Cops And Robbersons (1994)

15% of critics liked it
(20 reviews)
25% of users liked it
(7,769 ratings)

In this comedy, police detectives on the trail of a dangerous criminal are confronted with a new and unexpected danger: a typical suburban family. Osborn (Robert Davi) is a underworld figure with plenty of blood on his hands who, in hopes of keeping his dealings quiet, is operating out of an… More In this comedy, police detectives on the trail of a dangerous criminal are confronted with a new and unexpected danger: a typical suburban family. Osborn (Robert Davi) is a underworld figure with plenty of blood on his hands who, in hopes of keeping his dealings quiet, is operating out of an unassuming home in the suburbs. The police are determined to put Osborn behind bars, so rough-hewn veteran cop Jake Stone (Jack Palance) and his young partner Tony Moore (David Barry Gray) are assigned to stake out Osborn's home, and they get permission to keep watch from the house next door, which belongs to the Robberson family. However, Jake and Tony soon discover that this prime location may be more trouble than it's worth; Norman Robberson (Chevy Chase) is a dunderhead addicted to TV police shows who insists on helping whether it's a good idea or not, mother Helen (Dianne Wiest) keeps pestering Jake about why he shouldn't smoke, teenage daughter Cindy (Fay Masterson) develops a furious crush on Tony, and five-year-old son Billy (Miko Hughes) wants the cops to play vampire with him. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: Michael Ritchie
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 15, 1994 Wide
On DVD: Jun 12, 2001
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Leonard Klady, Variety
Trapped in a sitcom sensibility, the film never makes the vital connection with the audience that's necessary to spawn a hit.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Chevy Chase returns to the anonymous, unmemorable suburban mode that made his earlier movies profitable. And guess what? The results are anonymous and unmemorable.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
In Cops and Robbersons, Chevy Chase has an unfortunate chance to prove that there's something even more unfunny than his disastrous talk show.
Richard Harrington, Washington Post
Chevy Chase is lucky Cops and Robbersons isn't a sitcom. If it were, it would be canceled as pronto as his talk show was.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Know what this sounds like? It sounds like a screenplay.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Not nearly as bad as its critical reception suggested.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Lame comedy is not one of Chevy's best.
Kevin A. Ranson, MovieCrypt.com
The beginning of the end for Chevy Chase.
Mike McGranaghan, Aisle Seat
A very underrated Chevy Chase comedy.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
You can't go wrong with Chevy Chase
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Yeah, Chevy Chase & Jack Palance. That'll pack 'em in.
Pamela Bruce, Austin Chronicle
Chase cakewalks through the same role he's been playing for the past 10 or so years.
Chris Hicks, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
You can guess the rest -- but you'll never guess just how amazingly bad it all is.
Scott Renshaw, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Chase, as I've already noted, is stuck with a character who goes nowhere, dooming him from the start.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

♥Robyn

Chevy Chase plays Norman Robberson, a mild mannered, clumsy father of three living in a suburban neighborhood. Norman brings home a veteran cop, Jake Stone (Jack Palance), and his young assistant, Tony,they want to use the Robbersons home as a stakeout to spy on a mobster hiding out… More
Chevy Chase plays Norman Robberson, a mild mannered, clumsy father of three living in a suburban neighborhood. Norman brings home a veteran cop, Jake Stone (Jack Palance), and his young assistant, Tony,they want to use the Robbersons home as a stakeout to spy on a mobster hiding out next door. Norman's wife Helen (Dianne Wiest) reluctantly agrees to go along, and the kids see it as a grand adventure~!!!
Dean M

Quite average comedy with Chevy Chase who wannabe detective who gets a taste of the real thing while harboiled cop Jack Palance moves in to set up serveillance on Chase's new neighbour. The few chuckles almost make it worthwhile.
Sarah P

A cute, easily digestible comedy.