Main Cast: Robert De Niro, Eddie Murphy, Rene Russo, Pedro Damien, Mos Def
Release Year: 2002
Country: US
Run Time: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Robert DeNiro continues to lampoon his tough-guy persona with this spoof of buddy cop movies that teams him with comic co-star Eddie Murphy. DeNiro is L.A.P.D. detective Mitch Preston, a gruff, no-nonsense 28-year veteran whose bust of a drug gang is botched one night by Trey Sellars (Murphy), a bumbling patrolman who's really a frustrated actor at heart. When Mitch's aggravation is captured by a television news crew, he fires his gun in their direction and becomes an instant media celebrity, while earning himself a temporary suspension at work. After his fame draws the attention of network TV producer Chase Renzi (Rene Russo), Mitch is soon informed that the only way he can get back to work is to allow a production crew to trail him on the job for a new cop reality series called "Showtime". In order to make the taciturn lawman more palatable to the viewing public, he's paired with the camera-friendly, fast-talking Trey. The new partners drive each other crazy, but their mismatched sensibilities make for great TV, while their newfound fame has its advantages in getting them back on the trail of those escaped drug dealers, who possess a powerful new weapon. Showtime co-stars Frankie Faison and William Shatner, who sends up his own TV cop role in T.J. Hooker. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Frankie R. Faison - Captain Winship; William Shatner - Himself; Nestor Serrano - Ray; Drena De Niro - Annie; Linda Hart - Waitress; Taj "T.J." Cross - ReRun; Judah Friedlander - Julio; Kadeem Hardison - Kyle; Peter Jacobson - Brad Slocum; Kenneth Hudson Campbell - Cop in Gym; John Cariani - Charlie; Tom Billett - Freddy Bouncer #2; Joyce Bryant - Lexi; Rick Cramer - Duty Officer; Zaid Farid - Captain (Audition); Henry Kingi - Garbage Truck Driver; John Polce - Police Officer; Jeff Sanders - Big Boy; Andrew Wilson - Locker Room Cop #1; Marshall Manesh - Convenience Store Owner; Christopher Darga - Announcer At Gun Show; Clement Blake - Gun Show Patron; Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. - Himself; Maurice Compte - Chili; Teresa DePriest - Female Cop #2; James Roday - Cameraman; Larry Joe Campbell - Locker Room Cop #2; Chris Harrison - Reporter #2; Rachael Harris - Teacher; Alan Borstein - Casting Director; Holly Mandel - Producer; Joel Hurt Jones - Reporter #1; Perri Peltz - Reporter #3; Amy Powell - Reporter #4; Debra Snell - Reporter #5; Chris Ufland - Reporter #6; Ewan Chung - Ping Pong Opponent; Reggie Gaskins - Locker Room Cop #3; Freez Luv - Freez; Merlin Santana - Hector; Julian Dulce Vida - J.J.; Robert Joseph - Gangbanger #4; Angela Rosa Alvarado - Gina Reyes; Kirk Ward - Parking Garage Police #1; Reggie Jordan - Parking Garage Police #2; Lucille M. Oliver - Screaming Woman; Callie Childers - Pool Girl; Neil Mather - Uniform; Joel Elliott - Animal Welfare Worker #1; Grant Sawyer - Animal Welfare Worker #2; Lisa Renee Pitts - Female Cop #1
Credit
Geoff Hubbard - Art Director, Gilberto Gonzales - Animator, Thomas Dadras - Animator, Aliza Chameides - Animator, Justin Jones - Animator, Robert Lurye - Animator, Joel Merritt - Animator, Ellen Chenoweth - Casting, Alan Silvestri - Conductor, Channing Dungey - Co-producer, Christopher Lawrence - Costume Designer, Ellen Chenoweth - Costume Designer, Lisa Wong - Costume Designer, Deborah M. Davis - Costume Designer, Fetteroff Colen - Costume Designer, Elaine Davis - Costume Designer, Erik Lemoss-Rettner - Costume Designer, Kelly Lindquist - Costume Designer, Marci Olivi - Costume Designer, Deborah Slate - Costume Designer, Fred Roth - First Assistant