TrueJoshNight
Truly Dreadful Film
ClassyWas
Excellent, smart action film.
Doomtomylo
a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
videorama-759-859391
Here's a film I reckon, was judged quite unfairly, if harshly. Although it's no hit, it's still a lot of fun, with danger at many a turn, and a worthwhile view. What makes the film work is the bonding and excellent casting of Minelli and Reynolds. Starting out very much like Code Of Silence, one of the producers attached to that, worked on this one. We have a drug buy, gone to s..t and a very p..sed off Captain who pushes Burt's buttons, not a good thing to do. A psychotic (Remar) highjacks the shipment, Minelli a hooker with heart, witness to Remar's features. She was with a sicko client in the next room, of this ritzy hotel when this mayhem went down, resulting in a score of Burt's men being taken down. Now Burt's demoted, working as a rent a cop, his new job has him undercover in Santa Claus guise. With a few attempts made on Minelli's life, running scared, she implores Burt's services, which at first, he's so very much reluctant, zero tolerance I'm talking, as she is a stroke of bad luck for him as far as his career prospects go. With the story that moves unhurriedly along, the building of the relationship, between our leads, I really liked. Minelli provides a lot of laughs, where things even turn romantic, something that had to happen I guess. Minelli's larger than life character sold the film, where Burt is just Burt here. He's done far better work. There are moments you think, he really doesn't care. Australia's own John Stanton (Bellamy) makes an appearance, as a bad guy, and it was good to see him in this, his second overseas flick, after that so called dud Taipan. It's good to see Bernie Casey re team with Burt after Sharky's Machine. On the surface, Rent a Cop appears pretty weak and washy, and this is cause of Burt and Liza's antics, stuffing about, straying away the business of the story, but it has a good moments of action, well executed in a not a half bad flick. You get laughs, like you don't expect, and it's quite the adventure with our two, where we owe most of our thanks to the wonderful Liza. For Burt fans especially, and others who don't enjoy a not so bad action flick. Love the instrumental theme song.
jessegehrig
Why did some one hire Liza Minnelli? Did they not think she she would show up? Was it a prank phone call that backfired horribly? These are the key questions that lie at the heart of Rent-A-Cop. Surely Ms. Minnelli wasn't hired for her looks or talent, so why did she end up on film? Her acting reminds one of the dangers of coke addiction. Hey and can you believe it, Burt Reynolds shows up in this movie too, I think he might even play the lead role as Detective Bandit, the Trans Am is in the shop. A human is given a writing credit for this movie which must be a typo, also Bobby Benson appears as the voice of the Beast for Disney's Beauty And The Beast, although he has to dress like a human in Rent-A-Cop, I guess Disney wouldn't let Benson wear the costume, something about copyright law.
Andreas
I love the music score, the relaxed jokes and the expected turns in the story. I have no idea how it did in 1987, but it is among my favorite cop comedies from the period. A little rip of off Beverly Hills Cop but I'm able to forgive them. It is among those I go back to watch again when I have forgotten it.The worst thing about it is the villains. None of them go down in history. No special features to mention on the DVD I got, which is crappy. However, I believe they could have created a lasting DVD audience if they had invested a little in the extra quality features.You can probably drop buying it if you're not likely to enjoy the genre, Minelli or Reynolds. If you can rent/borrow it cheap and are able to enjoy simple action/comedy from the eighties then pop the corn, relax and enjoy.
jotix100
This 1988 movie was shown recently on a cable channel. We wanted to see another film, which supposedly was starting, but because a mix up, Rent-a-Cop, was shown in that time slot. Never having seen it when it was commercially released, we took a chance at it. Bad decision.One wonders what possessed the people behind the picture to go ahead with "Rent-a-Cop", or how they sold it to the studio behind the distribution. It appears this movie misfired big time. This film doesn't add anything new to its genre. It's totally predictable, as once the basic premise is shown, we know how it will end.Burt Reynolds plays a wooden Church. This actor can do better, but who knows what was going on behind the scenes, or perhaps the direction given to him by Jerry London, had the opposite effect. Mr. Reynolds has one expression throughout the movie. He just doesn't register any emotion at all.Lisa Minnelli, as the hooker who witnessed the original slaughter at the Chicago hotel, makes no sense at all. The romance between her Della and Church seems phony from the beginning. She and Mr. Reynolds play one dimensional characters.Don't waste your time with this turkey.
