Hollywood Homicide
Directed by Ron Shelton
Starring Harrison Ford, Josh Hartnett, Lena Olin, Bruce Greenwood and Isaiah Washington
Rated PG-13 for violence, sexual situations and language

This film has got to be one of the strangest things I have seen in theaters for a long time. Hollywood Homicide has no identity. One could label this film as a comedy, as action, as a mystery, as a buddy picture, as a commentary piece on the entertainment/Hollywood lifestyle, as a movie about police corruption and maybe even slightly a romantic comedy. And none of these labels would be that bad. Its not a problem really when as an audience member you aren’t quite sure what the film is. But it is a problem when you’re not quite sure what the director or the writer (in this case the same person) wanted it to be. The film combines many elements of all of these genres, but fails to build anything substantial in them, which basically results in a bad flick.

Now I will say that there are worse films than Hollywood Homicide. In fact there are many, many films that are worse. But this is a bad film. Director/writer Ron Shelton, whose credits include some good or at least okay films (Bull Durham, White Men Can’t Jump), clearly had some ideas as to what he wanted this film to be. The natural instinct is to say that Hollywood Homicide is modeled after 80s action flicks like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. And this is most likely what Shelton wanted his film to be. The Die Hard films Lethal Weapon films were all at the root solid action flicks. Lots of car chases,
gun fights and shit blowing up all over the place. But all of those films worked in a lot of comedy to lighten the mood (and unintentionally desensitize us to violence). And Hollywood Homicide does have car chases, gun fights, shit blowing up and some comedy, but all to a lesser extent. And this is because the film also tries to be so many other things. Part of the film is about the strange relationship between the grizzled old veteran cop (Harrison Ford) and the young, rookie cop (Hartnett). Part of it is about the solving of the murder. Part of it is also about the ridiculousness of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Its criticizes the gangster rap mentality and the business aspect of it. Then there is the whole plot about police corruption and how a crooked cop in internal affairs is out to get the good cop who doesn’t always play by the rules. (Side note: Based on the number of films and television programs I have seen about crooked cops in internal affairs, I have to say if I were in internal affairs I’d be pretty pissed off. Unless I were a crooked cop in internal affairs. Then I’d be impressed with the accuracy.) The film also incorporates a small love story between Ford and Lena Olin and then contrasts that with the one night stand love that Hartnett gets. But these are all minor pieces of the film. Every plot is basically minor in this film. We don’t get much of the action and comedy. We learn early in the film who committed the murders, so there is no real mystery. Very little is discussed about the relationship between Ford and Hartnett as they have already been partners for a while before the film starts. The crooked cop story kind of works its self out. And the love story could be taken out and no one would know the difference. This is just sloppiness on the part of Shelton that manages to ruin the film before it has a chance.

The acting in this film isn’t particularly bad or good. I’m not quite sure why Harrison Ford took on a part like this. Frankly he’s much better than this. And I can’t imagine he really needs the money. He gets paid about $20 million for each picture he does and according to the 2001 Guinness Book of Records he was the richest male actor in the world. But I also thought he was too good for K-19: The Widowmaker, so I guess I’m not really sure what he’s trying to do these days. Ford gives an all right performance. Certainly not as good as Bruce Willis in the Die Hard films, but is better than average, so that’s fine. Josh
Hartnett on the other hand, makes complete sense in this film. He’s not a good actor and this isn’t a good film. He’s just there to draw some young women to the film. And based on the crowd in the theater when I went to see the film, he managed to do that. No one else is of any real interest in the film and that has to do with the lack of development of the film’s plot lines. No one is there long enough for you to give a shit about.

This could have been a decent film. Not good, but at least worth seeing. But because director/writer wanted to the film to be so much and ended up making it so little, its just very difficult to sit through. Its way too long at 1 hour and 51 minutes and feels longer than that. I guess the only reason to see it is if you found Ford and Hartnett very attractive, which I guess many people do. But if that’s your only reason for seeing the film I suggest you just sit at home and rent an old Harrison Ford movie like Patriot Games or Indiana Jones and then get on the internet and go to some 13 year old girl’s fan page for Josh Hartnett. It’s a lot cheaper and a much better way to spend your time.

Rating 20%