Director, Jonathan Watson - First Assistant Director, Josh King - First Assistant Director, Michael Amundson - First Assistant Director, Tom Dey - Director, Jack Gill - Second Unit Director, E.J. Foerster - Second Unit Director, Billy Weber - Editor, Will Smith - Executive Producer, Eric McLeod - Executive Producer, James Lassiter - Executive Producer, Bruce Berman - Executive Producer, Ilona Herman - Hair Styles, Enzo Angileri - Hair Styles, Catherine Marcotte - Hair Styles, Stacey Morris - Hair Styles, John Panzarella - Location Manager, Leslie Thorson - Location Manager, Alan Silvestri - Composer (Music Score), Joel Sill - Musical Direction/Supervision, Michael McQuarn - Musical Direction/Supervision, Ilona Herman - Makeup, Vera Moder - Makeup, Cheryl Nick - Makeup, Shane Paish - Makeup, Billy Clevenger - Camera Operator, Mark Davison - Camera Operator, Jeff Mann - Production Designer, Jamie Anderson - Cinematographer, Thomas Kloss - Cinematographer, Otto Nemenz - Cinematographer, Jane Rosenthal - Producer, Jorge Saralegui - Producer, Tessa Posnansky - Set Designer, John Fasal - Set Designer, Nick Navarro - Set Designer, George R. Lee - Set Designer, Beck Taylor - Set Designer, Bill Hiney - Set Designer, Hammerhead Productions - Special Effects, Dennis S. Sands - Sound Mixer, John Fasal - Sound/Sound Designer, Shane Anderson - Stunts, John Cenatiempo - Stunts, Gregg G. Dandridge - Stunts, Robert DoQui - Stunts, Ousuan Elam - Stunts, Daniel Epper - Stunts, Richard Epper - Stunts, Andy Gill - Stunts, Bennie Moore - Stunts, Michael Papajohn - Stunts, Steve Picerni - Stunts, Anthony Schmidt - Stunts, Danny Weselis - Stunts, Danny Wynands - Stunts, Dick Ziker - Stunts, Rick Avery - Stunts, Eddie Braun - Stunts, Jophery Brown - Stunts, Eddy Donno - Stunts, Kenny Endoso - Stunts, Corey Michael Eubanks - Stunts, Norman Howell - Stunts, Chuck Picerni, Jr. - Stunts, Spike Silver - Stunts, Janet Brady - Stunts, Charlie Brewer - Stunts, Glory Fioramonti - Stunts, Mark Hicks - Stunts, Pat Romano - Stunts, Steve M. Davidson - Stunts, Joni Avery - Stunts, Pete Antico - Stunts, Chic Daniel - Stunts, Cheryl Wheeler - Stunts, Leo Creer Jr. - Stunts, Mike Justus - Stunts, Bob Brown - Stunts, Estaban Cueto - Stunts, Jalil Lynch - Stunts, Jared Eddo - Stunts, Mark Ginther - Stunts, Hollis Hill - Stunts, Robert Alonzo - Stunts, Starly Alvarado - Stunts, Seth Arnett - Stunts, Freddy Bouciegues - Stunts, Jon Braver - Stunts, Virgil E. Carter - Stunts, Christal Chacon - Stunts, Brycen Counts - Stunts, John Edward - Stunts, Dane Farwell - Stunts, Andree Gibbs - Stunts, Anita Hart - Stunts, Nick Hermz - Stunts, Gregory K. Hoffman - Stunts, Gina Jensen - Stunts, Marty Murray - Stunts, Chuck Norman - Stunts, Christine Paola - Stunts, Felipe Savahge - Stunts, Craig Shugart - Stunts, Louis Simon - Stunts, Bryan Souders - Stunts, C.C. Taylor - Stunts, James Logan - Stunts, Jack Gill - Stunts Coordinator, Alan Oliney - Stunts Coordinator, Chic Daniel - Technical Advisor, Joe Buscaino - Technical Advisor, Katherine E. Beyda - Unit Production Manager, Jorge Saralegui - Screen Story, Alfred Gough - Screenwriter, Miles Millar - Screenwriter, Jorge Saralegui - Screenwriter, Keith Sharon - Screenwriter, Jamie Anderson - Additional Cinematography, Jamie Dixon - Visual Effects Supervisor, Deborah Simmrin - Publicist, Calmar Roberts - First Assistant Camera, Christopher Toll - First Assistant Camera, Jeff Butters - Gaffer, John Hawn - Gaffer, John "Beef" Janusek - Key Grip, William B. Kaplan - Music Editor, Kenneth Karman - Music Editor, Jessica Alan - Post Production Supervisor, Stephanie Jo Feiger - Production Coordinator, Shannon Hamed - Production Coordinator, Todd Lewis - Production Supervisor, Peter Clarke - Properties Master, David