Eddie Murphy had a hit with this crime comedy about a free spirit of a cop in a world that plays by the book. What is remarkable about this film is how well it plays despite the lack of constant slambang action and explosions, which would surely be included if the film were made today. The film thrives well on the strength of Murphy's screen persona and a delightful mix of supporting characters. No slipshod hack of a writing job is this: even the most incidental scenes, which might easily have been treated as mechanical narrative devices in a lesser film, have a delightful polished shine to them.