Showtime (film)

Showtime

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2002 (2002)
Founder	Tom Dey (director)
Headquarters	United States
Products	Action-comedy film

Showtime is a 2002 American action-comedy film centered on a buddy cop duo, directed by Tom Dey. The movie features performances by Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy, alongside Rene Russo, William Shatner, and De Niro's daughter, Drena De Niro. Released on March 15, 2002, the film did not meet financial expectations, earning $77.7 million worldwide against an $85 million production budget. Critics largely panned the film for its lackluster humor and unsuccessful parody of the buddy cop genre. It received two Golden Raspberry Award nominations: Worst Actor for Murphy and Worst Screen Combo for the pairing of Murphy and De Niro.

Plot

Detective Mitch Preston and Officer Trey Sellars, both members of the LAPD, are teamed up to star in a reality television show about police work after Mitch accidentally damages a news camera during a failed drug bust. Facing a potential $10 million lawsuit from the network, Mitch agrees to participate in the show, which Trey names Showtime!.

Trey dreams of becoming both an actor and detective, impressing producer Chase Renzi despite orchestrating a fake purse-snatching event. The show's creators prioritize entertainment value over realism, converting the police precinct into a film set, replacing Mitch’s standard vehicle with a Humvee, and bringing in William Shatner as their coach. While Mitch remains skeptical and irritated by these changes, Trey fully embraces his role.

Their investigation into a custom-made supergun connected to arms trafficker Caesar Vargas involves deception to expose Vargas’s operations. Following a nightclub altercation, they successfully defeat Vargas’s henchmen but find their personal lives disrupted by the intrusive production crew renovating Mitch’s home and assigning him an old police dog.

Vargas intensifies his criminal activities by attacking an armored car convoy. During the resulting shootout and high-speed chase involving heavy machinery and garbage trucks, Mitch narrowly avoids serious harm. The police chief responds by canceling the show, suspending Mitch, and demoting Trey.

After repairs to his home (and retaining the dog), Mitch reconciles with Trey. They uncover Vargas selling weapons at a gun exhibition; during the rescue of Chase from Vargas’s hostage situation at the Bonaventure Hotel, Vargas dies accidentally. Trey earns a promotion to detective, continuing his partnership with Mitch amid hints of romance developing between Mitch and Chase. The series Showtime! is renewed featuring new female leads who mirror the dynamic of its original stars.

Cast

• Robert De Niro as Detective Mitch Preston, a practical LAPD detective doubtful about the reality show's concept
• Eddie Murphy as Officer Trey Sellars, an LAPD patrolman with aspirations toward acting
• Rene Russo as Chase Renzi, producer of the television show
• Pedro Damian as Caesar Vargas, illegal arms dealer
• Mos Def as "Lazy Boy"
• Frankie R. Faison as Captain Winship
• William Shatner as Himself
• Nestor Serrano as Ray
• Drena De Niro as Annie, colleague of Chase
• Linda Hart as Waitress
• TJ Cross as "Re-Run"
• Judah Friedlander as Julio
• Kadeem Hardison as Kylee
• Peter Jacobson as Brad Slocum
• Ken Campbell as Gym Cop
• John Cariani as Charlie Hertz
• James Roday as Cameraman for Showtime
• Rachael Harris as Teacher
• Alex Borstein as Casting Director
• Marshall Manesh as Convenience Store Owner
• Johnnie Cochran as Himself
• Joy Bryant as Lexi
• Maurice Compte as Chili
• Freez Luv as Freez
• Merlin Santana as Hector
• Julian Dulce Vida as J.J.
• Angela Alvarado as Gina Reyes (credited as Angela Rose Alvarado)
• Larry Joe Campbell as Locker Room Cop #2
• Henry Kingi as Garbage Truck Driver

Production

Negotiations commenced in December 2000 with Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy attached to star in Showtime!, a comedic film employing meta-commentary on buddy cop clichés, similar to the way Scream reinvented the slasher genre. The initial screenplay was penned by Keith Sharon and subsequently revised by Miles Millar and Alfred Gough. During the same month, Tom Dey was appointed as the director to oversee the production.

Soundtrack

The album Showtime: From And Inspired by The Motion Picture, containing thirteen tracks, was released on March 19, 2002, through MCA Records. Recording sessions took place across various studios located in Kingston (Jamaica), New York City, Toronto (Canada), and Los Angeles. Esteemed producers involved included Dave Kelly, Babyface, Christopher Birch, Kardinal Offishall, Shaggy, Sting International, with Robert Livingston serving as executive producer alongside Joel Sill and Michael McQuarn. The soundtrack highlights artists such as Shaggy, Babyface, Bounty Killer, Brian & Tony Gold, Jully Black, Kardinal Offishall, Sean Paul, and T.O.K., showcasing dancehall styles that complement the film’s urban backdrop.

Additional songs

The following tracks appeared within the movie but were excluded from the official soundtrack:

• "So What" by Mr. Wrong a.k.a. Bareda (2002)
• "Rueda de fuego (Ring of Fire)" by Mingo Saldivar (1992)
• "Snatch It Back and Hold It" by Junior Wells (1965)
• "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown (1964)
• "What'd I Say" by Ray Charles (1959)
• "Que Ganas" by Charlie Cruz (2001)
• "Jumpi" by Sergent García (1999)
• "Ballad of the Green Berets" by Barry Sadler (1966)
• "Hands Up" by Bounty Killer

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has garnered a 25% approval score derived from 123 critiques, with an average rating of 4.7 out of 10. The summarized critical opinion reads: "Showtime begins as an engaging parody of the buddy cop genre but ultimately transforms into the very type of film it aims to mock." Meanwhile, on Metacritic, it holds a weighted average rating of 32 out of 100 based on reviews from 34 critics, reflecting "generally unfavorable" feedback. Viewers surveyed by CinemaScore assigned the film a mean grade of "B−" on a scale ranging from A+ to F.

This production was nominated for two Razzie distinctions: Worst Actor (Eddie Murphy) and Worst Screen Couple (Murphy alongside Robert De Niro).