8 buddy cop films that bring the humor and the heat

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8 buddy cop films that bring the humor and the heat

Martin Lawrence and Will Smith pose during a photoshoot for the movie ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ in May 2024.

A gruff middle-aged detective (Nick Nolte) springs a young street-smart bank robber (Eddie Murphy) from prison to help him catch his late partner’s killers. Hijinks ensue and an unlikely partnership is forged. With that setup, seamlessly blending humor with action, the 1982 film “48 Hrs.” established the buddy cop formula: Two opposites come together to fight crime and, often, each other—and provide the actors playing them plenty of room to demonstrate chemistry and comedic timing. Backstage reveals what you need to know about the genre, along with a lineup of the best buddy cop movies.

What makes a buddy cop movie great?

An odd couple: The success of a buddy cop movie depends upon the chemistry of the two leads, who should feed off of and push each other. One obvious way to ensure this tension is to give each lead character conflicting personality traits. The Japanese noir film “Stray Dog,” which came out in 1949, is considered a precursor to the genre due to its exploration of the relationship between two vastly different police officers forced to work together. Similarly, the 1974 trailblazer “Freebie and the Bean” features a hilarious, oft-volatile partnership between odd couple Freebie (James Caan) and Bean (Alan Arkin). Their witty repertoire and begrudging camaraderie would help define the odd couple trope for future films—like in “The Heat,” where an FBI special agent’s fastidious personality conflicts with that of her free-spirited detective partner. 

An impactful case: If you can make the audience care about the case, you’re on the right path. Disney’s “Zootopia” might not be the first movie that comes to mind when thinking about buddy cop films, but it does a stellar job at making viewers care. The rabbit Judy Hopps and the fox Nick Wilde must set aside their differences to figure out why all predator animals have suddenly reverted to base hunting instincts. If they’re not successful, the world as they know it will be in jeopardy—talk about driving up stakes!

A solid relationship arc: It might seem like solving the case or catching the criminal is the most important element, but to win over viewers, you need more than that. What really sets a movie apart is its ability to show the progression of the characters’ relationship as it evolves over time. In “21 Jump Street,” for instance, Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) build a solid relationship arc as they navigate a disastrous return to high school and slowly learn the importance of relying on one another. 

Lots of laughs: The buddy cop movie has to make viewers laugh using multiple types of humor. If it fails to be funny, then it’s just another action movie—and that’s not nearly as fun. Physical comedy, well-written jokes, and the humor inherent in clashing personalities help make films like “The Other Guys” paragons of the genre.

Over-the-top action sequences: While comedy is important, these films aren’t complete without at least one over-the-top action sequence—explosions, car chases, fight scenes, shootouts, etc. “Starsky & Hutch” includes a hilariously excessive sequence: The villain attempts to escape by boat, causing the titular duo to give chase, slam on their brakes, and fly through the air … only to miraculously land on the attempted getaway vehicle.

8 great buddy cop films

“48 Hrs.” (1982) 

Often credited as the first buddy cop movie, “48 Hrs.” laid the groundwork with comedic moments, high stakes, action sequences, and the protagonists’ phenomenal chemistry. In his big-screen debut, Eddie Murphy is spectacular as convicted bank robber Reggie Hammond, whom detective Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) pulls out of prison for the titular 48 hours to help track down his old partners in crime.

No-nonsense Jack and glib Reggie are polar opposites, as evidenced in the jailbreak scene. In response to Reggie’s flippant attitude, Jack asserts that they aren’t partners, brothers, or friends—a claim that ends up delightfully disproven by the end of the film. 

“Lethal Weapon” (1987)

Odd couple Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, portrayed by Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, have palpable chemistry in this witty, action-packed picture that gave the world the infinitely quotable “I’m too old for this shit!” The older and wiser Murtaugh and erratic Riggs immediately clash, but their bond develops as they get sucked into a dangerous drug-trafficking ring case. 

This scene is one of the better cinematic examples of showing versus telling. Riggs’s impulsiveness and lack of care for his life is evident in how he handles the situation at the tree farm. 

