Rolling with Laughter: 15 Must-See Films That Capture the Beverly Hills Cop Vibe

Beverly Hills Cop is an iconic action-comedy film that has influenced countless movies and TV shows since its release in 1984. Its unique blend of humor, action, and detective work has become a genre in its own right, and many filmmakers have sought to capture the same energy and vibe. These 15 movies share some of Beverly Hills Cop's spirit, humor, and swagger.

1. Stir Crazy (1980)

Directed by Sidney Poitier, Stir Crazy is a comedy about two friends (played by Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor) who are framed for a bank robbery and sentenced to prison. While in jail, they get caught up in a prison rodeo and hatch a plan to escape.

2. Major League (1989)

Major League is a sports comedy directed by David S. Ward. The movie follows the Cleveland Indians, a struggling baseball team, as they try to turn their fortunes around with the help of a ragtag group of players. Charlie Sheen stars as the wild pitcher Rick Vaughn, and Tom Berenger plays the team's veteran catcher Jake Taylor.

3. See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)

Directed by Arthur Hiller, See No Evil, Hear No Evil is a comedy about a deaf man (played by Richard Pryor) and a blind man (played by Gene Wilder) who become unwitting witnesses to a murder. The two men team up to solve the crime and clear their names.

4. The Cannonball Run (1981)

Directed by Hal Needham, The Cannonball Run is a comedy about a group of eccentric drivers who participate in an illegal cross-country race. The cast includes Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, and Jackie Chan.

5. Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

Directed by Hal Needham, Smokey and the Bandit is an action-comedy about a truck driver named Bo “Bandit” Darville (played by Burt Reynolds) who is hired to smuggle beer across state lines. Along the way, he picks up a runaway bride (played by Sally Field) and is pursued by a determined sheriff (played by Jackie Gleason).

6. Every Which Way but Loose (1978)

Directed by James Fargo, Every Which Way but Loose is an action-comedy about a truck driver named Philo Beddoe (played by Clint Eastwood) who gets caught up in a series of brawls and adventures with his sidekick, an orangutan named Clyde.

7. Any Which Way You Can (1980)

Directed by Buddy Van Horn, Any Which Way You Can is a sequel to Every Which Way but Loose. The movie follows Philo Beddoe and Clyde as they get involved in a bare-knuckle boxing match and a kidnapping plot.

8. Three Fugitives (1989)

Directed by Francis Veber, Three Fugitives is a comedy about a bank robber (played by Nick Nolte) who takes a young girl hostage (played by the then 6-year-old Drew Barrymore) and ends up partnering with a bumbling ex-convict (played by Martin Short) to evade the police.

9. Ruthless People (1986)

Directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker, Ruthless People is a black comedy about a wealthy man (played by Danny DeVito) who plots to kill his wife (played by Bette Midler) when he discovers she has been cheating on him. However, his plan is foiled when she is kidnapped by a couple (played by Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater) who demand a ransom.

10. Overboard (1987)

Directed by Garry Marshall, Overboard is a romantic comedy about a wealthy, snobbish woman (played by Goldie Hawn) who falls off her yacht and develops amnesia. A carpenter (played by Kurt Russell), whom she previously treated poorly, decides to take advantage of the situation and convince her that she is his wife.

11. Stakeout (1987)

Directed by John Badham, Stakeout is a thriller about two detectives (played by Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez) who are tasked with staking out the home of a fugitive's ex-girlfriend. As they surveil the house, one of them falls in love with the woman, and they find themselves in a dangerous situation when the fugitive shows up.

12. Bird on a Wire (1990)

Directed by John Badham, Bird on a Wire is an action-comedy about a man (played by Mel Gibson) in witness protection after testifying against a drug lord. When he runs into his ex-girlfriend (played by Goldie Hawn), he gets caught up in a dangerous adventure involving assassins and corrupt officials.

13. Weekend at Bernie's (1989)

Directed by Ted Kotcheff, Weekend at Bernie's is a dark comedy about two employees (played by Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman) who discover that their boss (played by Terry Kiser) has been murdered. To avoid being suspected themselves, they pretend that he is still alive and take him on a weekend getaway.

14. Uncle Buck (1989)

John Candy's character gets in over his head in Uncle Buck. The movie is about laid-back, extremely chill Buck Russell who ends up watching his brother's kids during a family crisis. Now, he's stuck dealing with a rebellious teenager and a few little ones in his care. 

15. The Blues Brothers (1980)

This iconic movie focuses on brothers Jake and Elwood (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) after Jake is released from prison. But they're in a time crunch to save the orphanage where they grew up, so they reunite their band and begin their “mission from God,” to get as much as possible – while breaking a few rules in the meantime.

Source: Reddit.