"Running Scared" is the typical cop buddy of the era, so common in the decade of Ronald Reagan. Billy Crystal and the late Gregory Hines share some amusing moments but the film can't seem to decide if it's an all-out comedy or a cop drama parody. In an early career role, Jimmy Smits plays the seedy drug kingpin that the two cops are trying to bring down.

The period music and fashion make this one a film for those waxing nostalgic, needing a reminder of why "we love the 80's".

A guilty pleasure; I probably watch "Running Scared" at least once a year. This is probably the best of the "buddy cop" genre of films and also the best of the "cops n' comedy" movies too - thanks to the onscreen chemistry between Hines and Crystal. (There's a reason why all the Amazon reviews mention this "chemistry" - because it's really there, and it's the backbone of the movie!) The comedy comes not so much from actual punchlines, but from the sense that these two guys are married to one another; razzing each other, sharing a high-five (or even a hug), and having a million inside jokes and rituals that only the other knows. Thanks to the "chemistry" between Crystal and Hines, we believe Constanzo and Hughes are longtime police partners and friends, with a love for each other and a history that goes back 15 years.

Most of the other reviews have covered all you need to know about the movie (one reviewer going so far as to repeat all the dialogue from a scene that could've been cut), so let me digress and just explain what the title means. Police partners Hughes and Costanzo are reckless... going it alone, never calling for backup, hot-dogging, breaking the rules, and generally risking life and limb for the job. But after tasting the good life and handing in their month's notice, the two partners start playing it safe. Suddenly they're running scared, just trying to get through the month without dying. They call for backup. They begin wearing bulletproof vests. "You're being careful," their Captain observes. "Careful gets you killed."

Other reviews compare this movie to "Lethal Weapon" and "Die Hard," but those films - while possessing some comedic elements - lean a little more towards the action side. "Beverly Hills Cop" is a better comparison, but perhaps "Running Scared" could best be compared to "Stakeout" with Richard Dreyfus and Emilio Estevez: both are underrated action-comedy "buddy cop" movies, and both rely heavily on the chemistry of their stars to work... and both DO work. "Scared" is probably the better of the two films, but after buying this one, I recommend you check out the other.

If not for the crisp camaraderie between Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal as two hardboiled big city cops, this movie had very little going for it.

No catchy oneliners that one'd expect from Billy, just some occasionally amusing banter. No bravura performance ala Lethal Weapon or Tango & Cash, but instead doozy villians who operate like imbeciles and are generally clueless how to give the cops a run for their money.

But perhaps that was the point, the emphasis was meant to be on paperweight comedy rather than sensible action. If that's it, then it makes for a decent Friday night rental. It also has some neat visuals of Chicago.

Gregory Hines, and Billy Crystal have the type of chemistry together that most actors wish for. A true classic action/comedy, the originator of the buddy genre. This is where Lethal Weapon, and Die Hard began. This is one of those movies that has become an under appreciated classic. Well worth the price, especially now that is is on DVD. Required viewing for anyone who truely likes the buddy cop movie.

The only fault to RUNNING SCARED is that they never made the intended sequel, STILL RUNNING. However, as a side note, do NOT pick up the DVD for the purported 'outtakes' advertised on the packaging; it's little more than a real of Billy Crystal talking to a camera and mucking around in his studio trailer ... a tremendous disappointment to an outstanding buddy picture.