When I was in high school, I was channel surfing and saw a clip from this movie. I remember thinking that it was unfortanate that my peers thought that this was funny and a good film and congradulated myself for my superior taste. Then I probably left to hang out with my then-best friend, who had bonded with me over our shared belief that we were so much smarter, nicer, more ethical and more cultured than everybody else. Ah, youth.
I would like to submit this review as an example that I have progresed, at least a little. Indeed, the movie is very funny and is one of the best comedies of the 80's. It also has a certain sweetness that other Murphey vehichles lack, making it the actor's best film.
Murphey plays Prince Akeem, heir to the throne of the African nation of Zamunda. Tired of living in opulance, he convinces his father, the King (James Earl Jones) to let him go on a trip before he enters into arranged marridge. Taking his servent Semmi (Arsenio Hall) with him, Akeem heads to New York, rents a decripit apartment and gets a job as a custodian at McDowell's, a McDonald's ripoff. He also begins to fall in love with Lisa (Shari Headly), who is unfortantley already dating a rich guy. Akeem wants Lisa terribley, but won't tell her his real status, for fear that she'll love him for his money too.
Unlike a lot of 80's comedies, Coming to America is barely dated and is still fresh. Murphey's choice to abandon is usually smart guy persona was a masterstroke, because we connect to Akeem in a way we didn't connect to his characters in 48 Hours and Beverly Hills Cop. Murphey and Hall are an excellent comic duo (they appear as various characters under heavy makeup throught the film). It's also nice to see Jones in a comedy part (he's very funny).
Furthermore, the movie has an optimism to it that few movies have. The whole idea of the relationship between Lisa and Akeem is based on the idea that people love each other independant of their social status, that there is no difference between loving a prince or loving a janitor in a fast food restraunt. Would this happen in real life? No but it's nice to think that it would.
This a near-classic that I am glad I finally got around to appreciating. In addition to its positive message, it's really, really funny, and is a movie that almost everyone should check out.
Coming to America (1988)