SHOWTIME
Year: 2002
USA & UK: Warner Bros
Cast: Robert De Niro, Eddie Murphy, Rene Russo, William Shatner, Ken Hudson Campbell, Mel Rodriguez, Jullian Dulce Vida, Pat Asanti, Dante Beze, Alex Borstein, Ken Campbell, John Cariani, Heather Charles, Maurice Compte, Rick Cramer, T J Cross, Pedro Damian, Drena De Niro, Teresa DePriest, Frankie Faison, Judah Friedlander, Kadeem Hardison, Rachael Harris, Peter Jacobson, Marshall Manesh, James Roday, Merlin Santana, Nestor Serrano, Chris Ufland, Ward Shrake, Jon A Barnes
Director: Tom Dey
Country: USA
UK: 95 mins
USA Rated: PG-13 for action violence, language and some drug content
UK Certificate: 12 contains strong language and moderate violence
USA Release Date: 15 March 2002
UK Release Date: 3 May 2002
Synopsis
No-nonsense LAPD detective Mitch Preston (Robert De Niro) is a man of few words, little patience and even less style. All he wants is to be left alone to do his job the way he's been doing it for more than 20 years.
Patrol Officer Trey Sellars (Eddie Murphy) is a different story. Instead of being a cop, he would much rather play one on TV. A frustrated actor, he's just waiting for the one big break that will change his life.
One night Trey stumbles into an undercover operation in progress, inadvertently blowing Mitch's big chance of nailing a gang of drug dealers. Moments later, a television news crew barges in on the action, lights ablaze, further hindering Mitch's desperate attempts to catch his fleeing suspects. Frustrated at seeing months of work go down the drain, the detective fires a shot at the camera.
Mitch's impulsive action lands his photo on the front page of every newspaper the next day, plus an official reprimand, making him an instant media celebrity. It also attracts the attention of powerhouse network television producer Chase Renzi (Rene Russo) who knows a sure ratings draw when she sees one. Renzi swoops in and sells the Chief of Police on the PR benefits of letting her crew follow Mitch around the clock for a live reality show about cops. Mitch realises it will get him off suspension and back to tracking the drug dealers who slipped through his hands, so with extreme reluctance concedes.
But first, to compensate for Mitch's gruff manner and apparent total lack of acting talent, Renzi must find him a charming, talkative, camera-ready partner - someone more like...Trey. Never mind that Mitch can't stand the sight of him. Together, they're poised to become the stars of the biggest hit reality show in television history.
For Mitch, it's a living hell. For Trey, it's his dream come true - it's showtime.
