48 Hrs.: Eddie Murphy’s First Film Is 1 of the ’80s’ Best Action Comedies

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Eddie Murphy is widely considered one of the greatest comedic actors ever. He began his career doing stand-up and gained fame on Saturday Night Live, then became a movie star. While he’s taken on dramatic roles later in his career, he’s best known for the incredibly funny comedies he made in the ’80s and ’90s. Many fans still consider his first movie to be one of his absolute best.

The 1982 film 48 Hrs. was a turning point for Eddie Murphy, launching his career from Saturday Night Live into the movies. It was a critical success, with reviewers particularly enjoying the comedic pairing of Murphy and Nick Nolte. Over four decades later, it’s still considered one of the most hilarious comedies of the 1980s and remains a standout performance for Murphy.

48 Hrs. Is a Buddy Cop Film With a Twist

The ‘buddy cop’ formula is a reliably funny part of action-comedy movies. These films usually center around two police officers or detectives who are complete opposites – one is typically calm and serious, while the other is more reckless and playful. Classic examples of this include films like Beverly Hills Cop starring Eddie Murphy.

Unlike some buddy cop movies, 48 Hrs. doesn’t center around two police officers. The story actually follows San Francisco Inspector Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) as he reluctantly teams up with convicted criminal Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) to track down a dangerous escaped convict (James Remar). Although Reggie isn’t a member of the police force,

Cates and Hammond are very different people, and Cates strongly dislikes Hammond, viewing him as a criminal. Despite this, Hammond turns out to be a key asset in the hunt for Albert Ganz. Ganz and Hammond used to be partners in crime, and now Ganz is on the run, searching for stolen money.

After breaking out of prison, Ganz searches for Henry Wong, an old member of his crew, but kills him when he discovers Wong doesn’t have the money they’re looking for. He then finds Luther Kelly, another former gang member, who is more cooperative. Luther knows the location of the money, but they need to wait until Monday to get it.

Ganz and his partner, Billy Bear, decided to hide out in a hotel. Unfortunately, the police found them, and a shootout occurred, resulting in the deaths of two officers. Cates, who had gone to the scene against his colleagues’ wishes, attempted to intervene but was unable to stop the violence.

Driven by a desire to find Ganz and avenge his murdered colleagues, Detective Cates teams up with an unlikely ally: convict Reggie Hammond. Cates arranges for Hammond’s temporary release from prison – a 48-hour period that gives the movie its name. Predictably, the two men clash, leading to plenty of funny moments and over-the-top situations.

Among the police officers featured in the film was Jonathan Banks, famous for playing Mike Ehrmantraut in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Chris Mulkey, known from Twin Peaks, had a small part as another officer, and Annette O’Toole, who appeared in Smallville, played the girlfriend of Jack Cates.

Eddie Murphy Delivers a Hilarious Performance

Eddie Murphy has had a remarkably long and successful career, appearing in nearly fifty films and becoming famous as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. He’s best known for hits like Beverly Hills Cop, The Nutty Professor, and Dr. Dolittle, though some of his other films, such as Showtime and Norbit, have received mixed reactions from audiences.

Eddie Murphy’s first movie was remarkably impressive, especially considering how difficult it often is for actors to find success. Many struggle before becoming well-known, but Murphy immediately stood out in 48 Hrs. He’s responsible for some of the film’s funniest and most iconic scenes, quickly becoming the most memorable character on screen.

Reggie is a unique criminal – he has amazing style and is fiercely loyal, even though Cates isn’t kind to him from the beginning. When their plan fell apart, Reggie could have run, but he chose to reach out to Cates and help finish the job, even knowing it meant returning to prison.

Some of the most hilarious moments in 48 Hrs. happen when Reggie pretends to be a cop in a bar full of bigots, and during a brawl between Hammond and Cates that’s broken up by arriving police officers. However, arguably the funniest part of the movie involves Hammond’s attempts to flirt with a woman.

