The Exceptional Friendship in the Movie, Rush Hour

1269 Words3 Pages

“If you're half Chinese, I'm half black. I'm your brother and I'm fly. You down with that, Snoopy? That's dope, innit?” (IMDB, 2007) Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) uses theses words in a scene during Rush Hour 3 to describe his friendship with Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker). The dynamic duo in the Rush Hour saga have been together since 1998 and their fictional friendship has become one to be rivaled with. The exceptional friendship that Lee and Carter share stems from their random arrangement with each other in the first Rush Hour movie, and their ability to take their experiences of risking their lives for others to form a close bond. The settings within the Rush Hour trilogy are main components of why Lee and Carter have been able to form the friendship that is exhibited in these movies. Being set in 3 different countries allows for the main characters to rely on each other when in their home environments. For example, Chief Inspector Lee is from Hong Kong whereas Detective Carter is from Los Angeles and neither has traveled to their friend’s respective country. Exploring what makes Inspector Lee and Detective Carter the best of friends can be illustrated through their differing cultures, travels around the world, and what made this $845+ million (Numbers, 2010) trilogy a hit.

Rush Hour begins in Hong Kong shortly after the British releases of Hong Kong to China. Inspector Lee is involved with a smuggling sting that will prevent the exportation of Chinese artifacts to different countries. Inspector Lee works under the impression that he can live up to his slain father’s name, who was murder in the line of duty as discovered in the Rush Hour 2. His unwillingness to give up no matter what the consequences is ...

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...developed in the Rush Hour series to exist. Describing themselves as each other’s “brother from another mother” (IMDB, 2007) reveals how close two individuals can become after continuously watching out for each other. Lee and Carter’s friendship can be appreciated by everyone, especially those who find themselves in the same cultural situation. The Rush Hour series proves that friendships can and do exist across the board, from complete strangers to individuals who have known each other for years.

Works Cited

IMDB. (2007, January 1). Rush Hour Quotes. Retrieved September 18, 2010, from IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0004160/quotes

Numbers, T. (2010, September 18). Nash Information Service, LLC. Retrieved September 18, 2010, from The Numbers: www.the-numbers.com/movies/series/RushHour.php

Ratner, B. (Director). (1998). Rush Hour [Motion Picture].

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