SOME actors just get better with age. Harrison Ford is a case in point.

The veteran leading man of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series is back to his sparkling best in Hollywood Homicide, delivering a delightful comic turn as an eccentric cop embroiled in a high profile murder investigation.

Veteran LAPD homicide detective Joe Gavilan (Ford) is asked to oversee the induction of eager young rookie KC Calden (Josh Hartnett) to the force.

The two cops become involved in the brutal slaying of a rap group, who were reportedly trying to wriggle out of their contract with infamous record label head honcho Sartain (Isaiah Washington) - a man known to use violence and intimidation to ensure loyalty amongst his roster of stars.

As Joe and KC delve into the facts of the gangland style murder, they uncover worrying evidence of LAPD involvement.

Meanwhile, both men come under scrutiny from tenacious an Internal Affairs investigator Benne Macko (Bruce Greenwood), who despises Joe because he is dating Macko's ex-girlfriend and clairvoyant, Ruby (Lena Olin).

To confuse matters, Joe may be fudging the accounts of his ailing real estate business, and KC is preoccupied with establishing himself as an actor, which includes rehearsing for a showcase evening of A Streetcar Named Desire.

Hollywood Homicide is an unexpected treat. The film bombed in America, where audiences presumably didn't get the deft mix of comedy and action.

Ford pokes merciless fun at his age and sex symbol status - "If I took the gingko, then I could remember where I put the viagra" - frequently getting out of breath during chases and blundering through bedroom scenes with pretty admirers. His comic timing is exquisite, and he develops a nice rapport with Hartnett who finally proves himself much more than a pretty face.

The belly laughs are frequent, like the climactic, edge-of-seat car chase during which KC weaves back and forth through rush hour traffic, sending pedestrians scurrying for cover while Joe calmly attempts to close the sale of a mansion in the Hollywood hills via his mobile phone.

Writer-director Ron Shelton marshals the various elements with panache, delivering a film which defies categorisation and delivers a feast of entertainment.

See it at UCI, ABC