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Cast

Nick Nolte
as Jack Cates

Eddie Murphy
as Reggie Hammond

Annette O'Toole
as Elaine

Frank McRae
as Haden

James Remar
as Ganz

David Patrick Kelly
as Luther

Sonny Landham
as Billy Bear

Brion James
as Kehoe

Kerry Sherman
as Rosalie

Jonathan Banks
as Algren

James Keane
as Vanzant

Tara King
as Frizzy

Greta Blackburn
as Lisa

Margot Rose
as Casey

Denise Crosby
as Sally

Olivia Brown
as Candy

Todd Allen
as Young Cop

Bill Dearth
as Thin Cop

Ned Dowd
as Big Cop

Jim Haynie
as Old Cop

Jack Thibeau
as Detective

Jon St. Elwood
as Plainclothesman

Clare Nono
as Ruth

Sandy Martin
as Policewoman

Matt Landers
as Bob

Peter Jason
as Cowboy Bartender

Bill Cross
as Cop

Judith Holstra

Chris Mulkey
as Cop

Marcelino Sánchez
as Parking Attendant

Bennie E. Dobbins
as Road Gang Guard

Walter Scott
as Road Gang Guard

W.T. Zacha
as Road Gang Guard

Begonia Plaza
as Indian Hooker

Loyd Catlett
as Prison Guard

B.G. Fisher
as Prison Guard

Reid Cruickshanks
as Prison Guard

R.D. Call
as Duty Sergeant

Brenda Venus
as Hooker

Gloria E. Gifford
as Hooker

John Hauk
as Henry

Clint Smith
as Leroy

Ola Ray
as Vroman's Dancer

Bjaye Turner
as Vroman's Dancer

Nick Dimitri
as Torchy's Patron

John Dennis Johnston
as Torchy's Patron

Rock Walker
as Torchy's Patron

Dave Moordigian
as Gas Station Attendant

J. Wesley Huston
as Security Guard

Gary Pettinger
as Cop with Gun

Marquerita Wallace
as Bar Girl

Angela Louise Robinson
as Bar Girl

Jack Lightsy
as Bartender

Bob Yanez
as Interrogator

Luis Contreras
as Gang Member

Suzanne M. Regard
as Cowgirl Dancer

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News & Interviews for 48 HRS

Critic Reviews for 48 HRS

Audience Reviews for 48 HRS

• May 26, 2016

  After reading so many positive reviews I was left wondering what it is that made people like it so much, After thinking about it, It must be the onscreen chemistry between Nick Nolte and starring in his first film Eddie Murphy, They worked great together but the rest of the film is pretty average, No real great action, Not much comedy to speak of, The story is nothing new, And it's predictable, It's not a bad movie but with all this praise I expected allot more.
  Jamie C Super Reviewer
• Jan 11, 2014

  Awful. Generic, predictable, and boring, this film is the sum of an endless number of tired buddy cop movie cliches. Cut those out of the film, and there's nothing left. Nothing at all. On top of that, there's only two good scenes in the entire film: the car chase/gunfight with the bus, and the scene at the redneck bar, which admittedly was very funny. Aside from that, there's nothing good about this film. The dialogue is amazingly repetitive (did the writers/producers/director even watch or edit this film while they were shooting it?). Murphy just makes cracks about getting laid (we get it, he's a playboy) and Nolte's character just keeps calling Murphy different slurs over and over again (we get it, he's a racist). None of this is funny, and it's hard enough to like Nolte's character without this anyway. Nick Nolte might just be the least likable actor I've seen in the history of cinematography. If not the least, he's sure as hell up there. There's not one thing about him here that's remotely redeeming or likable, and unsurprisingly, the character comes across as exactly the same way.
  Stephen S Super Reviewer
• Jul 26, 2013

  A stereotypical '80s buddy-cop type film, 48 HRS. is poorly made and overly contrived. In order to find an escaped prisoner named Ganz, detective Jack Cates gets one of Ganz's former gang members out of prison on a 48 hour pass to help him find Ganz. Nick Nolte is terrible, and angry acts in every scene. Eddie Murphy however, is pretty good and injects some much needed humor. The action is fairly well-done, but nothing too impressive or memorable. Dark and gritty, 48 HRS. tries to distinguish itself within the cop genre but ends up been typical schlock.
  Dann M Super Reviewer
• Jul 20, 2013

  Unfairly undervalued. With all the confidence in the world, you can feel free to state that 48 Hrs. is just one in a million "buddy-cop" features that were so much exploited in the 80s and are still done and even parodied today, from the Lethal Weapons to the Rush Hours and then more (now that I think about it, most of them also decided to team up a black and a white guy). I have some arguments: a) This practically preceeded them all. 48 Hrs. gave birth to the violent action comedy trend and the buddy cop subgenre. Credit to what it is worth, this was a very attractive proposition that had new twists and turns to offer. You may argue that this is irrelevant as long as the film is not good, which leads me to the following points. b) The 80s seemed to be the decade that got everything right: two personalities drastically opposed to each other joining forces for a common purpose. So there are two conflicts to be solved: the crime-driven plot AND the partnership between each other. If these characters are a cold-blooded, badass-voiced, alcoholic, unscrupulous Nick Nolte and the comedic, scene-stealer, charismatic, hyperactive Eddie Murphy at the top of his game (the 80s), you've got a fun ride guaranteed, c) The villains WERE villains. Maybe the over-the-top amounts of violence shown today in all kinds of contexts have made the violence of before to seem tame in comparison, but people are not really capturing the vibe of the violence in these films: it is graphic, unexpected and relentless. Villains were soulless and would shoot unarmed cops and crime partners while laughing at it. d) I don't know if it is something regarding perception, the visual quality of the cameras of the 80s, the soundtrack, the vibe, the editing or the sound effects, but all action scenes felt more intense that they do now. The shootouts would pump you up easily. Action scenes were serious and tension was present. So, pay respect to the proper sources. 73/100
  Edgar C Super Reviewer

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