The buddy cop subgenre saw a rise in popularity during the ’80s withfilms like48 Hrs.andBeverly Hills Cop, and has continued to find success decades later with some of the best examples coming from the 2000s. Though the subgenre’s later films earned more criticism for being too derivative of earlier works, there are still plenty of entertaining examples to be found in the decade.Rush HourandBad Boys' sequel filmscontinued the adventures of fan-favorite buddy cop duos, whilefilms likeLive Free or Die Hardand15 Minutesintroduced entirely new on-screen pairings.
A fundamental component of a buddy cop film involves two individuals working together to solve a crime. The films also typically fall within two genres: action or comedy. Though not always the case, both characters usually work in police departments and start with opposing beliefs that merge with one another by the end of the film. The decades' best examples of buddy cop films star charismatic and entertaining leads and prove the subgenre is far from going out of style.
10 Best Buddy Cop Movies Of The 1990s
Buddy cop movies can take many different forms, as long as they feature a pair of mismatched detectives who are forced to work a case together.
1015 Minutes (2001)
Robert De Niro & Edward Burns Take Down Fame-Obsessed Killers
Andy Warhol has often been credited as the originator of the idea of “15 minutes of fame,” deriving from a quote he said. There are numerous interpretations of Warhol’s words, especially as the media has evolved over the years, butthe general idea is that individuals can gain fame easily, even if it’s short-lived.15 Minutes, a satirical buddy cop film starring Robert De Niro and Edward Burns, plays with this concept as the film’s leading homicide detective and fire marshal track down two killers known for recording their crimes in hopes of gaining attention.
15 Minutesis intended to make commentary about sensationalism in the media but fails to make any points audiences don’t already know. Additionally, such commentary often gets lost in15 Minutes' action sequences. Still, De Niro and Burns are paired well together and the film is worth watching for their on-screen dynamics.
Brooklyn’s Finest
Cast
Brooklyn’s Finest, directed by Antoine Fuqua, follows the intersecting lives of three New York City police officers played by Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, and Ethan Hawke. Each officer faces distinct moral crises as they navigate the complexities of their respective assignments, set against the gritty backdrop of Brooklyn. The film examines themes of corruption, loyalty, and survival within the NYPD.
Bending the rules that come with the buddy cop subgenre,Brooklyn’s Finesthas three cops for audiences to follow. The 2009 film is not directorAntoine Fuqua’s best work, but it is a memorable buddy cop film of the 2000s largely thanks to the performances of its cast. Starring Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, and Don Cheadle as three cops from the NYPD,Brooklyn’s Finestsees their three characters come together under various stressful situations at a crime scene.
As an action-packed crime thriller,Brooklyn’s Finestchecks all the boxes. There is enough of Fuqua’s signature unfaltering tension and moments of violence for fans of his work to enjoy. The problem withBrooklyn’s Finestcomes down to its characters. Though the performances inBrooklyn’s Finestare strong, the characterization of the struggling cops has been seen countless times before, lending to a bit of predictability, which, luckily, doesn’t overshadow too much of the excitement of the rest of the film.
Bad Boys II
Bad Boys II is an action-comedy film directed by Michael Bay, featuring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. Released in 2003, the film follows the duo as they attempt to dismantle a drug trafficking ring while navigating personal tensions. Gabrielle Union and Jordi Mollà co-star.
Under the direction of Michael Bay,Bad Boys IIdelivers an all-out action film that sees the return of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s detective characters, Mike and Marcus. Similar to the first film, Mike and Marcus investigate drug activity making its way to Miami. ThoughBad Boys IIwasn’t a hit with critics, the film did a fair bit well with audiences.
WhileBad Boys IIdoes tend to be overstuffed at times, particularly with its action, it is all very fun to watch.Smith and Lawrence’s chemistry is beloved by fansand their comedic bantering is amplified when placed within a loud, explosive film likeBad Boys II. Withstanding the negative critical remarks made towards the film, the fanfare and commercial success ofBad Boys IIallowed for two more sequel films in 2020 and 2024.
Miami Vice
Miami Vice is a 2006 film directed by Michael Mann, following undercover detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs as they navigate the dangerous world of drug lords and murder in South Florida, with Crockett becoming romantically involved with a trafficker’s wife.
Great performances as the two iconic characters
Having received mixed reviews upon its release in 2006,Miami Vicehas become a cult favorite of many as the years have passed. InMichael Mann’s film adaptation of the ’80s TV showof the same name, Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx are paired up as two detectives working against a drug trafficking operation.Farrell and Foxx tackle the serious roles with easeand give great performances as the two iconic characters portrayed by Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in the TV series.
However, there is a bit of excitement missing in Farrell and Foxx’s pairing, which can be largely attributed toMiami Vice’s serious tone.Farrell has been critical ofMiami Vice, agreeing with many of the film’s criticisms, particularly its focus on visual style over writing and a serious script that didn’t leave room for the beloved fun and humor seen in the ’80s series. However, the strong visuals and atmosphere created inMiami Vicehave made it one of the most memorable buddy cop action films of its decade.
16 Blocks
16 Blocks is a 2006 action thriller directed by Richard Donner, featuring Bruce Willis as an aging cop tasked with escorting a witness, portrayed by Mos Def, to a courthouse. The seemingly straightforward assignment escalates into a life-threatening challenge when unforeseen adversaries obstruct their journey.
Straying from the death-evading heroic characterBruce Willis' John McClanehad become in theDie Hardfilms, the actor tries out a more subtle protagonist in Richard Donner’s16 Blocks. Willis portrays Jack Mosley, a burnt-out detective, and acts alongside Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, who plays a trial witness named Eddie Bunker. Together, Jack and Eddie dodge corrupt officers trying to kill them.
