Pulling off a worthwhile comedy sequel is a monumentally difficult task: after all, for every “Gremlins 2: The New Batch,” there’s a “Hangover Part II.” On March 5, the world will be reunited with Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem, the hero of “Coming To America,” one of the most beloved and most-quoted comedies of the 1980s. In order to be considered a success, Amazon’s “Coming 2 America,” directed by Craig Brewer (“Dolemite Is My Name”), has to achieve the impossible: the film must, somehow, satisfy the original’s legion of fans; at the same time, Brewer’s latest has to stand on its own two feet, as its own movie, over three decades after the John Landis-directed first chapter.
No pressure, right? Still, while we know that sequel-itis is a very real thing, we here at The Playlist believe. Why do we believe in “Coming 2 America?” It’s simple, really: we believe in Eddie Murphy. We’ve always believed in Eddie Murphy, even when the brilliant standup-turned-movie-mainstay found himself drifting, mid-career, through formulaic, not always un-entertaining family films (the “Doctor Dolittle” and “Shrek” sequels) or truly confounding WTF oddities like “Meet Dave” and “A Thousand Words,” both of which are directed, for whatever it’s worth, by Brian Robbins.
We believe in Eddie Murphy because there is no vanity or sanctimoniousness in his comedy. We believe in Eddie Murphy because he makes us laugh, a lot, at things we should not laugh at. We believe in Murphy because he has made us laugh harder, over the years, than almost anyone on the planet. We believe because, when he’s operating at the peak of his abilities, there are few who can match him. The 59-year old comedy legend and former ‘SNL’ phenom has since weathered a career that would have broken lesser comics, and, as he showed in “Dolemite Is My Name,” Murphy is still very much in possession of the same warm, fundamentally generous screen persona that has made him iconic for going on forty years.
We’re as excited to check out “Coming 2 America” as the rest of you – it’s true that we’re not expecting it to scale the heights of the 1988 masterpiece, but it will be a treat to see gifted newcomers (Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, Wesley Snipes) rubbing shoulders with the original cast members, plus those crazy, hilarious dudes at the barbershop. As we prepare to respectively return to Zamunda and Queens with Akeem and company, here is a look back at some of the finest, funniest, and most essential screen work that the great Eddie Murphy has ever given us.
“48 Hrs” (1982)
Walter Hill’s turbo-charged “48 Hrs” has enjoyed a curious shelf life since its release nearly forty years ago: it remains an unusually tense genre movie about racial profiling and police brutality, and also, somewhat incongruously, one of the foundational documents of the buddy cop genre that would go on to dominate the box office throughout much of the ’80s and ’90s. Screen debuts don’t get more electric than Murphy’s in “48 Hrs”: here, the comedian’s live-wire energy leaps off the screen, and he proves to be a magnificently smart-assed foil for the grizzled energy of his co-star, Nick Nolte. Sure, Murphy recites some of his lines like they’re stand-up bits, but with his breakout role, he proved himself to be a disarmingly natural fit in the action-comedy genre, which would go on to define a substantial chunk of his career in decades to come. Watching Murphy’s wisenheimer hustler Reggie Hammond strut into a “backwards-ass country bar” and completely take over the place through sheer, indomitable force of personality should have been all the proof anyone ever needed that Murphy would go on to become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. – NL
“Trading Places” (1983)
