alexanderdavies-99382 God I hate this film, no coherent plot, lousy direction, a poor script, hardly any action and a downbeat ending to boot. Elliott Gould and Robert Blake have done far better films than "Busting." Both actors are wasted here. It's become a well worn theme of the "buddy cop" movies but episodes of "Starsky and Hutch" are better - and I do enjoy that show a good deal. Watch this only as a curiosity and no more.

Scott LeBrun "Busting" is a decent cop comedy / drama that stars Elliott Gould and Robert Blake as vice detectives Michael Keneely and Patrick Farrel. They're just two of many cinematic cops that pattern their style after "Dirty" Harry Callahan: they make their own rules, and often drive their superiors right up the wall. They're extremely determined to bust Carl Rizzo (Allen Garfield), a very well connected crime kingpin who proves hard to take down.This fairly stylish and amusing movie marked the theatrical writing / directing debut for Peter Hyams, a former CBS newsman. Hyams went on to create entertainments such as "Capricorn One", "Outland", and "2010: The Year We Make Contact". Here he fashions a reasonably gritty movie that works mostly because Gould and Blake are an interesting pair. They're believable as these rather unorthodox partners. "Busting" also benefits from Garfields' solid performance, because Rizzo is a smooth and confident type, convinced that he's untouchable; he goes so far as to give the detectives permission to come after him. There's also the occasional bit of titillation for viewers, and some grisly violence. The major action set pieces - a foot chase that leads through a supermarket, a final vehicular pursuit - are capably done, thanks to stunt gaffer Hal Needham. Some viewers, however, may be put off by the brief section of the movie that focuses on homosexual stereotypes.Fortunately, there is some character defining dialogue at select points that prevent Gould and Blake from ever becoming total cartoon characters. Gould has an amusing character quirk in that Keneely is almost always seen chewing bubble gum.Fun enough for cop movie fans, with a cast of familiar faces that includes Antonio Fargas, Michael Lerner, Sid Haig, William Sylvester, Logan Ramsey, Richard X. Slattery, and Cornelia Sharpe. Actress Margo Winkler, wife of co-producer Irwin Winkler, plays Rizzos' wife.Six out of 10.

Carson Trent I was watching a re-run of this one the other day and although I remembered I had seen it before, couldn't help noticing how fresh it still is. This one will surely ruin some fantasies as to what police work really entails, and while over thirty years old, it's quite hard-hitting action-wise,-the one shot down the corridor and staircase-chase scene into the market be testimony, but also extremely dark and complex for this genre in character-development and attention to detail - the crummy apartment scene (loved the ugly cap and crying neighbor's baby - touch), the "how do you spell Rizzo?" -writing on the toilet wall scene, the "Shezam"-scene...and so on. Also the movie score of a time where each movie had a personalized theme other than who knows who's latest MTV hit. Along with "The French Connection", "Cruising" or "To live and die in L.A", this is one of the best character-study of cops ever made by American cinema. And somehow they made it without the explosions and big budget demolition or the inter-racial partner buddy-buddy, always joking, driving Porsche, kissing the supermodel routine, but also without losing humor- the slow-dance in the fag-joint -for instance. Instead they used a little thing called talent and inspiration. Elliott Gould is in top form in this one as ever and really works well with Robert Blake.While extremely entertaining action-wise, it also raises some fair questions, like - why do they do it? or -what to do when you know you can't change anything? it doesn't preach and remains extremely human until the end.

barahona I saw this on the bottom half of a double feature and it quickly became one of my all time favorite obscure movies. The basic plot is nothing special(two vice cops , tired of busting hookers and gay bars, decide on their own to take on the city's vice/drug kingpin) but it is exciting and well made. A couple of action scenes stand out: one involves a chase of drug dealers through a supermarket all done in one long take (like the opening scene in "Touch of Evil") and the second is the final chase between two ambulances(!) that in my opinion is as good as those in Bullit and the French Connection. This is also features Elliot Gould's best performance. One scene in which he is forced to recant his testimony against a prostitute he arrested(because she had 'friends' in the department) and the resulting humiliation and frustration he expresses while being cross examined was very vivid. I don't think this is on video and it rarely plays on tv but it is a well made film that should satisfy action fans and make them think a little too.