Donner, known for directingSupermanand the buddy cop franchiseLethal Weapon, has an adept ability to capture characters and action scenes in an exciting way. Both elements are on full display in16 Blocks. Unfortunately, a cliché and unoriginal script never allowed16 Blocksto gain proper recognition. Still, Willis and Bey’s chemistry works as a duo andcarries the weight of much of the16 Blocks' accomplishmentsas their characters grow to work together despite their opposing backgrounds.
Rush Hour 2
Rush Hour 2, directed by Brett Ratner, follows Detective Carter and Inspector Lee as they navigate a dangerous investigation in Hong Kong. While Carter seeks leisure, Lee is determined to apprehend a Triad gang leader linked to a counterfeiting scheme tied to a bombing at the American Embassy.
As is the case with most sequels,Rush Hour 2wasn’t as much of a success as its predecessor.Rush Hourintroduced the comedic duo of Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker as two police detectives from Hong Kong and Los Angeles, respectively. The beloved actors clicked and there was a lot of anticipation surrounding the return of their on-screen partnership, made clear byRush Hour 2’s box office numbers — the highest in the franchise.
Unfortunately, the result wasn’t what fans had hoped for.Rush Hour 2, which follows the detectives in Hong Kong as they’re in charge of working on a murder case, failed to be as funny as the first film and saw a lack of intense action sequences commonly associated with Chan’s work. Luckily,the force of Chan and Tucker’s chemistry remains strong in the filmand helpsRush Hour 2from becoming completely unbearable.
A film adaptation of the ’70s TV show of the same name,Starsky & Hutchprovides plenty of laughs with the duo of Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. The actors play the titular cops — Stiller as Starsky and Wilson as Hutch — going undercover to take down drug criminals. In the ’70s series, Starsky is easy-going and Hutch adheres to the rules, but the film swaps their personalities. Regardless of how each character operates,Starsky and Hutch are bad at their jobs.
Starsky & Hutchtakes every opportunity to get silly without dumbing down the story, providing audiences with a genuinely good time
Starsky and Hutch manage to get the job done, but not without a few comical missteps along the way. Though they have a cast of comedic actors to support them, Stiller and Wilson hold downStarsky & Hutchwell on their own.Starsky & Hutchtakes every opportunity to get silly without dumbing down the story, providing audiences with a genuinely good time.
Live Free or Die Hard
Live Free or Die Hard is the fourth film in the action series starring Bruce Willis. In the sequel, John McClane has to stop a cyber-terrorist (Timothy Olyphant) from taking out crucial elements of the United States' infrastructure. Starring alongside Willis and Olyphant is Justin Long, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Cliff Curtis, and Maggie Q.
TheDie Hardfilm series is without a doubtBruce Willis' best franchiseand has left a mark on the action genre. Spawning four sequels,theDie Hardfilmshave varied in critical and commercial success. However,Live Free or Die Hard, the fourth installment, is the highest-grossing in the series and received a positive response from fans and critics alike.Live Free or Die Hardsees John McClane teaming up with Justin Long’s Matt Farrell, an ethical hacker, to prevent an extreme cyberattack.
McClane and Farrell’s age gap makes for a paring that works extremely wellas the two have fun banter and use their opposing ideologies to take down their common enemy. Willis and Long’s on-screen chemistry is set within an action-packed blockbuster that leaves audiences on the edge of their seats as they follow along on the thrilling adventure.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a comedy crime movie starring Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan. The movie follows a New York-based thief who finds himself in Hollywood after being mistaken for a famous actor. Once in Los Angeles, he ends up in the middle of a murder investigation.
Known for writingLethal WeaponandThe Long Kiss Goodnight, Shane Black made his directorial debut withKiss Kiss Bang Bang. Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer lead the film as two characters who unexpectedly find themselves working together on a murder investigation. Downey plays Harry, a thief who gets sent to Los Angeles to shadow Kilmer’s Perry, a cop, after a successful acting audition.Kiss Kiss Bang Bangis a self-aware neo-noir film that successfully blends numerous genres.
A large part of whyKiss Kiss Bang Bang’s dark comedy works so well is because of Downey and Kilmer’s performances. Downey, who would later reunite with Black, is a strong match for the film’s sharp script and Kilmer is undeniably hilarious. As a result, Downey and Kilmer quickly became one of the genre’s best duos.
Hot Fuzz
The second film in Edgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Hot Fuzz stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as two policemen who investigate a seemingly idyllic community in the English countryside. After London hotshot policeman Nicholas Angel is transferred to the sleepy town of Sandford, he finds himself partnered with bumbling local officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). However, the pair soon discover that Sandford is not all it appears to be, uncovering shocking secrets that will shake the town to its very core.
Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost came together once again forHot Fuzzafter their accomplished zombie comedyShaun of the Dead. As the second film in theThree Flavours Cornettotrilogy,Hot FuzzfollowsPegg and Frost’s characters, two police officers investigating a series of deaths in a quiet English town.The model dynamic that defines buddy cop films can be found inHot Fuzzwith Pegg playing the by-the-book Nicholas Angel and Frost as the incompetent Danny Butterman.
The polar opposite cops are incredibly well-balanced, largely due to Pegg and Frost’s natural connection as real-life friends. In addition to the leading duo,Hot Fuzzalso works extremely well as an action film and parody of the buddy cop genre. ThoughHot Fuzzis highly referential, it doesn’t work against the film, instead, making it all the more enjoyable.
