Top 10 Buddy Cop Movies of All Time

People need buddies, and movies, apparently, need cops. Pair those two truths together, and we've got one of the greatest film tropes that ever was. Which brings us to our picks for the 10 best buddy cop movies of all time.
To figure out the components to create the coolest cop buddies, we've got to sift through everything that makes a buddy cop movie work. It's not just two police officers who get the bad guys. It's a two-person team, two halves that make a perfect hole, a yin and a yang. We're going to inspect and dissect exactly what traits are needed to make the perfect duo, and finally settle on what the greatest buddy cop movie of all time is.
The Picks:
10 - Lethal Weapon (1987) dir. Richard Donner
9 - Freebie and the Bean (1974) dir. Richard Rush
8 - Memories of Murder (2003) dir. Bong Joon-ho
7 - Last Action Hero (1993) dir. John McTiernan
6 - 48 Hrs. (1982) dir. Walter Hill
5 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) dir. Robert Zemeckis
4 - Turner & Hooch (1989) dir. Roger Spottiswoode
3 - Hot Fuzz (2007) dir. Edgar Wright
2 - Pure Luck (1991) dir. Nadia Tass
1 - Bad Boys (1995) dir. Michael Bay
This movie list was written by Evan Gaustad and edited by Justin Donaldson.
For more 100% totally related film snob content, check out most of the rest of CineFix (I’ll link some here to give you a head start…)
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#CineFix #Movies

[@mgs2014]

This video was just 28 minutes commercial for bad boys4.😂😂

[@Hawkschamp2010]

If bad boys is #1 with a movie coming out soon, it must be paid promotion

[@perk_at_play]

I was so sure #2 was ramping up to The Nice Guys.

[@CapN_Crump]

You and me both!

[@erakfishfishfish]

Same. Not even a brief mention either.

[@needamuffin]

​@@erakfishfishfish It was on screen when he said "I'm sure I missed some absolutely iconic movies"

[@Noah-pq8rv]

The Nice Guys is my 2nd favorite film of all time

[@Saintsdevotee]

Not mentioning this film is a travesty

[@waynechapman9823]

A few others worth mentioning: John Woo’s “The Killer,” Shane Black’s “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” and Amir Shervan’s “Samurai Cop.”

[@byronofrothdale]

They didn't mention "The Killer" by name but the two guns slow motion scene at the end is clearly a reference.

[@mcgarnagle6102]

Dude, we get it, you really love Police Academy 3.

[@iamgrey1989]

Kiss kiss bang bang and nice guys not even getting a mention is criminal kind sir!

[@Zed-fq3lj]

and L.A. Confidential and Cop Land...something bad is happening with CineFix 🤔

[@macrobertson25]

No Men in Black or Rush Hour on this list is a crime

[@zackerycooper7602]

It's on the list, it just wasn't chosen for the top 10.

[@TheJoeBossShow]

No bad boys men in black Beverly Hills cops or 21 jump street placement in top 10. Oh nahhhhh, this ain’t the one

[@CapN_Crump]

@@TheJoeBossShow bad boys was literally number 1, what do you mean lol

[@macrobertson25]

@@TheJoeBossShow You should finish the list...

[@charliebrown9489]

They showed it smh God you ppl are dumb! 😂

[@ErikWoodsCinSoundRadio]

Lethal Weapon #10 and Bad Boys #1... plus no Se7en? Yikes!

[@Zed-fq3lj]

something bad is happening with CineFix 🤔

[@Stryver103]

bad boys being #1 is probably the lousiest attempt at an undisclosed ad I've ever seen, the really weird tonal shift, the fact that a new movie JUST came out... yeah right dude go off

[@santos8468]

I was afraid of that.

[@chrisgetchell6337]

It really sucks the commercialist downturn this channel has taken since IGN bought them

[@logannagel4392]

I’m glad they shifted back to a more original style with the top 10s…but it’s disheartening to see a corporate owner forcing cinefix to compromise their art into a a top 9 + ad rather than a top 10.

