Showtime (**1/2)
review by Jon Waterman

Detective Mitch Preston (Bob-O De Niro) shoots a camera that is taping an undercover drug bust gone wrong.  Now, this hard-nosed cop is forced into becoming a reality TV show star by the network that owns that camera.  Also, he’s given a partner, Trey Sellars, a real cop who wants to be an actor (Eddie Murphy).  Now these two have to somehow get along and stop an über-criminal.  Will they succeed?

I’m just going to come right out and say it.  “Showtime” became a glorified version of the kind of show they were making fun of, and thus, lost its purpose.  It’s the kind of movie that’s just looking for a bunch of quips and quotes to put on commercials and videos.  Sure, it is “pretty funny”  --Jon, filmbrats.com, and it is “rather action packed”  --Jon, filmbrats.com, but it is also “sorta dumb”  --Jon, filmbrats.com.

What makes ol’ Bob-O think he should be starring in comedies?  “Meet the Parents” sucked.  “Analyze This” sucked much more.  “’Showtime’ is the best comedy De Niro’s done yet”  --Jon, filmbrats.com.  I only say that because I laughed during more than two scenes.  So, who wrote the jokes?  Why, it was none other than Alfred Gough & Miles Millar along with Keith Sharon.  The first two have collaborated on many projects such as the first couple episodes of “Smallville” and “Shanghai Noon (They’re working on the sequel—“Shanghai Knights”).”  The plot and the action got in the way of the jokes.  Of course, the jokes got in the way of the action, too.  The plot wasn’t obstructed by anything, because it was skinny enough to get through it all.

I was slightly hopeful that this movie would be better.  It had potential to be a great spoof of reality TV, but the devices (like the confessional room) just weren’t used effectively or enough.  Personally, I didn’t care about the crime they were trying to solve.  I’d rather see them working on several little cases while focusing on how the show is affecting their lives and their ability to do their job (such as undercover work).  Instead we got giant car chases, massive secret guns and a Lethal Weapon-esque bad guy.

To be honest, I’d rather watch “Super Troopers” again, but hey, at least “the car chase was cool”  --Jon, filmbrats.com.

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