My Top Ten Favorite Eddie Murphy Movies.
We all know the name, we all know the laugh and we all know his many, many iconic, classic, forever hilariously funny movies that have been staples in American culture for over thirty years. Eddie Murphy like Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Martin Lawrence, Chris Tucker, Samuel L. Jackson and Jamie Foxx has been one of my personal heroes and all time favorite black male actors since I was a little kid and yet despite his overwhelming success, many accolades and having become one of the all time most beloved entertainers in stand up comedy and film, I still feel like Eddie Murphy isn’t given enough credit for just how incredibly versatile and skilled he is as an actor. This is a man that managed to play multiple characters all in the same room and was so convincing that people who didn’t know it that everybody was Eddie Murphy are completely stunned. I consider myself one of Eddie’s biggest fans and my favorite films of his are ones I feel are Eddie Murphy at his absolute best. In honor of the return of Coming To America in the form of its sequel Coming 2 America this March and the second of my special series of the favorite movies of my favorite black actors for Black History Month I give you my top ten favorite Eddie Murphy movies.
10. Trading Places.
A classic film and the second big movie Eddie Murphy did right after his debut in 48 Hrs. Here Eddie stars along such future screen legends like Dan Akroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis and veteran iconic film stars like Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy. This was Eddie’s first ensemble film but even in a terrific ensemble he still managed to be the break out comedic all star he became so famous for.
9. Doctor Doolittle 1 and 2.
People can say what they want about the late 1998 and 2001 Doctor Doolittle movies but personally, they’re a childhood favorite. At the time of these movies Eddie wasn’t as reliable at the box office as he used to be but these two movies were very successful spawning a spin off franchise starring Kyla Pratt that did very well through DVD sales. It was unique to see Eddie doing family films at this time but he proved that when the script is right and the jokes are still funny enough to make the adults laugh he can be just as funny with family films as he can be with more PG-13\R rated fair.
8. Bowfinger.
The 1999 classic cult comedy hit Bowfinger was not only beloved for the fact that it had Eddie and another iconic comedian in Steve Martin paired together for the first (and only) time, but it was also a film that once again showcased the incredible range and versatility Eddie Murphy has when it comes to playing such vastly different characters, making each one believable, defined and hilariously funny. In this film Eddie plays both egotistical action star Kit Ramsey and his nerdy brother Jiff who Steve Martin’s Bobby Bowfinger, a director desperately trying to make his big break guerilla filmmaking style by secretly filming Kit Ramsey and setting up situations for a totally improvised and on the spot action picture with his twin brother Jiff filling in as a unofficial stunt double. The characters of Kip and Jiff are night and day and Murphy plays both flawlessly and believably:
Eddie’s performance was so good that a anonymous movie critic that Arsenio Hall knew actually said that he felt that Eddie could’ve gotten an Oscar for Bowfinger but never said it publicly.
7. The Nutty Professor 1996.
A true classic film that showed the world just how truly versatile Eddie Murphy was. A remake of Jerry Lewis’ 1963 comedy of the same name. This version is about shy, sweet natured and overweight genetic professor Sherman Klump who falls in love with Jada Pinkett and genetically transforms himself into the good looking, arrogant and slim Buddy Love. This is not only one of my personal favorite Eddie Murphy movies but also the first movie that many thought that Eddie truly should’ve been at least nominated for an Oscar if not win one. His performance as Sherman Klump alone is Oscar worthy but it’s the incredible performances he did as almost the entire Klump family that truly made this film a classic:
6. The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps.
This classic sequel to 1996’s Nutty Professor is a rare sequel that equals if not surpasses the original movie and that has to do with the stronger focus on the hilarious Klump family:
The film ultimately wasn’t as financially or critically as successful as the first film but it’s no doubt funnier and even deeper than the first as far as digging deeper into the Klump clan and finally allowing Buddy and Sherman to meet face to face. Also the giant Hampster scene is stuff of legend:
5. Life.
Life is a horribly overlooked and underrated comedy classic and certainly a favorite film that both Lawrence’s and Murphy’s each have ever done for me. Life is both a drama and a comedy and both Martin and Eddie show their true range of both in this movie, the levels they both get to show in this film were far more flushed than either one had been allowed to show before. But despite the movie’s tragic and dark premise the humor is downright hilarious and like Boomerang, some of the dialogue and classic scenes have been embedded in black culture since it came out:
Life is also another example of Eddie Murphy’s as well as Martin Lawrence’s talent for creating and developing kooky characters, in this case, though both played the same characters but as they aged the make up was more extensive and the characteristics got more hilarious as well as poignant:
Life will always be a film that I think should not only be more appreciated by the industry and by more people but also should be held high as one of Martin and Eddie’s greatest films and greatest performances.
