MikePadgett.com

• Director: Mark Herman
• United Kingdom, 1992
• 

The inoffensive - often romantic - British comedy is the plat du jour of Mark Herman. His oeuvre is small potatoes compared to the smorgasbord of Working Title produced, Richard Curtis penned transatlantic exports, but Herman’s movies are memorable because they’re typically more earthbound, hearty and wholesome.

I seem to remember this particular dish being tastier. My memory must have failed me, else I was drunk or drugged when last I saw it. Blame it on the Bellboy looked promising, serving up the kooky Bronson Pinchot, the gravel rash cool of Bryan Brown, Richard Griffiths in a rare ugly role and Dudley Moore behaving like, well, Dudley Moore.

But the fabulous location - the floating city of Venice - is bafflingly irrelevant, the acting makes you seasick and the comedy is so light that if floats off on its own, leaving you thoroughly unsatisfied. Watch this and go hungry.

• 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!