Rush Hour

I agree.

It is.

But at the same time I would like to note that it is also one of the funniest movies around, thereby establishing the difference between a film and a movie.

"Rush Hour" is funny. As in: Fun. It is ninety minutes and change of out-and-out fun, silliness unbound, male/macho stupidity the likes of which hasn't been seen since the Hope-Crosby road pictures.

And there is nothing whatsoever wrong with that. Especially when one considers what passes for a 'film' currently.

"Rush Hour" is a tried-and-true buddy picture, with the buddies in question being opposites: The legendary detective from Hong Kong (Jackie Chan), and the smart-mouth, self-important, but well-meant Los Angeles cop (Chris Tucker). Of course, the detective from Hong Kong is a martial arts expert (does Chan play any other type of role?) and the L.A. cop is, well, not.

Chan does here what he does best: Lighthearted, light-footed action comedy. Tucker does what Chan doesn't do: Foul-mouthed, rude, unnecessary, speed-mouth 'humor'.

To the story: During the final days of Hong Kong's station as a colony of the British Empire Detective Lee (Chan) breaks up a smuggling ring, but fails to capture the masterminds behind it, who escape easily to the United States. Fast forward now: Lee's superior has relocated to Los Angeles, becoming the Chinese consul, along with his young daughter, where they hope to pursue to the American Dream.

But it is not to be so: The masterminds behind the aforementioned smuggling ring find out the consul is living in L.A., and capture his child.

Enter the F.B.I., who balk when the consul informs them he wants Lee, not only a good guy, but a family friend, flown in to help with the recovering of his only offspring. Of course the American feds, being the macho dudes they are, don't want anyone stepping on their turf, especially a guy from China. Nor do they want the locals--the LAPD, specifically a problem named Carter (Tucker)--involved. So the idea comes up to pair the Chinese guy with the L.A. black guy, with the belief doing so will keep them out of the F.B.I.'s way.

Again, it is not to be so: Despite an endorsement from the chief of police of the LAPD (Philip Baker Hall), the plan quickly comes apart, owing much to Carter, a definite loose cannon who rips and roars the streets of L.A. in a vintage Corvette, who gets off working dangerous undercover.

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