SHOWTIME is supposedly a spoof of reality TV. It is about a pair of mismatched cops are made to join forces in order to participate in a reality TV show.The problem is that, whilst it is supposedly a spoof, it actually follows the conventions so closely that it just comes off as a rather dull buddy cop flick. This interesting angle on a familiar genre is lamentably under used, descending into a cameo by William Shatner full of poor jokes about T.J. HOOKER. Like THE LAST ACTION HERO, it actually metamorphasises into the very thing it is mocking. Unlike that film it isn't entertaining.Robert De Niro looks tired and old, clearly in it for the cash. Eddie Murphy continues to be the most annoying man on film. Rene Russo gives it her best shot but is let down by weak characterisation and a lack of anything to do.The film takes over half its running time just to get the two cops set up, leaving them very little time in the latter half. To keep the running time down the investigation is made absurdly easy. The baddie is utterly generic, as is the McGuffin and the stakes are non-existent. The screenplay must take a lot of the criticism for this, being poorly paced, characterised and unfunny. A good car chase and a single good stunt involving a flood in a penthouse apartment fail to redeem the film. A poor effort.

Like some other review said, I gave this movie a 10 because it made me laugh and it's well produced. De Niro and Murphy roles are amazingly delivered by each of them, and even the dog scenes are to make you laugh. My favorite part is when Russo describes Mitch's apartment as a good match to his personality as she opens the window and she finds that the view from there is a brick wall. My other favorite part is the dog with his nose covered in white dust. Another scene is Mitch trying to get out of his new Hummer without being noticed by his fellow co-workers. One of my heart breakers is when they try to take away everything Mitch given to decorate his apartment to make it look sophisticated, but he holds on to the dog that he didn't even want in to begin with.

'Showtime' didn't work for me much during the first viewing but I got a chance to watch it for the second time and enjoyed it more. The film toys with the interesting idea of a cop reality show, comparing how police life really is to how it's portrayed on screen but the over the top action sequences which are also very long, goes against this very concept. 'Showtime' falls in its own trap but it did have potential to be a better film given the concept. It is the comedic track between Murphy and De Niro that stands out. The two actors, along with Rene Russo, somewhat make up for the deficiency of this movie and during the second viewing I was able to pay more attention to this rather than the storyline which is weak. I would like to see the two work together again, with a better script.

I've read a lot of reviews about Showtime on IMDb and many seem to miss the mark. I've noticed a lot of reviewers calling this the typical "buddy" film. De Niro is in no way Murphy's buddy throughout most of this movie. In fact, part of the comedy of this film is De Niro's reluctance to be friends with anybody.Murphy really shines in this one. He is back at doing what he does best, acting like a complete ham. He is a cop who wants so much to be an actor and enjoys being in the reality show. De Niro is perfect as the straight man who thinks the entire thing is stupid. I thought the two of them had great chemistry and were a perfect casting choice. Rene Russo is also great as the TV producer. Of course, she loves everything Murphy does and tries so hard (along with Murhpy) to get DeNiro going too.A lot of reviewers have touched on the hilarious scene with William Shatner, reprising his role as TJ Hooker to train Murhpy & De Niro how to "act" like cops. But, my favorite scene involves Murphy in the "confessional" hoping he could get a Wesly Snipes-Like cop to team up with instead of De Niro. Man, that was hilarious! Comedies often depend on your personal tastes. Sure you could poke holes in the plot, most often you can with a comedy. I was psyched to see the pairing of Murphy and De Niro...I think it brought out the best in Murphy, which was nice to see him at the top of his game again. I can only imagine it was a great honor for Murphy to be paired with the great De Niro. Rating 8 of 10 stars.