Coming to America

1988's COMING TO AMERICA is one of those "comfort movies" that are hard to pass by when you're switching past TNT or AMC.  Easy to get sucked in.  Do people still watch cable? Less and less for myself, though a familiar film is always good company while sorting snail mail or matching up your socks.  Or nodding off for the evening.  Or just in the mood for a good laugh.   Eddie Murphy's beloved film has always been an easy, amusing watch, and is even getting a very belated sequel this December.  You can bet the ranch that you'll see a review here not long after.

Such an old fashioned story.  Prince Akeem Joffer (Murphy) has become disenchanted with his life of privilege in Zamunda, Africa, and wants to find his own bride, not the automaton selected for him.  After playing Russian roulette with a desktop globe, Akeem and his loyal aide Semmi (Arsenio Hall) land in dirty, crass Queens, N.Y.  Nothing on a silver platter here, just the way Akeem wants it.  He'll even take a lowly job at a fast food restaurant called "McDowell's", which will be milked for several jokes.  Surely his bride to be, the independent thinking modern woman he seeks, is somewhere to be found among the common?

She will turn out to be Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley), daughter of Akeem's boss Cleo (John Amos).  But she's already with the vain Darryl (Eriq La Salle) heir to the Soul Glo hair product legacy.  Semmi is not happy in such a crappy apartment and dishing out French fries.  Will Akeem's parents, King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones) and Queen Aoleon Joffer (Madge Sinclair) come after Akeem to bring him home? Standard complications.

COMING TO AMERICA is a very sweet movie.  Aside from some vulgar language and a little nudity, this is just about perfect for family night.  Eddie softens his image here, eschewing the streetwise smartass he'd thus far became famous for playing.  This was his second collaboration with director John Landis after 1983's TRADING PLACES, which to me is the preferable collaboration.  The earlier film has just the right edge and intelligence.  COMING TO AMERICA appeals more to viewers' lighthearted side, a move away from the sardonic comedy of recent years.  That's my ultimate issue with the movie, though I still enjoy it muchly.

And it's about as quotable as any Murphy picture.  Note scenes in the barber shop, in which the actor plays several roles, including an old white Jewish man.  Once you hear "is that velvet?" you'll probably repeat it forever among your pals.  The cast is nicely selected.  La Salle is especially amusing to watch in a role so unlike his later turn as Dr. Benton on E.R.  Even Samuel L. Jackson shows up.  Landis again inserts multiple cameos and some of his trademarked gags, including a significant reference to his earlier film with Murphy, one that could almost have springboarded into a sequel of its own.