Here's a film I reckon, was judged quite unfairly, if harshly. Although it's no hit, it's still a lot of fun, with danger at many a turn, and a worthwhile view. What makes the film work is the bonding and excellent casting of Minelli and Reynolds. Starting out very much like Code Of Silence, one of the producers attached to that, worked on this one. We have a drug buy, gone to s..t and a very p..sed off Captain who pushes Burt's buttons, not a good thing to do. A psychotic (Remar) highjacks the shipment, Minelli a hooker with heart, witness to Remar's features. She was with a sicko client in the next room, of this ritzy hotel when this mayhem went down, resulting in a score of Burt's men being taken down. Now Burt's demoted, working as a rent a cop, his new job has him undercover in Santa Claus guise. With a few attempts made on Minelli's life, running scared, she implores Burt's services, which at first, he's so very much reluctant, zero tolerance I'm talking, as she is a stroke of bad luck for him as far as his career prospects go. With the story that moves unhurriedly along, the building of the relationship, between our leads, I really liked. Minelli provides a lot of laughs, where things even turn romantic, something that had to happen I guess. Minelli's larger than life character sold the film, where Burt is just Burt here. He's done far better work. There are moments you think, he really doesn't care. Australia's own John Stanton (Bellamy) makes an appearance, as a bad guy, and it was good to see him in this, his second overseas flick, after that so called dud Taipan. It's good to see Bernie Casey re team with Burt after Sharky's Machine. On the surface, Rent a Cop appears pretty weak and washy, and this is cause of Burt and Liza's antics, stuffing about, straying away the business of the story, but it has a good moments of action, well executed in a not a half bad flick. You get laughs, like you don't expect, and it's quite the adventure with our two, where we owe most of our thanks to the wonderful Liza. For Burt fans especially, and others who don't enjoy a not so bad action flick. Love the instrumental theme song.
Review of Rent-a-Cop