Okay, so throughout the movie, Reggie – Eddie Murphy’s character – constantly talks about how long he’s been locked up, nearly three years, and how much he just wants to be with a woman again. Honestly, it could have come across really strange or even a little insensitive, but Murphy pulls it off. It’s funny, and you actually find yourself hoping he gets a date before his sentence is up! It’s a running joke that somehow works because of him.

Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy create a fun dynamic as costars. Nolte plays the straight man to Murphy’s comedic style, portraying a serious and easily frustrated character. His character, Cates, frequently argues with Murphy’s more relaxed Hammond, but the two eventually learn to work well together.

The 48 Hrs. Sequel Didn’t Have as Much Success

Following the huge success of the film 48 Hrs., a sequel called Another 48 Hrs. was made. However, unlike Eddie Murphy’s first movie, Another 48 Hrs. didn’t receive good reviews. Although the sequel earned more money at the box office, it cost significantly more to produce.

It’s rare for a sequel to be as good as the original. While a few, like The Godfather and 21 Jump Street, have actually surpassed their predecessors, many fall short. Unfortunately, Another 48 Hrs. felt like a predictable and uninspired attempt to capitalize on the success of the first film, offering nothing fresh or innovative.

Despite initially opening at number one in the U.S., Another 48 Hrs. wasn’t considered a commercial success. Eddie Murphy felt the studio didn’t promote the film enough, contributing to its disappointing performance. While there was clear audience interest at first, it faded quickly because the sequel didn’t meet expectations.

Eddie Murphy Even Hosted SNL After 48 Hrs.

I remember when Eddie Murphy first started out – it’s amazing to think he was doing stand-up as a teenager in the 70s, only fifteen years old! Then, in 1980, he joined Saturday Night Live at just nineteen, making him the youngest person ever on the show at the time. He was an instant hit, and honestly, he really brought SNL back to life when it was struggling. Everyone was talking about his hilarious, fresh style!

Eddie Murphy was a huge star on Saturday Night Live, quickly becoming the focal point of the show. He made history as the only cast member to ever host an episode while still being a regular performer. He filled in as host during Season 8, Episode 9, when the originally scheduled host, Nick Nolte, had to cancel.

This episode featured a funny visual of Eddie Murphy’s face superimposed onto Nick Nolte’s body. Murphy famously began the show by announcing, “Live from New York, it’s the Eddie Murphy Show!” It was his first time hosting Saturday Night Live, and he returned to host again in 1984 and then once more in 2021.

48 Hrs. Launched Eddie Murphy’s Career Outside SNL

Before his breakout role in 48 Hrs. and his memorable characters on Saturday Night Live – like Mr. Robinson, Gumby, and Buckwheat – Eddie Murphy’s film debut was a huge success. It launched his career, and he quickly became one of the biggest comedy stars of the 1980s, appearing in hit movies such as Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop, and Coming to America.

Eddie Murphy started his film career at just twenty-one years old with the movie 48 Hrs., launching a remarkably successful career that continues to thrive today, much like when he first became famous in the 1980s. Recently, he’s starred in films like Coming 2 America, You People, Candy Cane Lane, and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

Eddie Murphy is widely known and loved for voicing Donkey in the Shrek movies. Shrek is one of the most financially successful animated franchises ever made, and Murphy will be returning as Donkey in the upcoming Shrek 5, which is planned for release in 2027. However, Donkey wasn’t Murphy’s first time doing voice work.

Eddie Murphy’s first voice-acting role was a huge success, proving his exceptional comedic talent. His performance as Mushu is now one of his most popular roles, alongside his iconic portrayal of Donkey.

Eddie Murphy burst onto the scene with his first movie role as Reggie Hammond in 48 Hrs., and it quickly became a classic. The film proved his comedic talent translated perfectly from stand-up and sketch comedy to the big screen. 48 Hrs. is still incredibly funny today, and it’s clear why it made Murphy an international star.

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2025-12-17 01:39