"Busting" is a decent cop comedy / drama that stars Elliott Gould and Robert Blake as vice detectives Michael Keneely and Patrick Farrel. They're just two of many cinematic cops that pattern their style after "Dirty" Harry Callahan: they make their own rules, and often drive their superiors right up the wall. They're extremely determined to bust Carl Rizzo (Allen Garfield),a very well connected crime kingpin who proves hard to take down.

This fairly stylish and amusing movie marked the theatrical writing / directing debut for Peter Hyams, a former CBS newsman. Hyams went on to create entertainments such as "Capricorn One", "Outland", and "2010: The Year We Make Contact". Here he fashions a reasonably gritty movie that works mostly because Gould and Blake are an interesting pair. They're believable as these rather unorthodox partners. "Busting" also benefits from Garfields' solid performance, because Rizzo is a smooth and confident type, convinced that he's untouchable; he goes so far as to give the detectives permission to come after him. There's also the occasional bit of titillation for viewers, and some grisly violence. The major action set pieces - a foot chase that leads through a supermarket, a final vehicular pursuit - are capably done, thanks to stunt gaffer Hal Needham. Some viewers, however, may be put off by the brief section of the movie that focuses on homosexual stereotypes.

Fortunately, there is some character defining dialogue at select points that prevent Gould and Blake from ever becoming total cartoon characters. Gould has an amusing character quirk in that Keneely is almost always seen chewing bubble gum.

Fun enough for cop movie fans, with a cast of familiar faces that includes Antonio Fargas, Michael Lerner, Sid Haig, William Sylvester, Logan Ramsey, Richard X. Slattery, and Cornelia Sharpe. Actress Margo Winkler, wife of co-producer Irwin Winkler, plays Rizzos' wife.

Six out of 10.

God I hate this film, no coherent plot, lousy direction, a poor script, hardly any action and a downbeat ending to boot. Elliott Gould and Robert Blake have done far better films than "Busting." Both actors are wasted here. It's become a well worn theme of the "buddy cop" movies but episodes of "Starsky and Hutch" are better - and I do enjoy that show a good deal. Watch this only as a curiosity and no more.

Directed by Peter Hyams, Busting apparently inspired the television show Starsky & Hutch. It was released at a similar time as Freebie and the Bean which was commercially more successful but Busting is more tighter, coherent and cynical picture that still retains elements of its comedy.

Keneely (Elliott Gould) tall, laconic and chews gum all the time and Farrel (Robert Blake) shorter and tougher are two LA vice cops who spend most of their time arresting hookers and people in gay bars rather than than the big crime lords who they feel are being protected by their superior officers and cynical lawyers.

They decide to go all out to catch the local crime lord Rizzo (Allen Garfield) which annoys their superiors who prefer they go after the small fry.

The film has a comedic and anarchic tone but beneath the cynicism it also has a heart of two cops trying to do the right thing and not happy with just fitting up hookers and their clients.

There are thrills as well with well staged shootout sequences in a market and later in a hospital. The film is a softer and sarcastic edged version of The French Connection featuring elements of a buddy cop duo and a message that crime does pay.