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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Starz / Anchor Bay
Salesrank: 52584
Released: January 25, 2005 |
| Our Price: $7.98 |
| Used Price: $5.97 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
In this comic twist on the cop buddy genre, suburban Philadelphia policeman Alex Kearney (Anthony Edwards) is unfairly reassigned to a dangerous, rundown inner-city precinct after busting a wealthy, well-connected businessman for speeding. Soon after, his partner is killed when he attempts to bust a drug transaction in the area, and Kearney seeks the aid of Dennis Curren (Forest Whitaker), a loner cop in the downtown precinct who's resistant to working with the naive suburban transfer. Despite their differences--notably Kearney's by-the-book approach and Curren's toss-the-book attitude to law enforcement--the duo begin investigating what at first seems to be an ordinary drug operation, but soon expands into something larger. The antagonistic chemistry between Whitaker and Edwards works to the film's advantage and lends itself to some poignant moments as the guarded Curren slowly opens up to his new, gung ho partner. Despite an unnecessarily Hollywoodish ending, Downtown is a charming buddy pic. --Bryan Reesman
Downtown Reviews:
Hack Writer Alert 
2008-08-17 -
"Downtown" is a box office crash & burn from 1990. Basically it is yet another unsuccessful attempt to follow-up on the success of "Beverly Hills Cop" (without the benefit of Eddie Murphy). These inter-racial, buddy picture, cop movie, comedy-action features simply don't work without a talented comic and Anthony Edwards of "Revenge of the Nerds" fame is only mildly funny. Add to this a more serious group of themes than Murphy had to deal with and the incongruity of mixing these conflicting genres makes the whole a lot less than the sum of its parts.
Yet "Downtown" is more entertaining than its "bomb at the box office" reputation would lead you to believe. The production design, filming, and editing are first class. Although the action scenes are unconvincing, this is due more to lamely inserted comedy elements than cheap staging.
Much is genuinely embarrassing such as when a PCP abuser holds a little girl hostage, with a gun to her head, and the subtext lamely plays the scene for laughs. What genius thought that scene would work? And they wonder why these things lose money? In this exercise in schizoid film-making, Anthony Edwards and Forest Whitaker are the standard odd couple partnering up to solve the murder of Edwards' former partner. Nerd boy Alex (Edwards) in his worst scenes listens to Beach Boys music and in his best scenes is paired with his girlfriend (Penelope Ann Miller).
Alex is a suburban patrolman who has been banished to the worst downtown Philly division because of a confrontation with a slimy bigwig (unconvincingly overplayed by David Clennon). Dennis (Whitaker) is a detective with a lot of baggage that makes it difficult for him to warm up to Alex.
But Alex and Dennis eventually bond (big surprise) and Whitaker turns in a pretty good performance (much too good for this material). Whitaker and Miller assist the marginally talented but generally likable Edwards enough that it is possible for the average viewer to suspend disbelief most of the time and actually get into the story. Just be prepared for a lot of extremely lame moments that would have been more entertaining had the editor relegated them to his deleted scenes bin.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
A true modern classic... 
2007-08-12 - I always reccomend this movie to people looking for offbeat entertainment. Edwards and Whitaker play 2 cops thrust together in a tough precinct located 'Downtown', hence the name. Lots of comedic situations, but real violence-not for the squeamish.
This is NOT a great film, but a good one 
2007-06-02 - Anthony Edwards is banished to downtown Philly from the wealthyburbs on the word of a disgruntled wealthyburbite. He's as white as they come; the denizens of downtown are, uh, not.
Forest Whitaker is his unwilling/unwitting partner with passion but no tolerance. Beach Boys? NO!
It's a predictable but enjoyable romp, and Art Evans plays a streetwise police Lt with a penchant for using a 4-letter copulatory verb. Yeah, that's the one.
It's not vaguely believeable, but Edwards is so fresh and pre-ER-ish, it's a lot of fun. Plus, Whitaker brings a level of intensity not really suited to the movie, but characteristic of all his roles. Doesn't hurt he went on to anchor an ER story arc.
For the price, you can't beat it. Pop some corn and curl up for a while.
Downtown
2007-01-09 - I had taped this movie from TV years ago and just wanted to have it for my own. I always liked Anthony Edwards from ER and think Forest Whitaker is a great actor. This was just an all around great movie.
damm good movie
2005-10-27 - this is a very good movie i think its good for a white cop to hang down in the hood anthony edwards has guts the funny part was watching him eat chittlings and getting sick and the best part they became friends we need more movies like this made in todays society.
