success. The whole band would get back together for a belated sequel, eight years later, but by then, the world (on-screen and off) had changed drastically and the act had already grown tired.

It's a decent film with some nice stunts. The short bus scene is quite good. The dialogue between the two main characters is probably why the film is well loved, especially from Eddie Murphy, who is charming in this. I can't get past how stupid the criminals are though. "I've been shot. I don't believe it!!" was such a bad line and then he charges instead of using the gun in his hand. There's also the fact that Reggie and the cop became almost best buddies in the space of a day after they were belting the crap out of each and the cop was calling Reggie the n word. The scene where they defend each other is so out of place and unearned. Lastly, why does the Elaine character even exist in the film? It could be totally cut and it wouldn't make one iota of difference. Stereotypical ball and chain nagging girlfriend does nothing for the film. I suppose it was the norm for the time.