Veteran cop Nick Pulovski is used to playing musical partners; many of the partners he's had in the past have died on the job, and often as a result of Nick's risky tactics. But the rookie who's been assigned to help Nick bust a carjacking ring is almost as hotheaded as he is … and when Nick gets kidnapped, his newbie partner is his only hope.
Clint Eastwood
Nick Pulovski
Charlie Sheen
David Ackerman
Raúl Juliá
Strom
Sônia Braga
Liesl
Tom Skerritt
Eugene Ackerman
Lara Flynn Boyle
Sarah
Xander Berkeley
Blackwell
Coleby Lombardo
David's brother
Pat DuVal
Interrogator #1
Mara Corday
Interrogator #2
Jerry Schumacher
Interrogator #3
Pepe Serna
Lt. Ray Garcia
Marco Rodríguez
Loco
Donna Mitchell
Laura Ackerman
Tony Plana
Morales
David Sherrill
Max
Hal Williams
Powell
Lloyd Nelson
Freeway Motorist
Matt McKenzie
Wang
Joel Polis
Lance
Jordan Lund
Bartender
Paul Ben-Victor
Little Felix
Anthony Charnota
Romano
Robert Dubac
Waiter
Rodger LaRue
Maitre'D
Joe Farago
Anchorman
Robert Harvey
Whalen
Roberta Vasquez
Heather Torres
Jeanne Mori
Connie Ling
Jay Boryea
Sal
Marylou Kenworthy
Receptionist
Thomas Rosales Jr.
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Seth Allen
David as child
Pete Randall
Cruz
Anthony Alexander
Alphonse
Paul Butler
Captain Hargate
Nick Ballo
Vito
George Orrison
Det. Orrison
James W. Gavin
Aerial Coordinator/Pilot
Thomas H. Friedkin
Pilot
Craig Hosking
Pilot
Kyle Eastwood
Band Member at Ackerman's House Party (uncredited)
Director
Clint Eastwood
Screenplay
Scott Spiegel
Screenplay
Boaz Yakin
March 10, 2019
4
***Eastwood’s forgettable detective flick with Charlie Sheen***
This is another Clint Eastwood cop thriller. What immediately comes to mind? The five Dirty Harry films, right? Or “The Gauntlet” (1977)? All great or near-great Eastwood cop pictures. So you'd expect the same from 1990's “The Rookie,” costarring Charlie Sheen as the sidekick. Well, you'd be wrong.
Something keeps “The Rookie” from attaining the heights of those other Eastwood cop films. It even pales compared to “Tightrope” (1984) and “Blood Work” (2002). Don’t get me wrong, there are some entertaining elements and the thrills certainly pick up in the overblown last act, but the flick’s too contrived and even falls into camp territory at times.
Furthermore, Sheen’s unconvincing as a tough cop who can singlehandedly take down a bar on the wrong side of town, not to mention the miscasting of Latino’s Raul Julia and Sonia Braga as German villains. While Braga is stunning, she’s not utilized to her potential; neither is Lara Flynn Boyle. Meanwhile Tom Skerritt is wasted in a trivial role as Sheen's rich dad.
So this is a disappointing, even laughable Eastwood cop flick and rightly forgotten. The constant macho f-bombs don't help. Still, there are enough engaging moments to make it worth catching if you can laugh with it.
The movie runs 2 hours and was shot in the Los Angeles area.
GRADE: C/C-
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$10,000,000.00
Revenue:
$21,600,000.00