Cops and Robbersons (1994)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writer (WGA):

Bernie Somers (written by)

Release Date:

15 April 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

When police discover that a mob hitman has moved in next door to the Robbersons, they want to find out what he is up to...

Plot Keywords:

Stakeout | Police | Infra Red | Dad As Hero | Police Surveillance

Cast

Chevy Chase	...	Norman Robberson
Jack Palance	...	Jake Stone
Dianne Wiest	...	Helen Robberson
Robert Davi	...	Osborn
David Barry Gray	...	Tony Moore
Jason James Richter	...	Kevin Robberson
Fay Masterson	...	Cindy Robberson
Miko Hughes	...	Billy Robberson
Richard Romanus	...	Fred Lutz
Sal Landi	...	Jerry Callahan
Ronald L. Schwary	...	Producer
Jack Kehler	...	Caniff
Amy Powell	...	Marva Prescott
Dawn Landon	...	Video Clerk
Jim Holmes	...	Phil

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:PG | Australia:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Hawthorne Grill - 13763 S. Hawthorne Boulevard, Hawthorne, California, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: The cigarette in Osborn's mouth in the bedroom.

Quotes:

Lt. Jake Stone: Don't ever throw a cat on me again.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Spies Reminiscent of Us (#8.3)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Happy Birthday to You

It's Chevy Chase. What more can I say?

"Cops & Robbersons" strongly reminds me of a Griswold Vacation movie. In fact, I kept expecting Chevy to call his kids Rusty and Audrey. The only difference is that the family in this film don't get to go anywhere. They are stuck at home with a couple of cops as live-in visitors. The police are doing surveillance on a criminal who lives in the house across the street.

Chevy is up to his old "Boy, am I a clueless ... or what?" routine. What's extremely frustrating is the fact that nobody around him gives it any thought. Look at these two examples: First, he hides the two cops in the closet (don't ask!) and his wife comes downstairs. She asks what the noise is coming from the closet. He states that it is the cat. Then the daughter comes down the stairs holding the cat. What does his wife think about that? Nothing. Another example is when Chevy asks his neighbor (who is under surveillance) if he could use his bathroom. While his neighbor is on the phone, Chevy sneaks upstairs and cuts open the guy's mattress to the point that springs are actually popping out. What does his neighbor think of this? Nothing!

I think you get the idea. The people in this film are so completely ignorant that the comedy falls flat. To make it worse, Jack Palance is downright vicious. I was absolutely stunned at something he stated to one of Chevy's kids. This is supposed to be a family movie.

The only reason that this film gets 2 stars instead of 1 is the presence of Dianne Wiest. She appears as if she is in a film all her own. She is caring, charming and feisty all at once. However, I would only recommend this movie for diehard Wiest fans or for people who enjoy watching Chevy Chase act really dumb for 90 minutes. 3/10