Coming to America (1988)
Genre: Romance / Comedy
Duration: 117 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: John Landis
Stars: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall and James Earl Jones
IMDb score:
7,1 (241.100)
Releasedate: 29 June 1988
Coming to America plot
"The four funniest men in America are Eddie Murphy."
Akeem is the crown prince of Zamunda, a kingdom in Africa. Akeem grew up in unprecedented luxury with servants for everything he could wish for. He doesn't even have to tie his shoes. When he is introduced to his bride at the age of 21, he knows after a short conversation that she is not the one. He asks his father for permission to go to America to look for a bride. Arriving in America, the immensely wealthy prince, together with his servant Semmi, adopts a poor lifestyle. Akeem wants to find a woman who likes him because of his personality and not because of his money.
Actors and actresses
Prince Akeem / Clarence / Randy Watson / Saul
Semmi / Extremely Ugly Girl / Morris / Reverend Brown
King Jaffe Joffer
Cleo McDowell
Lisa McDowell
Landlord
Maurice
Darryl Jenks
Patrice McDowell
Queen Aoleon
Reviews & comments
filmfan0511
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- 1116 messages
- 1147 votes
Wonderful feel-good comedy. Of course it's all cliché, but Coming to America really has a lot of heart and soul, and the humor is successful almost the entire time. That first half hour in the kingdom of Zamunda, with all those customs where Akeem is coddled to the point of absurdity, is truly fantastic. However, the piece that Akeem and his servant just arrive in America is also great. It's true that the second hour, when the focus shifts sharply to the love story, is somewhat less than the first half, but great moments continue to flow until the very end. On top of that, what makes this film so good is the cast. Down to the smallest minor characters (those constantly bickering old men in the barbershop, for example), Coming to America is packed with charming and fun characters. Eddie Murphy is great in his role. His enormous enthusiasm gives a lot of energy to the film. But his servant, played by Arsenio Hall, is also very strong from a comedic point of view. Strange that he hasn't starred in more movies. James Earl Jones is also very funny especially in the beginning.
I didn't expect to like this one so much beforehand, but I must now conclude that it really is a classic in the genre. The love plot could have been a little less focused in the second hour, and in 100 minutes you probably could have told this too, but it really is a charming, funny comedy with a great cast. I am curious about the so-called sequel, although it will most likely never reach this level.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Dievegge
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- 3209 messages
- 8293 votes
Eddie Murphy was one of the most popular comedians of his generation. Here he is at his best as Prince Akeem, the broadly smiling African who wants to escape his golden cage. It's hard to believe that he has such flawless teeth, because during the elaborate morning ceremony you can clearly see that only the front of his incisors are being brushed. Murphy changes looks several times to pretend to be a poor immigrant who enthusiastically throws himself into poorly paid jobs. He also plays three side roles in disguise. If Saul, the Jewish customer at the barber, he is unrecognizable, especially since his voice sounds very different. Sidekick Arsenio Hall also smoothly plays four different roles.
Akeem and Lisa have in common that they want to determine their own destiny and not just follow the will of their parents. Of the side roles, I liked the nymphomaniac younger sister (debut for Allison Dean). Also Samuel L. Jackson as robber gives a funny interlude.
The pop culture of the 80s is clearly in it, with big earrings, wide curls, fast food and basketball. Not a second was recorded in Africa, of course, despite the elephants, zebras and fake jewelry. Ladysmith Black Mombazo - known through Paul Simon - sings a clever version of Mbube, an African song that became known as The Lion Sleeps Tonight. The dance steps for the arranged engagement come from Michael Jackson's Thriller, the video clip that John Landis himself directed. A bit of nudity, some spicy jokes and the F word resulted in an R rating, which only increased the interest among teenagers.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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