Cop and ½

1993 "One kid's fantasy. One cop's nightmare."
4.2| 1h33m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 02 April 1993 Released
Producted By: Imagine Entertainment
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

When a pint-sized 8-year-old kid witnesses a murder he offers to help the police, if they make him a cop, too. Saddled with this streetwise sidekick, a hardboiled cop is forced to take his new partner seriously as they race the clock to bring the bad guys to justice.

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Reviews

Jeanskynebu the audience applauded
Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.
Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.
Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
TheUnknown837-1 If all cop/buddy movies were like "Cop and 1/2," the genre would have died years ago. This is a spoof of the formulaic cop/buddy picture with a surprisingly exhausted-looking Burt Reynolds playing a detective teamed up with an unctuous, would-be-suave brat who dreams of wearing a badge. The kid is played by Norman D. Golden II. This is the first and only picture that I have seen him in and judging by this performance, I think he made a wise decision in leaving acting and taking up music for a career. Even if his performance was anything apart from irritation, I think a movie this devoid of fun and laughs would have scared him away.Mr. Reynolds has been a great actor before, but here he looks just as bored and fatigue-stricken as I was watching this unfunny debacle. He has to team up with young Mr. Golden because the latter is a murder witness and he won't share his information unless they let him do what he's always wanted to do: be a cop. So, yeah, you've got the devoid-of-manners, ostentatiously ambitious brat following the grumpy, withheld detective around and a chain of gags and relations that are neither charming nor funny.The movie as a whole is nothing more than over-the-top make-believe buttered with a pretentious, "please-like-me" attitude. You've got lame moments such as the kid having his head dunked into a toilet by a pair of school bullies, the tiresome punch-in-the-groin gag, and a villain played by Ray Sharkey who would rather sing 50s jazz than deal drugs. Here are moments where the movie even tries to live up to the silly mob comedies of the 1930s and 40s. Joe E. Brown must be turning in his grave. And then there is an incredibly lame and all-too-obvious to Stanley Kubrick's "Spartacus" that makes any loyal film historian groan. The picture is also unfunny because it's badly directed and frequently missing key shots so that the would-be jokes are not even fully registered and we have to think a little bit before we catch on to what the writers thought would be funny. The only chuckle from me came when the female police captain walked into the mens' room and nobody took half a notice.The central problem, however, is that there is zero chemistry between Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Golden. The follow-through of their relationship is predictable from the start, the dialogue between them is mechanical. Mr. Golden seems enthusiastic, but I've already touched on my opinion of his acting competence. Mr. Reynolds seems just too tired and bored to put up much of an effort. It's not one of his finest hours."Cop and 1/2" is hokey tedium for adults and I think it's fair to say it would leave younger audience members restless. And then perhaps it's not a movie for little kids to see for it does contain some profanity, violence, and images of drugs. Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Golden are not strong contributors and the supporting performances by Ruby Dee, Ray Sharkey, Holland Taylor, and Frank Sivero are outside their comfort zones. I think everybody was happy when the making of his movie was over. They were probably even happier when it faded into obscurity. Is there anything that works? Hmm...Alan Silvesti's score and that's about it.
HawkHerald I saw this movie when I was about 11 during a free afternoon at school. Burt Reynolds made a lot of trash in the 90's and this probably isn't his worst film but it's still very bad. Reynolds, looking really old, tired and grouchy, is a veteran cop teamed with a Dennis the Menace-like little kid (Norman D. Golden II), who's obsessed with becoming a police officer, after the little brat witnesses a murder. It's probably a little unfair to bash the little kid's performance but he's horrible in this this thing. Reynolds takes the kid on a couple ride-along trips and starts to care about him. The forced sentimentality wasn't enough to stop me from cheering for the bad guys. Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert argued pretty heavily in their review of it. Siskel ripped it apart and called it one of the worst films of 1993 while give Ebert gave it a thumbs up. It's actually pretty funny to watch (a lot funnier than this film) and worth watching if you have time to look for it on Youtube.
vchimpanzee Third-grader Devon wants to be a cop (though he has an idealized notion of what being a cop means from watching TV), and he pretends he already is when he is at school. This gets him in trouble with the principal.Devon must also deal with bullies. He's not that tough when the kids are bigger.Devon lives with his grandmother Rachel, a nurse who does the best she can to raise him. One day Devon goes off by himself when he is not supposed to, and he witnesses a murder (we don't; it's implied).Reckless and curmudgeonly detective Nick McKenna is always getting in trouble, and when Devon wants to ride along with him, Nick has to let him. It's not like Nick's job is that secure. Nick has an attitude and seems to hate kids, and Devon is making his life miserable. Things get even worse when the crooks who committed the murder find out there was a witness and how to find him. Nick ends up with a roommate! But maybe Devon can Nick's attitude.This is pretty close to being a family-friendly film (acceptable for older kids, maybe), and it's quite funny. There are a couple of fun chase scenes. One scene is surely the fantasy of every kid who was ever in trouble with the principal. And the bullies get theirs too. Plus the crooks aren't all that bright or dangerous, and kids will love a scene reminiscent of "Snow Day" and the original "Home Alone".Burt Reynolds gives a good performance, although not one that compares with anything considered Oscar-worthy. Norman Golden is probably as close as any kid will ever be to becoming the next Gary Coleman (there was only one). And Ruby Dee has nothing to be ashamed of here: her character is strong and has values. And she's funny. No, it's not the sort of quality production she is normally associated with. But she adds to this movie.It was fun. That's the important thing.
moandlw I actually worked on this movie (not a film).From top to the bottom and beginning to end this one never had a chance.Burt seemed to be having a bad day - every day. Winkler had trouble keeping Reynolds under control - Burt seemed determined to direct. Every other shot Burt would try to include yet another corny gag - usually one that had worked in one of his previous flicks. Stunt Coordinator/second unit director Glen Wilder did an excellent job but could not make up for the general lack of focus.The movie is a series of lack luster scenes with characters that no one cares about, spouting lines that should make a third grader cringe. Even a corny gag can work if it is woven into the story but that doesn't happen in this movie.Absolutely the funniest scene wasn't even filmed - Burt walked in while a fake gut was being strapped on his stunt double - his reaction was...priceless.I think I'm being generous giving this a 3 out of 10 score and possibly a bit defensive - retch.