The 1980s and 1990s were a wild time for the buddy cop sub-genre of action-thrillers. Oscar-winning actor Clint Eastwood was known as a key fixture of the sub-genre, having starred in his fair share of movies, perhaps being best known for his role as "Dirty" Harry Callahan in the classic Dirty Harry series. However, in 1990, Eastwood opted to ride the wave of buddy cop movies that were big business in that era due to the success of Lethal Weapon, starring Mel Gibs on
In 1990, he directed and starred in his own foray into the buddy cop genre, The Rookie, appearing opposite Charlie Sheen. The Rookie was not a huge critical or commercial hit for its time, but thirty-five years later, it endures as an exceptional entry into the realm of fun action flicks. It’s time to take a look back at Eastwood and Sheen's high-octane, nonstop thrill ride, The Rookie, which recently joined Netflix's streaming lineup.
Clint Eastwood and Charlie Sheen Form an Unlikely Duo in 'The Rookie'
The plot of The Rookie was representative of the stock buddy cop movie formula of the day. Eastwood plays a very familiar type as Detective Nick Pulovski, a character who seems cut from the same cloth as Harry Callahan. Pulovski is a grizzled, cigar-chomping, hard-nosed veteran detective. After his partner is murdered by the crime lord, Ulrich Sigmund Strom (Raul Julia), he's ordered to take on a new partner, the young cop David Ackerman (Sheen). David is a greenhorn, inexperienced, wet-behind-the-ears rookie, hence the movie's title, with him and Nick clashing over their methods and backgrounds. Eastwood's Nick is more of a blue-collar working Joe, while David comes from a privileged, upper-crust background—they must find a way to work together to overcome the odds and take down the ruthless Strom.
Sheen was a rising movie star at the time, coming off a string of hit movies, such as the Best Picture-winning war flick Platoon, Wall Street, Young Guns, and Major League, but had not yet become America's biggest and most notorious sitcom star through his more comedic turns in Spin City and Two and a Half Men. Meanwhile, Eastwood was better known for his blockbusters at the time than his critically acclaimed Oscar-winning fare of later years, such as Unforgiven, Mystic River, and Million Dollar Baby. Admittedly, the writing and script of The Rookie are sometimes derivative, but Eastwood and Sheen share an entertaining onscreen dynamic, exhibiting strong chemistry as they play off one another as a mismatched buddy cop duo.
Insane Action Sequences and Eastwood's Direction Elevate ‘The Rookie'
In evoking other action-thrillers like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, The Rookie ends up putting together an average, cliché, and fairly predictable plot. However, there's no doubt that Eastwood's slick direction and strong production values elevate the experience. The movie boasted a rather hefty budget for its time at $30 million, and this allowed the production to create some rather insane action set-pieces, such as when Nick and David are forced to escape an exploding warehouse in a sports car, which they drive out of an upper floor—it's easily the highlight stunt and action sequence of the entire movie. In spite of a somewhat shallow storyline, The Rookie's action and production values look top-notch.
The Rookie also utilizes an impressive cast to play off of Eastwood and Sheen. The late, great Raul Julia takes on the role of the main villain, delivering an absolutely brilliant performance as the sinister Strom, elevating what could have easily been a one-dimensional, cookie-cutter role by showcasing his unique charisma and magnetism. Meanwhile, Veteran character actor Tom Skeritt portrays David's corporate businessman dad, and Lara Flynn-Boyle of Twin Peaks fame plays the somewhat thankless role of David's wife, Sarah. Sônia Braga helps round out the cast, re-teaming with her Kiss of the Spider Woman co-star Julia as Strom's lethal femme fatale girlfriend, Liesl. Thanks to an impeccable cast and the direction of a seasoned industry pro, The Rookie became a far more memorable action spectacle than it had any right to be.
Certainly the product of a bygone era when mid-budget dynamic action-thrillers were commonplace and buddy cop movies had more of an edge, style, and panache, The Rookie now stands a relic of the past that would be a refreshing antidote to modern cinema if it were released today. Movies of the '90s like The Rookie were certainly flawed, but they are also definitely missed. Fans of good old-fashioned action movies can easily revisit The Rookie, which is currently available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
