I especially recommend this gem to those who enjoy Eddie Murphy at his classic best, fresh off, and on the rebound, from his more slapstick-y comedic roles in 'Dr. The plot is vapour-thin, the characters cartoonishly one-dimensional, but with that said, what it does have is two phenomenal performances from the main actors, some decent side-kicks (Bernie Mac and Ned Beatty are among them) and some good laughs coupled with real drama. The plot seems to go a bit stale at some point or another, and the pacing might seems a bit off and slow for the new generation of viewers. There is also a lot of racism being portrayed heads on, and the n-word gets used a lot by white folks, just as it would 'back in the day'.Įven though it's a comedy, it works on several levels. There's some drama in the movie, even a murder or two, nothing too graphic by today's standards, but for a comedy can seem pretty raunchy. The movie starts to pick up along the halfway point, the depressing tone subsides only to reveal a much more tender and sober movie about enjoying the moments you have with your friends, to not hold grudges for too long, and to never give up hope. The constant banter is the star of the show. I won't spoil much more, but what I can say is that the two comedians does an amazing job playing two old men who both love and hate each other. Throughout the rest of the movie we follow them to ripe-old age while they toil in the camp, dreaming of escape and passing time mentally tormenting each other. The movie starts out with our two main characters, both young and hopeful, trying to live their separate lifes in the late 1920's. SPOILER WARNING: Read no further if you want to watch it not knowing the details of the plot. It's actually a pretty depressing story of two innocent men who gets framed for murder in the 20's, then convicted to life in a shit hole of a work camp 'down south'. Nunez Jr.Just saw the movie on Netflix and it had me laughing out loud several times throughout. Playing a significant role are Rick Baker's special makeup effects, which startlingly age Murphy and Lawrence 60-plus years, though the effect works more convincingly when not held up to the harsh scrutiny of extreme close-ups.Ĭast: Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Obba Babatunde, Ned Beatty, Bernie Mac, Miguel A. as the prim Biscuit, Michael "Bear" Taliferro as the imposing Goldmouth and Bokeem Woodbine as the mute, baseball-slugging Can't Get Right.Īlso good are Clarence Williams III as a conniving card shark, Ned Beatty as a sympathetic prison superintendent and Poppy Montgomery as the warden's flirtatious daughter. In addition to the rich comic chemistry between Murray and Lawrence (reuniting the pair for the first time since 1992's Boomerang), there's a wealth of character performances among the inmates, including Bernie Mac as the predatory Jangle Leg, Miguel A. And, like Ray and Claude, the picture has a little trouble making a clean getaway.īut there is a lot of enjoyment to be found. The results aren't always smooth, and there are a few awkward moments when the viewer is unsure whether to laugh. He's not afraid to throw heavier dramatic elements in with the high jinks. Credit Demme's willingness to take a little time with the material, allowing the audience to get to know and appreciate all the colorful characters. While the ploy may be derivative, it's oddly affecting. ![]() The days turn into months, the months turn into years, the years turn into decades and, over a half-century and countless escape attempts later, Banks and Lawrence, bickering like an old married couple, persevere.īased on an idea by Murphy and nicely fleshed out by screenwriters Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone (Destiny Turns on the Radio), the film has been given something of a Forrest Gump-style historic sweep by director Ted Demme. ![]() Paying him back by doing a little bootlegging job in Mississippi, Ray and Claude find themselves framed for murder by a corrupt Southern cop (Nick Cassavetes) and handed a life sentence at a state work camp. Murphy's in fine form as two-bit hustler Ray Gibson, whom we first see scoping out potential victims at Club Spanky's, a swank Harlem nightclub circa 1932.ĭespite a lingering sensation of Harlem Nights deja vu, things kick into gear when Gibson and down-on-his-luck Claude Banks (Lawrence) _ an aspiring bank teller with a big gambling debt _ find themselves at the mercy of Spanky (a smartly cast Rick James).
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