Viewed in
2011
Formats
Cable TV
Premise
Eddie Murphy stars as an African Prince who decides to come to New York to search for his one true love.
Liked
The charming performances.
Thoughts
Overall, a well-made film.
The best part was the likeable cast. Murphy showed his versatility with a controlled performance while still oozing with charisma. This was the first time I ever saw Arsenio Hall act, and he was surprisingly funny as the sidekick. In addition, Murphy already started his "Eddie Murphy as other characters" shtick. I should have realized something was up when the opening credits mentioned makeup master Rick Baker. Murphy, along with Hall, had fun with these characters without being too distracting.
Other recognizable faces included James Earl Jones, Louie Anderson, Eriq LaSalle dead-ringing for Lionel Richie, and Samuel L. Jackson channeling an early incarnation of Jules. Strong performances were present, especially from Shari Headley and John Amos.
In the wrong hands, the plot could have been very hokey and completely offensive in today's sensibilities. Kudos to the writers for crafting characters who didn't always follow stereotypes and setting up intelligent plot twists instead of relying on cheap laughs. Even by today's standards, the story held up pretty well, and had that goofy 1980's charm.
The biggest flaw, aside from Hall's inability to keep a regal accent even in the same take, was that it was on the predictable side. But to complain about that in a rom-com is rather silly. For the most part, the scenes that you can see coming a mile away were well-executed, thanks to the writing or the performances. Also, since Murphy's character already started as a Prince with a heart of gold, there wasn't much of an arc for him.
Premise-wise, I had my doubts, but the film worked for me, thanks to winning comedic performances, an enjoyable cast, and smart writing. Not one of Murphy's best, but at least it wasn't one of his many bombs.
What I would change
Nothing.
Random
An unrecognizable Cuba Gooding Jr. was in the barbershop scene.
