MikePadgett.com

• Director: Martin Brest
• United States, 1984
• 

The Cold War was loosening up, Reaganomics was ramping up and America was booming: 1984 was a big year for big movies and Beverly Hills Cop was one of the biggest.

Hardened maverick cop Axel Foley leaves behind the bleak streets of Detroit to hunt down his old friend’s killer in exotic Beverly Hills. It doesn’t sound promising, but the brash confidence of Eddie Murphy as Foley improvising in his first leading role is the stuff of legends, with a memorable double act from John Ashton and Judge Reinhold as a duo of feckless cops more used to low crime and sunshine. Bronson Pinchot also steals several scenes as gallery assistant Serge.

And it could have been so different: only weeks before shooting began, producers Bruckheimer and Simpson were going to make a straight actioner with Sylvester Stallone gunning his way down Rodeo Drive. Phew, that was a close one!

• Director: Paul Haggis
• United States, 2004
• 

Paul Haggis is one of those people who was obviously born to make movies. Already a decorated screenwriter of note, his mainstream directorial debut landed Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Editing at the Oscars.

Choosing Los Angeles to tell a series of interrelated stories (see also: Magnolia, Short Cuts), Haggis’ defining theme is the cause and effect of racial prejudice.

Some characters and their stories are less effective than others: Chris Bridges’ Anthony is rather too glib, Brendan Fraser’s Rick Cabot is simply there to glue a couple of stories together and his wife (Sandra Bullock) leaves it very late to make a useful contribution to the narrative. On the whole though, Crash is an emotionally powerful ensemble drama and hopefully a precedent for Paul Haggis as a director.