Coming to America
Coming to America
Coming 2 America
This week was a special one at Double Feature Thursday, because Lanie and I were joined by our parents! My parents are also lovers of film, as well as talking through films, so our at-home set up was just perfect for this arrangement. This week’s films were suggested by my dad, a logical guy with a love for the goofiest comedies, and we were happy to take a break from our regularly-scheduled double features to visit a franchise he’s always wanted to see: Coming to America. I’m not sure what I thought this film would be, but Coming to America was so much funnier, sweeter, and gentler than I ever thought it could be. With the presence of Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, I thought for sure this would be another ludicrous movie full of audacious characters and caricatures, but as it would turn out, this film has the perfect balance of heart and harlequinesque frivolity. This is actually the first movie where Eddie Murphy plays more than one character, a trend that became a signifier of all of his movies and can be credited to Murphy’s admiration for Peter Sellers and his proclivity to playing multiple roles. Who would’ve thought Dr. Strangelove was the inspiration for The Nutty Professor and Norbit, not I. Coming to America tells the story of Prince Akeem of Zamunda—a fictional African country that could be Wakanda’s sister nation—and Akeem’s attempts to find true love in America so he doesn’t have to commit to an arranged marriage. It’s a sort of urban-take on the tale of Aladdin, complete with an excellent ensemble cast (James Earl Jones, Madge Sinclair, John Amos, Louie Anderson, Samuel L. Jackson, and a young Cuba Gooding Jr. who had less screentime than a young RHOBH alumni Garcelle Beauvais) and a vibrant 80s aesthetic that makes this film even more fun. While it has plenty of moments of absurdity, there is a surprising layer of authenticity and love that remains present throughout the whole movie. You get the impression that Eddie Murphy really wanted to tell this story, and the screenwriter, an old theater teacher of my mom’s, handled every detail with care and flair. There are a couple of elements I simply must highlight: the dance sequence at the start of the film is truly incredible, and the costume design is just impeccable. The gowns, the garments, the palace, were all tailored with immaculate details and glorious colors, but the style didn’t stop in Zamunda. Queens was sporting a chic aesthetic of its own—with Shari Headley and Allison Dean deserving particular kudos. That wedding dress Lisa wears at the end of the film…quite literally took my breath away. There’s a heart in this silly movie, a sense of warmth that doesn’t take away from the humor, but adds to it. I think this may be my favorite Eddie Murphy movie, and had it not been for the transphobic and homophobic humor that seemed to be a staple in his early career, I’d say he was downright endearing. He still hasn’t apologized for making those jokes, but has acknowledged that they were cringe… If only he would comment on the cringe of the Coming to America sequel which may as well have just been titled Coming 2 America: Cameo Addition. I wish I could say this sequel embodied the same heart and soul that the first film had, but Coming 2 America felt like a half-assed (no Shrek pun intended) attempt to mimic the original’s magic. It was amazing to see the vast majority of the original cast come back, and I think Leslie Jones, Jermaine Fowler, Tracy Morgan, and Wesley Snipes were wonderful additions—but it just wasn’t all that heartwarming or even that charming. Don’t get me wrong, there were many times that I laughed out loud during Coming 2 America, between the obvious homages to Black Panther, the further blending of American and pseudo-African cultures, and the immense amounts of celebrity cameos ranging from Morgan Freeman to Gladys Knight to others that I refuse to spoil. This film’s best features were the ones that were carried over from the original: the costuming, the culture shock, the revealing of ridiculous character after ridiculous character—but the story, the search for true love, the intangibly lovable “it” factor of the 1988 film, were unfortunately nowhere to be found. I’d say the original Coming to America film is a must-watch for any lover of comedy, but the sequel is certainly not mandatory. To end on a positive note, and to take the focus away from the Eddie Murphy of it all, I will be donating to the The Little Petal Alliance, an organization that assists LGBTQ+ folks in Austin with therapy, employment connections, and other wellness packages. For every comment on this blogpost I will be making another donation, and if you would like to join me, here is the link to donate!
