Dreadfully Boring

A Disappointing Continuation

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Blistering performances.

When call-girl Della gets caught in the middle of a drug bust at a hotel where she was meeting a trick, she is held hostage by a robber that busted in on the drug agents and the drug dealers. She gets rescued by vice cop Church who is accused of staging the aborted bust. Despite the 2 famous actors as the leads 'Rent-a-Cop' fails to impress and unfortunately is one of those by the numbers 80's films that mostly everyone will forget than actually remember and this one is definitely on that category and the silly storyline and dialogue can't save it for sure. (0/10)

Why did some one hire Liza Minnelli? Did they not think she she would show up? Was it a prank phone call that backfired horribly? These are the key questions that lie at the heart of Rent-A-Cop. Surely Ms. Minnelli wasn't hired for her looks or talent, so why did she end up on film? Her acting reminds one of the dangers of coke addiction. Hey and can you believe it, Burt Reynolds shows up in this movie too, I think he might even play the lead role as Detective Bandit, the Trans Am is in the shop. A human is given a writing credit for this movie which must be a typo, also Bobby Benson appears as the voice of the Beast for Disney's Beauty And The Beast, although he has to dress like a human in Rent-A-Cop, I guess Disney wouldn't let Benson wear the costume, something about copyright law.

Chicago cop Burt Reynolds is suspended after a sting operation goes terribly wrong; he turns in his badge but finds work playing bodyguard to hooker Liza Minnelli, who was a witness to the massacre that got Reynolds in hot water. Burt seems to be suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (he's barely present); however, vivacious Liza (too old, really, to be playing a busy prostitute) does manage to elevate this crime-drama with her personality alone, and the solid technical aspects of the production, not to mention a fine supporting cast and gritty locales, are also exceptional. While combining corny comedic asides, a very strange villain, and jarring bursts of violence, "Rent-a-Cop" is pretty much a mess--and professional critics snubbed it--yet it is entertaining enough and the two stars share some great chemistry (even with Burt so sleepy). **1/2 from ****

A low-rent, cheaply made police thriller that's kept bearable by some fair humorous bits, the nice chemistry between the two leads and, especially, by James Remar's satisfying turn as a narcissistic, psychopathic (and, naturally, indestructible) villain. Obviously a low-quality picture, both visually and dramatically, with a rather resigned Burt, but not unwatchable. (**)