Wednesday, July 13, 2016

year 5 day 162

movie: Coming to America
starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall
genre: Comedy
year: 1988
format: Netflix Canada

plot: When an African prince is dissatisfied with the bride his parents have chosen, he decides to take matters into his own hands, by traveling to America hoping to meet someone new.

This is one of the many films in which Murphy plays more than one character, usually in heavy make up.  The one barber shop customer is eerily similar in style and appearance to the character of Guido from the other Murphy film Vampire in Brooklyn, which he did a few years later. In fact, the storyline itself, is pretty much the same. (maybe Murphy thought no one would care to notice?)

Compared to Vampire in Brooklyn, where the lead character is tossing his wealth around in hopes of impressing the girl,  the earlier version Coming to America, has the lead character trying to hide his wealth, in hopes of impressing the girl. As in this film, he's looking for someone to care about him for him and not for the fact he's a prince. (I think the two bookend each other well) Both films he's got to fight for the girl's attentions as she's already dating someone else, both females are strong independent characters. And in both films, he's only got about a month to make it all happen.

If you've read much of what I've had to say over the years, you know I'm not a big Eddie Murphy fan, in fact, Vampire in Brooklyn is about the only one of his movies I really like. So, with Coming to America being so similar, it should have been a home run right?  It wasn't.  I found it lacking in real style, and the pairing of Hall as the buddy feels like a mis-match.  Not too mention, James Earl Jones, as the father plays it a little too over the top and creepy when he's suppose to be regal and forceful.

what did I learn? I'll never give up hope of a Vampire in Brooklyn 2...

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