[@robertdingle1129]

That was my first thought when I clicked the video, but I was hoping I was wrong. When I saw Bad Boys hadn't even been mentioned 7 entries in, I knew. Same reason Will Smith was on Hot Ones. Extreme PR moves and IGN is a cheap pro.

[@roel.vinckens]

A real bitchy stage slap.

[@olivercation1820]

Came to the comments to say IGN had deatroyed the good name of Cinefix by doing obviously ad placements like this but beaten to it. Glad everyone is thinking the same. Slip Bad Boys in at like 5 and it will still be a good reminder. Put an actual ad spot in the video. But to drop it at number one is so on the nose.

[@folarinosibodu]

I knew what movie would be #1 when they did not show any clips of their movies

[@BoyNamedSue4]

Lethal Weapon is number one. Everyone else is fighting for second place.

[@sportbikejesus6297]

Agreed. Lethal Weapon is the perfect example of this really stupid genre. In fact simply having cops who are buddies doesn’t mean it’s a buddy cop movie. It has to be super cheesy and awful like lethal weapon. Like End of Watch and Seven are actually good movies so they’re not buddy cop movies

[@ReverendMeat51]

@@sportbikejesus6297 Booo

[@arnecruz]

Yes. Lethal Weapon 1-4 is far better than Bad Boys 1-4.

[@carmillachoate]

It wouldn't be a Clint list without Kurosawa featuring prominently

[@Advent3546]

Hot Fuzz made the list! You guys are off the fucking chain!

[@EMItilIdie]

The Greater Good!

[@CF0RD]

Im really reconsidering my trust in this channel's recommendations after watching this list

[@CapN_Crump]

I love that Roger Rabbit made it on the list! Time for a rewatch

[@believethehype3992]

no End of watch on the list is a crime.

[@DigDug500]

Whats crazy is that its even been in a seperate video

[@sportbikejesus6297]

End of Watch is too good to be considered a buddy cop movie.

[@1400IntruderVS]

Running Scared. With Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines

[@duanevp]

One of my personal top10 unquestionably.

[@CinHotlanta]

Seriously underrated

[@Geronimo_Jehoshaphat]

Peter Hyams is way too underrated.

[@maggieclickdraggy3453]

This is my favorite buddy cop movie EVER, hands down. And not even a nod to it! 🙄 Ugh!!😖

[@Stingwray11]

Lethal Weapon, and Rush Hour.

[@jctai100]

No L.A. Confidential??? Buddies at the end!

[@Zed-fq3lj]

Not mentioning L.A. Confidential and Cop Land in buddy cop category is one of CineFix greatest letdowns, oversights or even disgraces.

[@Shoelessjoe78]

It's a thinly veiled add. New Bad Boys movie coming out... Magically #1.

[@NickolasNameolas]

Gene Hackman in Enemy of the State is Harry Call from the Conversation operating under an assumed name, so I guess that means he’s a surveillance expert.

[@motherplayer]

Caul, but I won't be that kind of person and knock you for it, because I only learned it later.

[@NickolasNameolas]

@@motherplayerit is a little on the nose to have the most private person person alive have the last name “Call”

[@FloraWest]

I remember when I saw Enemy of the State and not being able to believe that no one really seemed to be talking about how it was the same character. I probably just didn't find the right articles or whatever but I felt like I was going a little crazy.

[@dylnDOT]

Yoooo OG style CineFix Video!!!!

[@PlatyNews]

i laughed at police academy aproaching at every instance

[@bjornlangneff2294]

My favorite still is Last Boy Scout

[@6thwilbury2331]

I don't know how I've never heard of Freebie And The Bean, but now I want to check it out.

[@feedthesnake3394]

danny glover is a national treasure

[@GingerBeardMan27]

Speaking of jumping in the air and firing two guns at the same time, I’m surprised Hard Boiled didn’t at least get an honorable mention.

[@jts6016]

Can't believe Long Kiss Goodnight isn't on here - like not even a mention of it.

[@ReverendMeat51]

Great movie, but neither of the buddies are cops. Die Hard could fit too and it didn't get a mention either

[@popculturewatch8689]

​@@ReverendMeat51as it was mentioned a bunch of times in the video, the team do not need to be cops. Its about their dynamic.