If Eddie Murphy displayed a masterful talent for balancing thrills and laughter in “48 Hrs,” his follow-up performance in “Trading Places” seems to exist more comfortably within what we now know as the comic’s established brand. This 1983 class farce is a laugh riot, one that’s certainly problematic by today’s standards, and one that plays knowingly to Murphy’s talents. It helps that Murphy has a fine foil in the form of Dan Aykroyd, whose masterfully dry comedic timing only enhances his co-star’s rowdy performance (the film is unfortunately tarnished by an egregious and insanely dated Blackface gag, sullying an otherwise terrific comedy). Aykroyd had worked with director John Landis on “The Blues Brothers,” and believe it or not, the role of street scammer Billy Ray Valentine was originally supposed to be played by Murphy’s “Harlem Nights” co-star, Richard Pryor. When Pryor’s tumultuous personal life made his casting a liability, the studio behind “Trading Places,” Paramount, suggested the still-ascendant Murphy. Murphy is still getting his sea legs in “Trading Places,” but he seems even more assured here than he does in “48 Hrs”: watch how he handles himself in the famous scene where Billy’s bluff as a blind man is called by two cops in a park, or how he transforms into a haughty high-society snob as his character’s fortunes change. “Trading Places” hasn’t aged as gracefully as some of the other films on this list, but there’s enough R-rated glee in Murphy’s performance that we couldn’t not include it on this list. – NL
“Beverly Hills Cop” (1984)
Maybe it’s the immortal theme song from German synth god Harold Faltermeyer, maybe it’s the producing credits from action-movie sleaze kingpins Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, but pretty much everything about the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise screams “cocaine-fueled ’80s excess,” which is either a good or a bad thing depending on what you look for in your own personal cinematic diet. The “Cop” sequels certainly offer giggles and thrills in increasingly diminishing returns, from Tony Scott’s spectacularly overblown second chapter to John Landis’ lumbering third installment. We say, if it’s vintage buddy-cop kicks you seek, it’s hard to beat the rush of Martin Brest’s original, still-terrific “Beverly Hills Cop,” and frankly, so much of that has to do with Murphy’s electric and endlessly watchable lead performance as plainclothes Detroit policeman, Axel Foley. “Beverly Hills Cop” was the blockbuster that proved that not only could Murphy stand out as a fast-talking, fish-out-of-water type; he actually could carry a movie on his own – and a big, expensive, successful one, at that. In plain terms, “Beverly Hills Cop” turned Murphy into a movie star, to the point where he would go on to peddle recycled variations on his signature shit-talking rogue shtick in lame, late-period duds like “I Spy” and “Showtime.” – NL
“Delirious”/ “Raw” (1983/1987)
Eddie Murphy is, simply put, one of the best stand-ups to ever take the stage. In his prime, there were few who could match his fearless, peacocking rock-star stage presence, even if some of Murphy’s early, bluer material can register as repulsive-bordering-on-hateful when processed today. “Delirious,” directed by Bruce Gowers, is not only one of the most gaspingly funny stand-up specials ever filmed, and it also features some of Murphy’s most quotable bits: the one about his mother constantly throwing shoes at him when he was a kid, his irreverent riff on the family cookout, and the classic, uncannily accurate impressions of Michael Jackson and James Brown. “Raw,” true to its title, is a meaner, more aggressive, more flagrantly in-your-face piece of comedy; if there is any truth to the notion that some of Murphy’s analog comedy is tainted by a kind of boy’s club misogyny and oft-vicious homophobia, it can be found in this infamous 1987 special. “Raw,” helmed by “Hollywood Shuffle” director Robert Townsend and featuring additional credits from Keenan Ivory Wayans and Ernest Dickerson, nevertheless went on to gross $50 million in a wide theatrical release, proving that Murphy’s reign as a box office king was not strictly limited to features. – NL
“Coming To America” (1988)
In spite of being a quintessential ’80s goofball comedy, the John Landis-directed “Coming To America” is primarily notable for being one of Murphy’s first true star vehicles. Sure, he stole most of his scenes in “48 Hrs” and seemed poised on the precipice of breakout Hollywood success in “Beverly Hills Cop,” but “Coming To America” sees Murphy truly coming into his own, handling a tricky leading part with ease and charm to spare. Murphy plays the fabulously regal Prince Akeem, who, when the film begins, has grown tired of his sheltered life, and the arranged marriage his parents have orchestrated for him. To seek out the courtship of a woman who doesn’t exclusively love him for his riches, Akeem and his loyal pal, Semmi (Arsenio Hall) journey to modern-day Queens, N.Y.C., where they experience inner-city attitude for the first time, and Akeem gets a thankless job at a McDonald’s-style fast food joint called McDowell’s, before falling for a lovely city girl named Lisa. “Coming To America,” in addition to being one of Murphy’s funniest movies, also sees the comic taking his first stab at playing multiple characters in the same film (in addition to Akeem, Murphy also plays a cantankerous barbershop owner, a mediocre soul singer, and an elderly Jewish grouch), a practice that would continue in later films like “Vampire in Brooklyn,” “Bowfinger,” and, of course, “The Nutty Professor.” – NL
