Joe Gower's job is skating through library shelves, fetching books. A police officer and friend of his is chosen to participate in a charity dance performance. Gower agrees to take his ...
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Title: Off Beat (1986)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Judge Reinhold | ... | Joe Gower | |
| Meg Tilly | ... | Rachel Wareham | |
| Cleavant Derricks | ... | Abe Washington | |
| Joe Mantegna | ... | Pete Peterson | |
 |
Jacques d'Amboise | ... | August |
| Amy Wright | ... | Mary Ellen Gruenwald | |
| John Turturro | ... | Neil Pepper | |
| James Tolkan | ... | Harry | |
| Julie Bovasso | ... | Mrs. Wareham | |
| Anthony Zerbe | ... | Mr. Wareham | |
| Fred Gwynne | ... | The Commissioner | |
| Harvey Keitel | ... | Mickey | |
| Victor Argo | ... | Leon | |
| Austin Pendleton | ... | Gun Shop Salesman | |
| Penn Jillette | ... | Norman | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Joe Gower's job is skating through library shelves, fetching books. A police officer and friend of his is chosen to participate in a charity dance performance. Gower agrees to take his place in the show by posing as a police officer. He falls for a female officer in the show, and gets into various scrapes with fellow cops and also crooks, and he dances. Written by Melissa Portell <mportell@s-cwis.unomaha.edu>
Taglines:
The Real Life Adventures Of A Make-Believe Cop. See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
11 April 1986 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Policía por error See more »Filming Locations:
Katz's Delicatessen - 205 East Houston Street, East Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA See more »Edit
Box Office
Opening Weekend USA:
$2,011,192, 13 April 1986Gross USA:
$4,842,778Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Part of a cycle of American cop comedies that got made after the box-office success of Police Academy (1984). The films include that movie's six sequels, Feds (1988), Recruits (1986), Off Beat (1986), Night Patrol (1984), Moving Violations (1985), and Hollywood Vice Squad (1986). See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Librarian assistant Joe Gower takes up the offer to help out his friend Abe by posing as a cop to take his place in a police dance performance, but he finds himself falling for female officer Rachel. Therefore he digs himself deeper when he starts acting like his a cop outside of the dance training to impress this lady. "Off Beat" is a pleasurably breezy, light-hearted 80s romantic comedy with plenty of familiar faces on show. The cast are indeed great, with Judge Reinhold and Meg Tilly in the leads. For me, the adorable Tilly is always a delight to watch, but she still can pack a punch. James Tolken sure finds out. A tolerable Reinhold is gawky, but likable as Gower. Loved the scenes he shares with the wise-cracking Cleavant Derricks, who plays his friend Abe. The sequence with them arguing in a change room and Derricks' final word to the shop assistant is priceless. Most of the lively support roles with character actors are spot-on and do over-shadow the leads. Harvey Keitel and Victor Argo might only have small roles towards the end, but their chemistry together was hilarious with Argo truly stealing the show. Austin Pendleton as a gun shop salesman is quite humorous too. Rocket launcher for home protection?! Joe Mantegna is a true live-wire as fellow-cop / ex-boyfriend of Tilly's character. Also dependably showing up is Mike Starr, Amy Wright, John Turturro, Penn Jillette, John Kapelos, Anthony Zerbe and Fred Gwynne. But the list still goes on. Quite a macho lot, where the script seems to sarcastically tear apart at this bravado and the dialogues are fun in nailing it. Even questioning one's own comfort, by taking a chance outside that familiar zone. Its bubblegum soundtrack gives it much added bounce. Commonplace, but endearing comedy.
"I won't hurt them. I'll kill them. "