Eddie Murphy - along with Bill Murray, Dennis Miller, Mike Myers, and perhaps just a few other SNL alumni - is one of a small number of this group who have gone on to later, worthwhile projects. Along with Myers and Adam Sandler, Murphy is arguably the biggest star to emerge from the long running NBC television institution. And one can see, in a movie like COMING TO AMERICA, what the basis of this stardom is; Eddie Murphy is a natural. He's brilliantly funny, charming, and causes his fellow cast members to shine - never before and never since has Arsenio Hall seemed so talented; the now completely obscure Joe Piscapo must be kicking himself for having gone off on his own rather than, somehow, remaining Murphy's sidekick.
Still, Eddie Murphy, initially an obvious raw talent, needed to grow up a bit. Just a teenager when he became famous, his early comedy was a bit mean spirited, particularly toward women and gays. So what a better way to grow up than to play the completely likeable character he plays here. As Prince Akeem, he has the audience rooting for him to get the girl and to be his own man. It's nice to see him as a character who is not very cocky.
My favorite scenes, however, both when I watched this movie the first time and when I watched it again very recently, were the barbershop scenes. The comedy of these scenes is just so pure, as Murphy, Hall, and another actor - made up to look like an assortment of old timers - engage in some brilliant sketch comedy (I loved the bit about Rocky Marciano vs. 137 year old Joe Louis). In fact, every scene with the old timers was a standout moment in this movie.
While some of COMING TO AMERICA may be a bit dated (Jherri curl jokes, some cheesy 80s electro-funk, etc.), for the most part, the entertainment value holds up quite well. John Landis' solid directing no doubt helps quite a bit, too.
Still, Eddie Murphy, initially an obvious raw talent, needed to grow up a bit. Just a teenager when he became famous, his early comedy was a bit mean spirited, particularly toward women and gays. So what a better way to grow up than to play the completely likeable character he plays here. As Prince Akeem, he has the audience rooting for him to get the girl and to be his own man. It's nice to see him as a character who is not very cocky.
My favorite scenes, however, both when I watched this movie the first time and when I watched it again very recently, were the barbershop scenes. The comedy of these scenes is just so pure, as Murphy, Hall, and another actor - made up to look like an assortment of old timers - engage in some brilliant sketch comedy (I loved the bit about Rocky Marciano vs. 137 year old Joe Louis). In fact, every scene with the old timers was a standout moment in this movie.
While some of COMING TO AMERICA may be a bit dated (Jherri curl jokes, some cheesy 80s electro-funk, etc.), for the most part, the entertainment value holds up quite well. John Landis' solid directing no doubt helps quite a bit, too.