coming to america (1988) Review
Coming to America is deservedly revered as a seminal moment in movie history. It personifies the notion of infinite re-watchability. You can freeze just about any frame and meme it effortlessly. Is there higher praise one can bestow on a comedy film, particularly one that is well over 30 years old? Is there another hard R comedy approaching its cultural and historical significance? It transcends humor with a renegade wit and no apologies. Eddie Murphy in whiteface portraying a “stereotypical” elder Jewish man? Check. Depictions of wildly dangerous animals roaming about in a fictional and also stereotypical African country? That’s in there too. It’s often said that only Murphy, arguably the brightest African-American movie star on the planet then and now, could get the film greenlit. It’ll be very interesting to see if the upcoming 2021 sequel leans again into hot-button issues or plays it safe. I’d bet on the latter. I’ll be the first to apologize if I’m wrong. It’s often overlooked that the emotional core of Coming to America is that of a romantic comedy. The film takes Prince Akeem’s desire to find love completely seriously. It’s not a joke to Akeem and the script is smart to make sure that it’s not a joke to us either. The manner in which Akeem and Shari Headley’s Lisa McDowell meet and end up husband and wife is touching and works as a satisfying self-contained arc for each. The interactions between the two and behavior of the other McDowells (as well as Eriq La Salle’s jerri curl wearing Darryl) provide biting commentary on the de-valuation of those without means and fetishization of the rich. We should all consider how others make us feel and not what they can do for us. That was Akeem’s message. It’s a good message. If you’ve only viewed Coming to America on TV I recommend you catch it on streaming or purchase the blu-ray. It’s a completely different experience minus broadcast TV censorship.
Coming to America is the Citizen Kane of hard R comedies. 10/10.