“Turner & Hooch” (1989) 

When it comes to classic buddy cop movies, most people aren’t thinking of “Turner & Hooch,” but actors and directors can both learn a thing or two by watching this movie. Tom Hanks plays Scott Turner, a detective who inherits a mysteriously deceased man’s dog. Reluctant at first, Scott ultimately bonds with Hooch as he begins to suspect the dog can help him figure out who killed his friend. 

There’s little greater challenge for an actor or director than working with a canine, but Hanks and director Roger Spottiswoode managed to make the unlikely partnership work. We dare you to watch this scene without letting a chuckle loose.

“Last Action Hero” (1993) 

If you’re looking to subvert the buddy cop genre and its tropes while still telling a great story, this is the movie to see. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a fictional L.A. cop in a popular movie franchise who ends up bonding with Danny Madigan (Austin O’Brien). Mourning youngster Madigan finds himself thrust into the movies he’s so fond of, thanks to a magical movie ticket. 

“Last Action Hero” shows that a buddy cop movie doesn’t have to be grounded in reality to work. After all, Jack Slater isn’t even a real cop, and the events unfolding are taking place inside a movie.

“Bad Boys” (1995) 

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence star opposite each other in this film that redefined the genre. When $100 million worth of heroin is stolen from their station’s headquarters, the two detectives are tasked with figuring out the person behind the inside job—before the narcotics division gets shut down. 

Actors can learn a thing or two watching Smith and Lawrence nail everything from action sequences to comedic moments. Just take this clip, which has the two so busy arguing over spilled fries in the car that they wind up staring down the barrel of a gun. 

“The Other Guys” (2010)

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg star as NYPD detectives Gamble and Hoitz in this hysterical, genre-blurring production. The pair are perpetually stuck on desk duty, pushing paper instead of solving cases. But when a seemingly minor case turns out to be a major one, they head to the streets to finally prove to everyone that they have what it takes to do good detective work.

Beyond the innate chemistry between Ferrell and Wahlberg, “The Other Guys” is a master class in comedy due to its absurdist take on buddy cop tropes. In this scene, the detectives’ distraught reaction to an explosion is the opposite of the genre’s normative cool-as-a-cucumber response. “God how do they walk away in movies without flinching when it explodes behind them?” Gamble cries out, metatextually subverting the trope. “There’s no way! I call bullshit on that!”

“21 Jump Street” (2012) 

Adapted from a TV series of the same name, “21 Jump Street” follows two police officers forced to go undercover as high school students to investigate a new synthetic drug. They discover that high school hierarchies are much different than they remember. 

As this film demonstrates, secondary plots are crucial to the success of a buddy cop movie. Audiences don’t just want to watch characters solve cases and catch criminals; they want to watch the characters grow as people, too. Here, the B plot involves the protagonists discovering that the rules governing popularity have changed since their initial high school runs. 

“The Heat” (2013) 

Don’t let the history of buddy cop movies fool you—women also have a place in the genre. At least that’s what director Paul Feig and actresses Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock set out to prove in “The Heat,” which centers on an unlikely pair as they’re forced to work together to finally capture a drug lord. 

One of the biggest takeaways is that buddy cop films can be not only genre-crossing but also gender-crossing. As seen here, the women cops are just as foulmouthed as their male counterparts.

“The Nice Guys” (2016) 

Set in 1977 Los Angeles, “The Nice Guys” features Ryan Gosling as struggling private eye Holland March and Russell Crowe as enforcer Jackson Healy. The pair must team up to investigate the disappearance of teenage girl Amelia (Margaret Qualley). As the unlikely pair gets deeper into the investigation, they discover a twisted conspiracy. 

“The Nice Guys” truly shines due to its blend of violent action and comedy, like in this messenger service scene that ramps up both; Gosling’s scream alone is a deft bit of comedic timing. 

“Zootopia” (2016) 

The plot of this film goes from bunny cop to buddy cop when rabbit police officer Judy teams up with wily fox Nick to solve the mystery of why predators are suddenly wreaking havoc on a once peaceful mammal metropolis. 

“Zootopia” is a reminder that buddy cop movies can—and often should—cross genres. Sure, the majority of them tend to be live-action and filled with raunchy humor, but that doesn’t always have to be the case. Just watch this scene to see how Judy and Nick play off each other (and a very slow-moving sloth) to great hilarity—without vulgarity.

This story was produced by Backstage and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.

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