By: debbie lynn elias
We first noticed him in “American Graffiti.” He became a new kind of hero as Han Solo, Indiana Jones and Jack Ryan. He’s been the President, an ad exec, a womanizer, millionaire and cardiac surgeon (just to name a few). He gets the girl, he loses the girl. He saves the world and he fights the Nazis. He’s every man but he’s always his own man. And now, he’s a veteran LAPD detective working on the biggest case of his career with a yoga teaching, vegetarian eating, wanna-be actor, woman magnet, rookie cop still wet behind the ears. That’s right, we’re talking about Harrison Ford, who returns to the big screen on June 13 together with Josh Hartnett in the summer’s latest sure-fire comedy hit, “Hollywood Homicide.”
Written by the gifted and talented Ron Shelton and LAPD veteran Robert Sousa, “Hollywood Homicide” brings that familiar buddy cop genre back to the forefront but with an extraordinary touch of tacit wryness and down right laughter. Ford stars as Joe Gavilan, a so-so detective, always just on the brink of breaking a case but never quite does it. He’s got three ex-wives, two kids in college and a floundering real estate career on the side with every penny to his name tied up in a monolith of a mansion on Mt. Olympus and Achilles Drive in the Hollywood Hills. As if that’s not enough grief, he’s partnered with K.C. Calden, a so-so rookie detective who spends his off hours centering himself with yoga and both off and on hours rehearsing movie lines in the hopes of becoming the next Brando.
As if pulled right from actual headlines of the day, Gavilan and Calden are called on to investigate a double murder of an up and coming rap group, gunned down during a performance at one of Hollywood’s hottest nightclubs which ultimately urns into a quadruple murder when the murder suspects turn up as crispy critters in a vacant Hollywood parking lot. With the trail leading to a Shug Knight type music producer named Sartain, some internal affairs investigations into Gavilan and his attempts to make the real estate sale of a life-time during a chase scene, you’ve got yourself a real can of worms – and a multitude of sub-plots to boot.
This is Harrison Ford at his best. An older land-bound version of Han Solo, Ford exhibits that same put upon reluctant exuberance that we all know and love so well. Ford’s comic timing and delivery, (not to mention that sly little right tilt of a grin of his that let’s you know he’s just shaking his head inside in disbelief, thinking “kids!” whenever an incredulous act of youth and inexperience occurs) is easy-going, effortless and genuine. An insightful bit of casting puts the innocent, personable and dramatically different Hartnett up against the seasoned Ford and the pairing works wonderfully. While the two don’t participate in the constant buddy chatter we’ve all come to expect in these type of films (think “Lethal Weapon”), it’s their tacit observance of each other that sets the stage and the dynamic of the characters.
In a much underwritten role, Lena Olin shines as Gavilan’s psychic girlfriend who also just happens to be the ex-girlfriend of the IA investigator out to destroy Gavilan. Her chemistry with Ford is undeniable and enjoyable. And since this is “Hollywood Homicide,” what would Hollywood be without a line-up of the usual, and some unusual suspects. From Lolita Davidovich’s turn as a Heidi Fleiss type madam named Ruby to Martin Landau in what is clearly an excellent take-off on former Universal megaman, Lew Wasserman, we’ve got faces familiar to all tossed into this very colorful character mix – Lou Diamond Philips in drag, Robert Wagner, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Eric Idle, Dwight Yoakam, Master P, Kurupt, and plenty of Los Angeles chopper news personalities, including one of my faves, Jennifer York. (Hey, you can’t have chases in Hollywood without news crews overhead!)
Making this one of the smartest pictures around, Shelton and Souza don’t go for the obvious built-in age differences between Ford and Hartnett to create comedic scenarios. Instead, they rely on Ford’s nuanced affability and wry wit togther with Hartnett’s naivete and sincerity to create both comedy and camaraderie. Having already brought us the dark, yet intelligently scripted “Dark Blue” last year, it’s nice to see Shelton put a fun spin on the personal side of LAPD much in the way he put a fun spin on baseball with “Bull Durham” and golf with “Tin Cup.” And I assure you, based on what I know from all of my cop friends in various precincts throughout Los Angeles, Souza and Shelton captured and capitalized on some of the behind-the-scenes fun and frolic perfectly. And of course, these two play some of the most infamous police stereotypes to the hilt, milking them for all they’re worth and getting bigger laughs each time. Imagine this – a bare chested Harrison Ford, lingerie clad Lena Olin, handcuffs, Ray-Bans and doughnuts all rolled into one – and if you’ve got any imagination, you’re laughing at the mere thought of what these talented writers came up with. From a directing standpoint, Shelton is at the top of his game.
From first frame to the last, e keeps the audience on its toes, wondering what will happen next. Opening more as a suspenseful thriller, Shelton doesn’t wait long before setting the comedic tone with dinner orders at the murder scene. Starting out at a casual lope, Shelton sets the scene, establishes the characters in large part through the peripherals – cars, apartments, side jobs – and then moves in with fast-paced action culminating in a multi-modal chase scene through Hollywood. (Kudos here to Bill Young’ Precision Driving Team!) If there is one downstroke, it’s too many sub-plots crammed into 120 minutes. While each is entertaining in its own right, Shelton and Souza should have held back a little. After all, this is Hollywood. And where’s there’s one hit film, there’s generally a sequel.
Harrison Ford: Joe Gavilan Josh Hartnett: K.C. Calden Keith David: Lt. Fuqua Bruce Greenwood: Bennie Macko With: Lena Olin, Lolita Davidovich, Lou Diamond Phililips, Martin Landau, Gladys Knight, Dwight Yoakam, Smokey Robinson Directed by: Ron Shelton Written by: Ron Shelton and Robert Souza Running time: Two hours. Rated: PG-13 for violence, sexual situations and foul language.