E. Campbell - Re-Recording Mixer, Gregg Rudloff - Re-Recording Mixer, John Reitz - Re-Recording Mixer, Luca Kouimelis - Script Supervisor, Marcei Brubaker - Second Assistant Director, Hilbert Hakim - Second Assistant Director, Michael Meinardus - Special Effects Coordinator, Randy Nolen - Steadicam Operator, Bruce McBroom - Still Photographer, J.Paul Huntsman - Supervising Sound Editor, Christopher Aud - Supervising Sound Editor, Jacqueline Lopez - Visual Effects Producer, Michelle Eisenreich - Visual Effects Producer, Troy Porter - ADR Mixer, David Bolton - ADR Mixer, Gregory Scott Hooper - Assistant Art Director, David Sandefur - Assistant Art Director, Ron "Bouji" Kenyon - Assistant Chief Lighting Technician, Tali Mansfield - Assistant Production Coordinator, Mike Carillo - Assistant Properties, Randy Gunter - Assistant Properties, David Saltzman - Assistant Properties, Jeff Cranford - Assistant Sound Editor, Terry Garcia - Assistant Sound Editor, Ann L. Thornberg - Assistant Sound Editor, Susie Farris - Casting Associate, Norman Harris - Chief Lighting Technician, Robert J. Carlyle - Construction Coordinator, Tom Numbers - Costumes Supervisor, Valerie Zielonka - Costumes Supervisor, Gloria D'Alessandro - Dialogue Editor, Patrick J. Foley - Dialogue Editor, Sande Alessi - Extra Casting, Joanne S. Grant - First Assistant Accountant, Gena Bleier - First Assistant Editor, Richard B. Molina - First Assistant Editor, Charles R. Bunn - First Assistant Editor, David Lee Fein - Foley Artist, Catherine Rose - Foley Artist, Dave Horton, Sr. - Foley Editor, Randy Martens - Greensman, Jeane Rosone - Key Costumer, Jonathan Bobbitt - Leadman, Carlos Castillon - Post Production Assistant, Jan Dennehy-Deaton - Production Accountant, Jeff Pelton - Second Assistant Camera, Renee Treyball - Second Assistant Camera, Marisa Ferrey - Second Second Assistant Director, Grant Sawyer - Set Dresser, David Jobe - Foley Mixer, Mo Henry - Negative Cutter, Justin Haut - Production Secretary, Robert Henderson - Special Effects Foreman, Pat Huggins - Special Effects Foreman, Mike Sasgen - Special Effects Foreman, Bruce Kuroyama - Special Effects Foreman, Greg Curtis - Special Effects Foreman, Anthony Simonaitis - Special Effects Foreman, James Camomile - Special Effects Technician, Chris Brenczewski - Special Effects Technician, William Pancake - Special Effects Technician, Morgan Guynes - Special Effects Technician, Douglas Ziegler - Special Effects Technician, John Fisher - Special Effects Technician, Jose Paramo - Special Effects Technician, David Sasgen - Special Effects Technician, Kimberly Harris - Supervising ADR Editor, Al Ainsworth Jr. - Video Assist, Jacqui Tager - Assistant Music Editor, Anna Wilborn - Assistant Music Editor, Michelle Weiss - Department Head Hair, Rena Andreoli - Department Head Makeup
Its plot centers around two cops Mitch Preston (Robert De Niro), and Trey Sellars (Eddie Murphy) at odds who are paired together for a reality police show and run into real trouble with a crime lord. The beginning of the story closely parallels that of the 1988 film The Dead Pool, in which Harry Callahan intentionally breaks a news camera and is subject to favors for the news channel as a result. In this film, Detective Mitch Preston breaks a news camera after a failed confrontation with a drug lord. Maxis TV, the company which the cameraman worked for decided to sue up to ten million. The lawsuit will be dropped if Mitch plays as one of the leading roles in a reality cop television show Eddie Murphy later calls "Showtime!" for Maxis TV.
Reception
Showtime was nominated for 2 Razzie Awards (worst actor and worst screen couple). The film was a box office flop, grossing only $38 million out of a $85 million budget.
