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Hollywood Homicide features characters and scenes that numerous mismatched cop movies have explored before, but Shelton seems less interested in seeing his two protagonists solve the crime and more interested in following Gavilin and Calden when they clock off duty. Aside from their police work, both men have jobs on the side to supplement their income; Ford is a real estate broker and Hartnett a fitness instructor and wannabe actor. The film employs the usual action movie clichés, but has fun playing with our expectations. Just when we think a car chase will start, it stops abruptly, while another chase - this time on foot - begins dramatically, but ends up played for laughs. Quite often, the film abandons the crime plot, instead focusing on the two leads as they amble around Hollywood, pursuing their personal ambitions instead of LA’s criminals. This very loosely structured film eventually goes off the rails and the closing scenes feel almost like an afterthought. Nevertheless, it’s refreshing to see a thriller that lets its generic characters wander from the well-worn cop movie path and indulge in quirky character moments on the margins of the plot. Ford is given free rein to poke fun at his heroic image, while Hartnett’s chilled out approach to the job is an amusing counterpoint. The supporting cast is impressive, with cameos from a host of familiar faces from the movie and music scenes. It’s strange that Shelton chose to have the crime revolve around the music world rather than the movie industry, which would have been the more obvious choice, but there are still a few effective film-related jokes peppered throughout the film. The result is an amusing, diverting film that has fun playing with the well-worn conventions of the cop movie.
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