[@DanArnets1492]

The real #1 (without the blatant advertisement) should be Hot Fuzz · They're clear opposites · They learn from each other in natural ways · Real bromance · Great at investigating together · Insanely good movie

[@milohargadine1601]

Counter argument: Hollywood Homicide, it has a classic element of the genre that Hot Fuzz is missing, Harrison Ford is supposed to retire in that movie, so it adds tension between him and Josh Hartnet, and it adds tension for the audience because the movie could kill the retiring cop, because that happens all the time

[@santos8468]

@@milohargadine1601 That's not a particularly well-liked movie.

[@derdoktor5202]

I'm a little bit disapointed that you didn't mention 'the other guys'. For me the perfect fit for #5.

[@erakfishfishfish]

It did get a brief clip at the beginning of the video, but even then, it was of The Rock and Jackson and not the actual main actors.

[@TimofejNenarokov]

You forgot to mention that Pure luck is a remake of French movie La Chevre

[@vernonmeidlinger870]

came here to say this. La Chevre was one of my favorite movies as a kid!

[@rodrigueilboudo7102]

Merci pour la mention. Pierre Richard et Gérard Depardieu sont irrésistibles dans La chèvre.

[@TimofejNenarokov]

@@rodrigueilboudo7102 you are welcome. A lot of people on post soviet countries grew up with French comedies.

[@AskAScreenwriter]

Running Scared should have deserved at least a clip! And F/X would have made an interesting choice, too. The 'buddies' don't meet, or even realize they're working together, until nearly the end of the movie.

[@waynechapman9823]

Just thought of another one: Jack Sholder’s “The Hidden” (1987) with Kyle MacLachlan and Michael Nouri. Very much a buddy cop film with some sci-fi thrown in for good measure.

[@lydia1634]

That Hot Fuzz conversation paid off!!

[@gabrielrodriguez6425]

Lethal weapon is #1

[@Omgitm10]

Lethal weapon on #10?!?!?!?! I'm not sure i can continue this video..

[@ProudPapaJD]

And you shouldn’t, it’s all downhill from there.

[@Owens777]

Almost every list you make makes me want to block my calendar for a few days and binge every movie mentioned 🤩

[@RyanMichero]

Memories of Murder is a great pick, but calling Bong "Joon-ho" is like calling Spielberg "Steven." Joon-ho is his given name, Bong is his family name.

[@Mos41f]

Both 'The Other Guys', 'The Nice Guys' at least deserve an honorable mention.

[@BasketballJones48021]

Lethal Weapon is the GOAT

[@voxangelaemortis]

Just seeing Tom Hanks in the vet hospital scene still makes me tear up. LOVE that movie.

[@stevenmackay8053]

Same.

[@_MC529]

Not even an honourable mention for "Maschinenblut" (2023)? It's the incarnation of buddy cop drama.

[@judewakefield7213]

Men in Black

[@Filthyism]

I’m happy “last action hero” made it on the list. Such a classic

[@Zed-fq3lj]

same here 🤩

[@jonathanbarr9764]

Why does it keep showing Beverly Hills Cop II in the titles when it's showing clips from the first movie?

[@ProudPapaJD]

Why are half the choices not buddy cop movies? The list is bunk. 😂

[@jonathanbarr9764]

@@ProudPapaJD I'm also curious as to why the honourable mentions are missing The Heat a 2013 buddy cop movie starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy.

[@SadThrash]

I see Last Action Hero, I hit like. So glad this movie's gotten a reevaluation recently.

[@Geronimo_Jehoshaphat]

01. Lethal Weapon 02. Die Hard with a Vengeance 03. Beverly Hills Cop 04. Bad Boys 05. The Hard Way 06. 48 Hours 07. Running Scared 08. Red Heat 09. Rush Hour 10. Tango & Cash

[@joystewart5193]

What a fun list! Very disappointed, though, that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Heat, and Bon Cop Bad Cop didn’t get mentions.

[@WhiskyCanuck]

Did anyone outside of Canada see Bon Cop, Bad Cop?

