Eddie Murphy returns as the motormouth cop, Axel Foley in the latest installment of the celebrated Beverly Hills Cop franchise, now available on Netflix. The movie has made quite a splash, but it still keeps the core focus away from Foley’s family, except for his daughter, Jane Saunders.
Beverly Hills Cop 4 Carefully Kept The Mystery Of Jane’s Mother Alive
Eddie Murphy and Taylour Paige in Beverly Hills Cop 4 as Axel Foley and Jane Saunders. Image Credit: Netflix
The fourth installment of the franchise, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, debuted as a Netflix original, arriving 30 years after the third movie, proving that the charm of the iconic cop remains strong among fans. Though Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F doesn’t start in Beverly Hills, criminal activities in his old town compel Axel Foley to return, primarily to protect his daughter.
Foley’s daughter, Jane Saunders, portrayed by Taylour Paige, who has A24’s Zola to her credit, is a lawyer striving to help an innocent person who has been framed. As the mystery behind the framing begins to unravel, Foley and Jane are forced to grow closer. The evolving father-daughter relationship becomes the central catalyst driving the plot forward.
The movie allows Jane to explain why she changed her surname to Saunders, hinting that it might be her mother’s surname. However, Beverly Hills Cop 4 does not reveal any details about her mother or her name. Under the direction of Mark Molloy, the action comedy intentionally keeps the details of Jane’s mother a mystery, leaving them in a box not to be opened for unknown reasons.
Why Beverly Hills Cop 4 Focused More On Father-Daughter Relationship?
Eddie Murphy and Taylour Paige in Beverly Hills Cop 4. Image Credit: Netflix
Given Foley’s age, though he appears younger than his colleagues, the movie couldn’t have a more perfect plot than providing fans with closure about his family. This narrative decision works well, emphasizing the essence of his relationships.
Jane’s explanations for her strained relationship with her father offer fans much-needed insights into Foley’s background. However, the filmmaker carefully provides this context without any flashbacks. Regarding Axel’s family, he was divorced from Jane’s mother, who might be Janice Perkins, played by Theresa Randle. Though Janice is missing from the latest movie, considering Jane’s age, revealed to be 32 in the movie, it is plausible that Janice Perkins could be her mother.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F refrains from giving away details about Perkins. It is revealed that Jane’s mother took her and left Detroit after the 12th Street mafia threatened them. Foley, who chose his career over family, eventually drifted away from their lives. Jane’s anger toward Foley for not being there when she needed him most is evident.
Thankfully, the conflict in their relationship is resolved, and fans can hope that Jane’s mother might appear in a future installment of the franchise.
Stream Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on Netflix.