“Harlem Nights” (1989)
In addition to being one of the funniest dudes on the planet, Eddie Murphy is also very much a movie star. Murphy’s sole directorial credit, 1989’s snazzy, foul-mouthed period crime lark, “Harlem Nights,” offers distinction in the star’s filmography in that it marks one of the few times that his character doesn’t play a buffoon, a goofball, or a clown who is striving or laughs in scene after scene. In fact, there’s something almost accidentally funny about the more “serious” Murphy of “Harlem Nights,” a film that, more often than not, plays like a straightforward gangster yarn with jokes added in later. The film is certainly a must-see curio for Murphy completists, if, for no other reason, you get to see the star share scenes with the likes of Redd Foxx, Della Reese, and a memorably shifty Richard Pryor, plus Danny Aiello and Michael Lerner in bit parts as heavies (blink, and you might miss cameos from Eddie’s brother Charlie Murphy, and “Coming To America” co-star Arsenio Hall as a hoodlum who sobs loudly, and a lot). “Harlem Nights” can feel thin at times, like Warren Beatty’s “Dick Tracy” with the raunch dialed up, but it offers yet another arresting platform for Murphy’s talents as a bonafide Tinseltown lead. – NL
“Boomerang” (1992)
“Boomerang” is a superb Black rom-com that didn’t get the respect it deserves upon its release, and can now be appreciated for the slept-on jewel that it is. It’s an elegant lark whose sophisticated-yet-smutty comedic touch, courtesy of “House Party” director Reginald Hudlin, is so effervescent that it feels downright Lubistchian at times. Here, Murphy plays New York City ad man and super-stud Marcus Graham, a dashing playboy who is known to love ‘em and leave ‘em, as the saying goes, until one day, he meets a woman – his new boss, actually – who turns his entire world on its head. “Boomerang” proved that watching Murphy try and fail at love was as satisfying as watching him succeed. What’s more is that Hudlin’s film is stacked with an ensemble of incredible female talent, which is refreshing after the very prominent male gaze of “Harlem Nights”: not only Robin Givens as Murphy’s screen paramour, but also a young, fabulous Halle Berry, a horny and hilarious Eartha Kitt, and the iconic Grace Jones, who enjoys two of the movie’s funniest scenes. If nothing else, “Boomerang” proved Murphy could be a genuine romantic lead; to this day, it stands as one of the more underrated works in his filmography. – NL
“The Nutty Professor” (1996)
Scatology is the order of the day in this lewd, crude, admittedly funny, and wildly fart-obsessed remake of the vintage Jerry Lewis comedy, directed by “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” filmmaker Tom Shadyac. When one thinks of this movie, it’s hard not to think of the scenes of Murphy playing obese, kindly professor Sherman Klump – as well as every member of his similarly-proportioned, unfiltered family – sitting at the dinner table, trading insults and flatulence until the good-taste barometer has been thoroughly exhausted. And while “The Nutty Professor” remains an essential document of the ’90s gross-out comedy wave, it’s also a surprisingly sincere and well-acted movie, with Murphy giving two of his most convincing comic performances as Klump and his suave, heartless lady-killer alter ego, Buddy Love. Murphy’s affinity for prosthetics-enhanced buffoonery reached a nadir with 2007’s dismal “Norbit,” and this movie’s sequel, while it offers some laughs, ventures to places that are more genuinely appalling than amusing (anyone else cringe thinking about the scene where a giant hamster sexually assaults Larry Miller?) The first “Nutty Professor,” though, wisely lets Murphy off the leash, and the result is one of his most inventive comedies: full of heart, laughs, and, yes, plenty of farts. – NL