[@seandpizzle]

I was literally planning my comment about leaving Bad Boys off the list. Well played, sir

[@kavalden]

What about Running Scared 1986 with Billy Crystal, Gregory Hines, and Jimmy Smits

[@FloraWest]

"I'm on the El!"

[@khcstewie]

so good to have a proper cinefix video again

[@ser132]

kinda disappointed Bon Cop, Bad Cop didn't even get a mention; not greatly surprised, though.

[@Swishyhead]

Eyyy, I was hoping someone would have mentioned it in the comments! 🤩

[@AerialAssault87]

So happy to see Pure Luck finally get the respect it deserves!

[@amppma7302]

the thing I love about your top lists is that there are always a few movies I have never seen. your synopsis ends up piquing my interest and then I go watch them (well not all of them, at least one from each of these videos). thanks for posting consistently good, well made content.

[@cade8986]

I know it’s not a movie, but True Detective, Season 1 is easily on par with the best of these

[@Soopology]

Lol I love CineFix but sometimes they get a bit too "lets be fake eclectic & not put the list in the order it should be! Mwahahaha" - there's no way in hell Freebie & the Bean is in front of Lethal Weapon.

[@toplookingdown971]

I say the same thing.

[@cameronbobsmith]

I tend to find that with Cinefix, other than the #1 spot, the order is usually thematic/chronological/some other ideological concept, rather than a traditional Top 10 anyway.

[@esotericVideos]

4:40 Sounds like he says "We play pokemon".

[@pong86r]

'Last Action Hero' is probably one of my all time favorites!

[@joejohnson4926]

"The other guys" has become a annual watch for me and should have had at least a mention.

[@Drkknit]

Where the fuck is To Live and Die in L.A.!?

[@duanevp]

Another one on my personal top 10.

[@stoogefest16]

It’s sorta an inverted buddy cop film. For one, they’re Secret Service agents, and the partnership in the movie is mainly predicated on coercion and enablement, and not so much witty banter and personality contrasts. Besides that, the films chief focus is on how the cops ruthless and expedient methods mirror that of the criminal he’s pursuing, almost as if he’s an even bigger sociopath than his quarry. It tries, and succeeds, at establishing a symmetry between cop and criminal in ways similar to the Miami Vice tv series and most of Michael Manns feature films. It’s a bracing crime thriller with a superb sense of style and a dim outlook on law enforcement, but it’s not exactly a buddy picture.

[@EsteQueso19]

Hooray, a new movie list! Welcome back to the classic!

[@scottishzombie]

Only a passing mention of Running Scared? FOR SHAME.

[@CinHotlanta]

To this day I think of Running Scared when I hear the words "buddy cop movie"

[@Z-Mikes00]

love how i just saw bad boys ride or die when this uploaded

[@bigschank]

BLAZING SADDLES!!!! Not even a mention?

[@jonathanbarr9764]

Here's a kinda funny story about Bad Boys II from the premiere of Hot Fuzz according to the commentary which I think you can still listen to on KZbin for free but there's no footage of the actual movie just the commentary. Directors Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright have been friends for years so at one of the premieres for Hot Fuzz (I'm not sure if it was the US release or the UK release) they set up a table to give out free copies of two the movies you mentioned here. The honourable mention of Point Break which as the narrator said almost made the list and Bad Boys II, despite being free they couldn't give away a single copy of Bad Boys II, while I have no problem with it (it's a dumb movie but still enjoyable) it surprised me that no one wanted a free movie that was a big hit when it came out.

[@richardlehoux]

The original french movie Pure Luck was based upon was so funny with famous actors in it.

[@rodrigueilboudo7102]

Merci pour la mention

[@MrGMovieReviews]

Running scared and the other guys and the 21 jump street films need to be on here

[@ReverendMeat51]

Which Running Scared?

[@MrGMovieReviews]

@@ReverendMeat51 the one that’s a buddy cop movie and not the one with Paul walker(which is great and not a buddy cop movie)

[@FloraWest]

21 Jump Street at least got a mention-I always think that kind of counts with only 10 slots available.

[@zunaidparker]

Ah yes, perfectly timed between Bad Boys 4 and Beverly Hills Cop 4!

