Director Clint Eastwood, on set, 2010. ph: Jay Maidment/©Warner Bros. Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Clint Eastwood has such an impressive legacy, both in front of and behind the camera. He became a screen icon via his unforgettable turn in the Dirty Harry series, and he has taken home multiple Academy Awards for his directorial work on films like Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby. While not all of his features reach that level of greatness, even his lesser efforts are worth taking in at least once. Speaking of: If you haven’t had the chance to experience the underrated action thriller The Rookie, which Eastwood directs and stars in, your window to do so via Netflix is shrinking.
That’s right, Netflix has slated The Rookie for removal on December 1, meaning that your last chance to watch the picture on the platform is November 30th.
If the impending removal has you curious what the flick is about and if it might be your cup of tea, I’ve got the answers you seek. The Rookie catches up with veteran Police Det. Nick Pulovski (Clint Eastwood), who is none too thrilled when he’s paired with recruit David Ackerman (Charlie Sheen). The duo reluctantly joins forces to investigate a car theft ring tied to the death of Pulovski’s previous partner. Though they initially rub each other the wrong way, the partners ultimately develop an unlikely bond over the course of the investigation.
As you may be able to tell from the plot crunch, the idea for The Rookie isn’t overly original. We’ve seen a million similar setups. But getting to see Sheen and Eastwood play off of one another as total opposites who somehow make a crack investigative team might just be enough to make the film worth the time investment.
Though it’s not necessarily peak Eastwood or peak Sheen, the picture still has its fair share of fans. I’ve compiled a sampling of social media reactions below that support that sentiment:
Tonight’s movie choice – The Rookie, the action classic from 1990. Starring among others – Clint Eastwood, Charlie Sheen, Raul Julia, Sônia Braga, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Tom Skerritt. Directed by Eastwood, this is a great buddy cop action movie with a stellar casting. pic.twitter.com/Z3dK7fybtt
— Graeme K (@GraemeK73) July 16, 2024
it’s a bit clichéd and a generic by the numbers 80s buddy cop movie, but I really enjoy 1990’s The Rookie. pic.twitter.com/wvfsSKNMh7
— Jake the Arctic Fox from the Desert (@JakeArcticFox) July 29, 2024
Now watching The Rookie (1990). Clint Eastwood and Charlie Sheen star in this underrated fun buddy cop action movie with the great Raul Julia as bad guy Strom. I think this a decent, fast paced 90’s action movie. Any fans? pic.twitter.com/iaKYYBO74w
— Lee (@leebowski1223) April 16, 2025
I am pleasantly surprised by Clint Eastwood’s underrated action thriller The Rookie (1990). The car chases and shootouts are nuts. Beautiful shadowy cinematography. Great acting from Clint Eastwood, Charlie Sheen, & Raul Julia. The writers were Scott Spielgel & Boaz Yakin! pic.twitter.com/cBztaDBfap
— Matthew D’Souza (@OceanSage771) September 3, 2025
As you can see from the reactions outlined above, a lot of people have a soft spot for this film. No one is claiming that it broke the mold or gets everything right, but people nonetheless connect with it. If you’d like to take The Rookie in, you can check it out on Netflix over the long weekend. Just make sure you get around to it by November 30th.
That’s all we’ve got for you at present. Stay tuned to Dread Central in the near future for more updates on what’s coming and going from the streaming scene.
Categorized: Streaming News