“Bowfinger” (1999)
Making a movie is a maddening undertaking. You’ve got to be determined, pushy, passionate, possibly insane, or some combination of all four aforementioned qualities if you want to even think about getting your passion project off the ground. “Bowfinger,” directed by Frank Oz, also responsible for cult comedy landmarks like “What About Bob?” and “Little Shop of Horrors,” is one of the great, forgotten farces of the ’90s, and one of the most wittily incisive movies ever made about what a circus filmmaking can be. The film pairs Murphy, once again doing his “Nutty Professor” shtick by expertly embodying two separate characters, alongside a droll Steve Martin, who plays a schlock movie producer in the Roger Corman vein. Murphy plays both conceited Hollywood star Kit Ramsey and also his dorky, bespectacled doppelganger Jiff, effectively demonstrating how masterfully he can play dueling characters with diametrically opposed personalities. “Bowfinger” holds up much better than many of Murphy’s ’80s comedies when viewed today; to wit, the star even went so far as to praise the film, and Martin’s contributions to it, in a New York Magazine from 2016. For those who prefer Murphy’s comedy funneled through a more cerebral, less broad filter, this is your movie. – NL
“Dreamgirls” (2006)
Unlike fellow funnymen-turned thespians Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, and Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy hasn’t done a ton of branching out into so-called “serious acting,” and one of his more prominent credits in that field, the 2016 melodrama “Mr. Church,” was widely agreed to be a well-intentioned mixed bag. With that in mind, Murphy is nothing short of astonishing in Bill Condon’s 2006 musical awards darling “Dreamgirls,” where he utilizes his charisma, good looks, and enduring sense of humor to give us his most convincing dramatic work to date. In the film, Murphy plays Jimmy “Thunder” Early, a ladies-man R&B stud in the vein of James Brown or Sam Cooke, and from the second he struts onscreen, you buy him as the character: there’s a certain innate confidence that a performer would need to pull this kind of part off, and thankfully, Murphy’s never been one to want for that aforementioned quality. The Oscars showered “Dreamgirls” with love, and although Murphy was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, he ended up losing to Alan Arkin for “Little Miss Sunshine” (Murphy’s co-star Jennifer Hudson ended up taking home the trophy for Best Supporting Actress). “Dreamgirls” might not be a barrel of laughs like some of Murphy’s other movies, but to see him in a less raucous, more soulful register, it’s quite a show. – NL
“Dolemite Is My Name” (2019)
Casting Eddie Murphy to play “Dolemite” star Rudy Ray Moore is indeed an enticing coup for a motion picture, particularly since the actor hadn’t enjoyed a truly juicy comic role since the first “Nutty Professor” remake. “Dolemite is my Name” is a formulaic but undeniably pleasurable tribute to Moore’s crass and defiant street-smart attitude, and a hymn to his eternal sense of grifter’s perseverance. It’s a buoyant and agreeable crowd-pleaser, one that is anchored by perhaps the most soulful performance Murphy has ever given. Despite the broad strokes of its storytelling, the nucleus of Moore’s story is fascinating: it’s really about that crucial time in a creative person’s life when they stop asking permission to do things and simply start making. “Dolemite is my Name” begins to resemble a more raucously genial version of the James Franco-directed “The Disaster Artist” in its second half, in which Murphy’s garrulous striving filmmaker assists the services of socially conscious playwright Jerry Jones (Keegan-Michael Key), some UCLA students, and eccentric director D’urville Martin (a memorably out-there Wesley Snipes) in his hopes of bringing Dolemite myth to the big screen. “Dolemite is my Name” showcases a murderer’s row of gifted performers doing their thing, including Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Snoop Dogg, and others. And yet this is unquestionably Murphy’s show: he seems as genuinely engaged and present here as he has in any film he’s ever appeared in. After all these years, Murphy remains a genius, and “Dolemite is my Name” offers proof that he’s lost none of his wild, irresponsible, irreverent spirit. – NL