[@JoshuaMeyers4574]

I always thought both buddies had to be cops to make the dynamic work

[@andymc96]

They don't even have to be cops, look at kiss kiss bang bang and the nice guys.

[@matthewthompson9471]

Off topic, my 14 year old son said this to me yesterday,"why is Clint Eastwood famous?". Please do a video on this legend of a man.

[@tholmes2661]

Last Boy Scout needed more love

[@Swishyhead]

The optimist in me kept hoping for at least a sighting of Bon Cop, Bad Cop. 🇨🇦⚜️

[@gjamdz]

Great video! A title which can be an honourable mention is "Tiempo de Valientes" or "On Probation", a 2005 Argentinian film about a hard cop and his psycologist. It's really amazing. Congrats on another great top 10 movie list.

[@dalevintage]

I LOVE Last Action Hero! Stoked you enjoy it too! ❤️🎬

[@dalevintage]

Huh. I can't wait to see James Caan in what looks like a comedic action performance! Thanks!

[@chrisguzman4633]

Lethal Weapon set the standard. Should be no.1. Period

[@nameskaz]

I would love a "Hot. Sweet. Action." shirt.

[@kifacorea]

Memories of murder. Nice call. 👍 FYI, they caught the serial killer decades later in the 2010s.

[@christophermerlot3366]

As a Canadian I'm utterly offended that you left out Bon Cop, Bad Cop.

[@natalyamartirosyan]

As a millennial I love a good buddy cop movie. Lethal weapon, 48 hrs, Rush hour, K9, Midnight run -- the almost all of it. But you won't sell me a Bad boys movie in a million years. It doesn't belong nowhere near this list.

[@tomconneely1361]

Very pleased to see Freebie and the Bean. It was the first film I thought of when I saw the title of this vid. No mention of Alien Nation (unless I missed it) was disappointing though. Perhaps two James Caan movies was a bit much to hope for ;)

[@TheForestWolf]

Running scared is a fantastic buddy cop movie

[@redeem147]

You did not mention Bon Cop, Bad Cop. Quelle a shame

[@HAL-st4ll]

If Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan don't win this, we'll ride at dawn

[@kniferaffe]

Police Academy 3 did some heavy lifting in the clip department here.

[@hunterwyeth]

Lots of movies here I need to watch again. Straight up shocked that there’s no mention of End of Watch though

[@LouFlow]

Honorable Mention to “The Nice Guys.” We need a sequel!

[@lazix]

I'm so ready for buddy cop movies to make a come back

[@cool1234881]

been kinda lost without these lists

[@openingband]

This list is the first time I just out right think you were paid to do this. List seems like a fraud. "We want to see Will Smith and Martin Lawrence on screen together." No we don't.

[@ralph.javier]

I'm convinced you haven't watched Hard Boiled.

[@starkparker16]

It's like they don't respect themselves or their silly list. Hard Boiled could have been the whole list and it would have been their best list yet.

[@CornishCreamtea07]

I'm pretty sure I've seen Hard Boiled on other lists.

[@PedPaul]

😆'Hard Boiled' is a great movie

[@AmandaRamey22]

MORE OF THESE COUNTDOWN RANKING LIST PLEASE ❤️

[@Noah-pq8rv]

The Nice Guys should’ve been mentioned at least it’s my 2nd favorite film of all time

[@Rugras.]

Disney need to make a buddy cop jedi show. I'd watch it.

[@thecornerkid402]

#2 shocked me. My family and I were honestly wondering if we were the only ones who’d ever seen it. I do agree. Highly underrated comedy.

[@oludascribe]

2 GUNS(2013) at least deserved a mention. Denzel and Wahlberg had great chemistry.

[@bspoynter]

Leathal Weapon is the benchmark for buddy action films in my opinion.

[@RatedRKO269]

I agree with most of the choices on this list, especially the number 1 choice. Major props for showing love to Last Action Hero! As always with your lists I learn about a few films I had never seen. Will have to check out Pure Luck and Freebie and the Bean as I’ve never even heard of them.

[@nicksaffin2970]

no mention of end of watch is crazy

[@Maitch3000]

Policy Academy 3 is a masterpiece