When it comes to solving crimes, audiences have fallen in love with the buddy cop subgenre, marked by a narrative style in which a duo joins forces to solve a mystery. Sometimes, their cops, private eyes, or even unsuspecting bystanders, but a pair of buddies all the same. Their relationship dynamic isn’t necessarily that of friends, as the characters often bicker, which leads to comedy. Still, whether action, comedy, or pure detective story, the buddy cop genre is alive and well.
So what makes a good buddy cop movie? The pair on screen definitely need good chemistry, as seen in classics like Lethal Weapon and 48 Hrs., with opposing mindsets to help fuel conflict. The case they’ll be embroiled in doesn’t need to be the best, as the story and characters often transcend the mystery, but it still needs to be compelling. Most importantly, the movie needs to focus on both characters, not just one. So what are the best buddy cop movies of the last 25 years to fit that criteria?
‘The Nice Guys’ (2016)
The Nice Guys thrives on the electric chemistry between the leads, Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe. Capitalizing on what writer and director Shane Black does best, The Nice Guys is a frenetically charged film that sees the two embroiled in a noir-style detective mystery, with their personalities infusing the movie with comedic antics.
While the movie perfectly captures the aesthetics of the 1970s, bringing the era to life, the central performances are remembered far more than the mystery at its heart. Still, audiences love the seedy world on display, and The Nice Guys proves to be a buddy cop movie that harkens back to a bygone era, leaving a lasting impression.
‘Hot Fuzz’ (2007)
Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz is a love letter to buddy cop movies. Nick Frost’s small-town cop is obsessed with films like Bad Boys and Point Break, envisioning a life of action for other cops. Simon Pegg’s more by-the-book police officer is paired with him, putting them at odds and allowing them to genuinely become friends over the course of the film.
While the movie satirizes the buddy cop genre, it also ends up making a stellar one along the way. While the chemistry between the leads is undeniable, the humorous mystery and cast of eccentric suspects make for a fun ride. Plus, the ending of Hot Fuzz is an action-packed shootout that won’t be easily forgotten.
‘Training Day’ (2001)
With Training Day debuting in 2001, it’s one of the buddy-cop movies that have helped define the last 25 years. Denzel Washington won an Academy Award for his role, with Ethan Hawke giving a stellar performance alongside him. The two delivered a tense movie in which a seasoned vet and a young rookie delve into the seedier side of police work, with Washington proving to be a much darker figure than anticipated.
Training Day doesn’t lean into the humorous angle that some buddy cop movies take, and it also breaks the mold by showing that the two police officers the audience watches won’t ultimately be friends. Yet it still makes the list because the movie is about the tense struggle to see whether they’ll be buddies, and it’s also about cops.
‘The Other Guys’ (2010)
The Other Guys starts with a hilarious buddy cop setup, with Mark Wahlberg playing the serious detective looking to get back out on the streets following disciplinary action, and Will Ferrell as the straight-laced cop who loves his desk and paperwork. While their personalities are constantly at odds, the movie puts them through a timely mystery that leads to them bonding amid comedic chaos.
The Other Guys works well because it goes about poking fun at genre trends, even killing off the standard action movie types, played by Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson, leaning into the protagonists truly embodying the title of the film. Even if audiences don’t remember the case at hand, Wahlberg and Ferrell make for a memorable duo.
‘The Wrecking Crew’ (2026)
The Wrecking Crew brings exceptional chemistry to the buddy-cop genre, as the two leads are estranged half-brothers whose constant bickering becomes an endearing part of the movie. Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa play James and Jonny Hale, who are investigating their father’s death, with Jonny being an actual cop, albeit suspended, and James being a Navy SEAL.
The Wrecking Crew uses its vibrant Hawaiian locale to great advantage, giving the film a gritty action-comedy feel. Still, the movie thrives on the central duo investigating the mystery driving the plot, with comical jabs and emotionally deep reconciliations that transcend standard genre elements, making for a memorable entry.
’21 Jump Street’ (2012)
21 Jump Street, and even the sequel, 22 Jump Street, were risky prospects, as they presented the potential for an unnecessary reboot of an old franchise. However, the action comedies defied expectations, delivering thrills and laughs thanks to the likable detectives leading the film, played by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum.
21 Jump Street works as a buddy cop movie. Still, it also plays with the genre, often presenting the central dynamic as almost more like a romantic relationship than a work partnership. Yet, it’s that distinct approach, combined with the stellar chemistry between Hill and Tatum, that makes the movie reboot work as well as it does.
‘Dredd’ (2012)
Dredd might not be the first movie audiences think of when they think of the buddy cop sub-genre, but that’s precisely where it fits. Karl Urban’s Dredd spends his day training Olivia Thirlby’s Anderson, with the two trapped in a crime-ridden high-rise where they are ambushed from every angle. While the movie is a gritty sci-fi action film, it’s also about the dynamic between its leads as it evolves.
Dredd feels like a futuristic take on Training Day, taking a darker look at police work, with a standard vet and trainee setup. However, the characters work fantastically, as Dredd feels fully fleshed out even without ever removing his helmet, and Anderson finds her place in the job as they work toward closing that case that drew them to the building in the first place.
‘The Heat’ (2013)
The Heat is another overtly comic take on the genre, seeing Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy playing an odd pairing of detectives embroiled in a case. While most buddy cop films tend to focus on male partners, The Heat bucks the trend by leaning into capable female leads. The movie still delivers exceptional character dynamics, with McCarthy’s loose-cannon local cop attempting to break Bullock’s straight-laced FBI nature.
While The Heat delivers on action and comedy, it also brings the genre to a new demographic. The relatable characters brought humanity to their roles, eliciting genuine laughs through often improvised moments that strengthened the chemistry as they solved the case, proving how well the actors worked together.
‘The Guard’ (2011)
The Guard is an underrated entry in the buddy cop genre. While it received critical acclaim and all the hallmarks of a list-worthy movie, it was generally overlooked by audiences upon release and still struggles to find an audience. However, that’s a shame, as the bickering duo played by Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson needs to be seen.
Gleeson plays an eccentric Irish police officer who ends up working on a case with Cheadle’s by-the-book FBI agent. The two don’t care for each other early on, with icy exteriors that need to be broken. However, The Guard thrives on the two central performances, which deliver laughs while the two characters find a genuine human connection throughout their investigation.
‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (2005)
Shane Black has two films on the list, as before he made The Nice Guys, he proved himself adept in the genre with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. The dark comedy stars Robert Downey Jr. as a criminal-turned-actor and Val Kilmer as a private detective and acting coach, as the duo attempts to solve a murder.
The film’s narrative becomes a bit complex, becoming a truly twisted tale of murder. However, even beyond the case at hand, Downey and Kilmer’s chemistry is phenomenal, as the two play off of each other perfectly, delivering constant laughs and character quirks with ease. What Gosling and Crowe captured in The Nice Guys was perfected by Black in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
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