4. Boomerang.
You can’t consider yourself a Eddie Murphy fan or a black cinema fan or even just a romantic comedy fan if you don’t know or love the 1992 urban romantic comedy Boomerang directed by Reginald Hudlin. This was simply a throwback to the classic fast talking, smart and sharp witted romantic comedies of the 1930’s and 1940’s such as My Man Godfrey, His Girl Friday, and a bunch of Spencer Tracy\Katherine Hepburn movies only with a all black cast and that alone was an outlier in 1992. Eddie Murphy was the star no doubt but the film had an all star cast of talent like Halle Berry in one of her first big film roles, Robin Givens, Martin Lawrence, David Alan Grier, Tisha Campbell, Lela Rochon, Chris Rock, John Witherspoon, Bebe Drake, Grace Jones and Eartha Kitt. The film helped paved the way for what I like to call professional black people films that ruled the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Without Boomerang there’d be no Love Jones or Soul Food or The Best Man or Brown Sugar, Love and Basketball, Waiting to Exhale etc. It was a favorite of the late great Lena Horne, Ice Cube, Aaron McGruder etc. and it’s certainly one of mine. The film has so many iconic and classic scenes and lines that are just as memorable and beloved today as they were then:
Also please enjoy the score by Marcus Miller that is as smooth, sexy and elegant as the film itself.
3. 48 Hrs.
Known and highly revered as the first true action buddy comedy film that paved the way for the genre and films like Lethal Weapon, Running Scared, Bad Boys, Rush Hour etc. 48 Hrs was a monumental movie that was also monumental for Eddie Murphy’s film career as this was the first movie role Eddie had at the tender age of 21. At the time he was a breakout on Saturday Night Live and was getting so popular that when the producers of 48 Hrs had to find a replacement for the role of Reggie Hammond which was originally conceived for Richard Pryor, director Walter Hill’s then girlfriend Hildy Gottlieb suggested Eddie Murphy for the part of then Willie Biggs opposite Nick Nolte. The character’s name changed after Murphy felt the name was a bit too stereotypical to Reggie Hammond.
What most who adore 48 Hrs. remember most is the classic redneck bar scene that officially let the world know that this novice actor in his first film role was going to become a superstar:
The chemistry between Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy was so perfect that I consider it one of the all time greatest pairings in movie history and that chemistry not only propelled the film to new heights but created a whole new dynamic for future buddy\action comedies down the road. This film was a star making turn for Eddie Murphy, and we should all be grateful for this every day.
2. Metro.
Many folks haven’t seen this film and for dang sure have no clue what this film is. Well here’s basically what you’ve been missing:
Metro is a GREAT film that deserves so much more praise and attention. One of Eddie’s best movies and characters. A great script and fantastic supporting cast with perfect chemistry to boot. The blending of comedy, action, thriller and romance somehow works perfectly and that’s an achievement very rare for one movie to capture. But the best thing about Metro is the character of Scott Roper, a character perfect for Eddie Murphy and also happens to maybe be Eddie’s greatest and most fleshed out character ever portrayed. Many layers for Murphy to play:
I fell so much in love with Roper and his girlfriend Ronnie, new partner McCall and the brilliantly evil and cunning villain Korda played to seething evil and wicked menacing perfection by Michael Wincott that I wish that right after the movie there could’ve been a tv series adapted with all the cast members returning to their roles and giving me pleasure week after week.
- (Tie) Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America.
This was impossible to choose between two of my all time favorite Eddie Murphy films so I’m gonna give this one a tie. Both are imo Eddie Murphy at top form in what he has always done so well, in the era that he owned so well and made him a superstar. The 1980’s was Eddie Murphy’s decade no doubt and he never shined better in a decade since. Both these films are classics to many generations and have influenced so many films and television shows after their arrived that it would be impossible for any Eddie Murphy fan to leave either one of these out of their favorites list.
Come back for part 3 in my series of my favorite movies of my favorite black actors for Black History Month. ‘Til next time!
