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The Top 10 Best Buddy Cops of All Time

With the long awaited (?) third installment of the Bad Boys franchise reuniting buddy cop duo Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, we look at where the pair ranks among the best on screen buddy cops of all time.

#10. Hot Fuzz

While Edgar Wright's follow up to his breakout hit Shaun of the Dead wasn't quite as spectacular as his debut, the biggest redeeming factor Hot Fuzz has (other than the phenomenal ending after a sluggish start) is the chemistry between Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It isn't a perfect buddy cop satire but the two make it worthwhile regardless.

#9. Beverly Hills Cop

I love Axel Foley as much as the next guy, but as a buddy cop, he kinda sucks. He's a great friend, I mean using your vacation time to travel across the country to solve an old pal's murder is dedication, but he treats his fellow officers, Taggart and Rosewood, like the dopes they are. Beverly Hills Cop is a great cop movie, Axel's just a little too douchey to be considered a great buddy cop.

#8. The Other Guys

Maybe one of the most overlooked Will Ferrell vehicles, The Other Guys not only features Ferrell breaking his oafish man-child typecasting streak to play a tepid desk jockey but it was also the first film to fully utilize Mark Wahlberg's potential as a comedic lead. Ferrell and Wahlberg play off of one another incredibly well and their odd-couple tension makes for one of the better action comedies of the 2010's.

#7. Super Troopers

The group dynamic of the Broken Lizard comedy troupe has never been quite as pitch perfect as their debut feature Super Troopers. The five hell-raisers paired with Brian Cox as the Captain of their dysfunctional department is absolutely hilarious and the report these guys have with one another elevates a fairly simple comedy to cult classic status. And while the sequel left a lot to be desired, it was still fun to see the gang reunited.

#6. Bad Boys

While I didn't really care for the original film, Bad Boys II is the most Michael Bay film ever made. At 2 and a half hours it may be a bit long, but the abundance of action set piece spectacles are absolutely mind boggling. The carnage and over the top violence on screen is absolutely stunning and we really haven't seen anything like it since, outside of maybe John Wick. I'm anxious to see how the first entry without Michael Bay fairs but any excuse to get Martin Lawrence back on screen (outside of more Big Momma sequels) sounds like a good time to me.

#5. Superbad

The single most underrated aspect of Superbad is the police officers played by Seth Rogen and Bill Hader. The two bring an adult perspective that's missing from most teen-sex comedies and their guidance for our young McLovin makes for some of the best scenes a film full of memorable moments. Heartfelt and hilarious, trying to recapture their glory days, and painfully inept - these are probably the most realistic portrayals of cops on the list.


#4. Lethal Weapon

Shane Black didn't invent the buddy cop genre, but he may have perfected the recipe with Lethal Weapon. Mel Gibson's loose cannon to Danny Glover's reserved family man makes for a phenomenal pairing and sets the standard for all buddy cop duos to come. The series has it's ups and downs but through it all, Gibson and Glover are the best ride along tour guides you could ask for.

#3. Die Hard

I know most people think of Die Hard as a one man against the world scenario but one of the most endearing aspects of the action masterpiece is the relationship that develops between John McClane and Al Powell via walkie talkie. And as beautiful a scene as it is when John finally reconciles with his wife, it's absolutely outshined by the moment John and Al finally meet IRL punctuated with Al finally being able to draw his weapon on someone in order to save his new BFF in one of the most bromantic character arcs ever.


See where Die Hard ranks among the Best Action Movie Franchises of All Time

#2. Rush Hour

By the time Rush Hour hit screens in 1998, the buddy cop genre was pretty well worn terrain. But the larger than life personalities of both Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker made them each household names overnight when the unlikely duo played off of one another so well. Their relationship is what the entire franchise is built around and makes for countless hilarious moments throughout their three film journey together.

#1. Seven

This pick certainly has a very different tone than every other film on the list but the working relationship that develops between Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman feels much more grounded and authentic for that very reason. And with the dark and twisted murder mystery front and center, it's easy to overlook Pitt and Morgan's character development as just another layer of a densely constructed narrative. But just because they're not asked to carry their film doesn't mean it's inferior in any way. In fact, the subtle character arcs each of them undergoes make the climatic finale all that much more satisfying when their relationship shifts to center stage as the final puzzle piece to John Doe's masterwork.


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