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| Courtesy of Netflix |
(Rated R for pervasive language, crude sexual content and graphic nudity. Opens in limited theatrical release Oct. 11 and available on Netflix starting Oct. 25.)
For movie fans who haven’t hit middle age, it’s tough to explain just what a phenomenon Eddie Murphy was in his prime. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the comedian-turned-actor dominated pop culture in a way that hasn’t been duplicated since. Beginning in 1980 with his breakout work on Saturday Night Live (when he was 19!), continuing with 1982’s 48 Hrs., and followed by an unbelievable 1983 with Trading Places and his stand-up special Delirious, Murphy became one of the biggest celebrities on the planet.
Granted, the next couple of decades had their valleys like The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Norbit and Meet Dave (to name a few). But compare those duds to his peaks: Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, The Nutty Professor, Bowfinger, Shrek, Dreamgirls – any actor would commit murder for a resume like that.
After he lost Best Supporting Actor back in 2006, it felt like a wounded Murphy decided to coast on lame sequels and lackluster family fare for easy paychecks. But he’d earned so much audience goodwill that many of us hoped he’d eventually stage another comeback.
I’m happy to report that time is now. Murphy’s latest film, Dolemite Is My Name, features one of the greatest performances of his four-decade career and is easily one of the year’s best films. I know we’re only at the beginning of awards season, but this movie is a strong contender for my Top 10 in a couple of months.
Murphy portrays real-life icon Rudy Ray Moore, a struggling comedian who took several different shots at fame before crafting a raunchy alter ego named Dolemite. After achieving underground legend status thanks to his self-released albums, Moore decides to make a movie featuring his obscene, kung-fu fighting character.
It’s a massive risk, considering no studio will touch his idea and he’s shouldering the budget himself, but he thinks his target audience will be grateful to see characters who look like themselves on the big screen. As comedy fans know, it’s a successful gamble that turns Moore into a blaxploitation icon.
You’ll be able to watch Dolemite Is My Name from the comfort of your couch later this month thanks to Netflix, but I highly recommend seeking it out on the big screen. Although it’ll only be playing on a couple of screens in Atlanta for two weeks, I promise it’s worth the drive to see it with a crowd. The film is hilarious, heartfelt and a love letter to pursing your dream even in the face of impossible odds.
Of course, Murphy’s performance is the reason to seek this out (and be warned this is old school, not-kid-friendly Murphy, with all the unprintable language that entails). The actor knows fans have been longing for his return and he commits to the film accordingly. He isn’t coasting to pad his already hefty bank account. Instead, after a hilarious opening scene that allows viewers to bask in his glow for a while, he disappears into Rudy Ray Moore.
“You forget that you’re watching [actor’s name] and just see the character” might be one of the lamest clichés in film criticism, but I can’t help that it applies here. There’s no capital-A “acting” and no mugging for the camera. Murphy’s simply an incredible actor putting aside his vanity and utilizing his star power to bring Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski’s fantastic screenplay to life.
The writers are no stranger to this genre – they’ve written compelling stories about prominent real-life figures like Ed Wood, Larry Flynt and Andy Kauffman (among others), but there’s a genuine love for genre and the creative process here that shines through. Dolemite Is My Name certainly earns its R rating, but there’s an amiable innocence at its heart that doesn’t make it feel dirty or mean-spirited.
That’s a tough tone to juggle, but director Craig Brewer has experience pulling it off thanks to his breakthrough flick Hustle & Flow. Heck, he’s so good he even made the Footloose remake enjoyable. Plus, it helps that he was able to recruit an unbelievable roster of talent for supporting roles.
In addition to Murphy’s work, which is worthy of a Best Actor nomination, talented folks like Keegan-Michael Key, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess and Mike Epps (as well as other famous faces who pop up for fun cameos) are all terrific. But the clear standouts are Wesley Snipes, making a comeback of his own, as flamboyant, egotistical actor-turned-director D’Urville Martin and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (a Broadway and television veteran) as Moore’s protegee Lady Reed. Both are deserving of Best Supporting accolades, although it’s tough for comedies to make an impact during awards season.
Dolemite Is My Name isn’t for everyone – particularly the easily offended – but those seeking a comedy legend’s return to form will be in heaven. I can’t say enough good things about the film and I’m already counting down the days until I can dive into a second viewing. It’s so much fun.
Grade: A-
Blu-ray Review: Toy Story 4
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| Courtesy of Disney-Pixar |
(Rated G. Now available.)
Making another sequel after the perfect ending of Toy Story 3 seemed like a terrible idea, but the geniuses at Pixar proved naysayers wrong. Somehow, miraculously, Toy Story 4 is outstanding. It lives up to the high standards we’ve come to expect from the studio, adding complexity to a few old characters while making viewers fall in love with new ones.
Woody (Tom Hanks) isn’t used to being just another toy, but that’s where he finds himself with his new kid, Bonnie. Looking for purpose, he decides it’s his job to look after her favorite, Forky (Tony Hale). A glorified arts-and-crafts project who thinks he belongs in the trash, he causes all kinds of problems when Bonnie brings her toys along on a road trip. But Forky also inadvertently reunites Woody with Bo Peep (Annie Potts), his lost love. Now the cowboy doll has a huge choice to make: should he continue to put Bonnie’s happiness above his own?
Director Josh Cooley – along with eight credited writers – takes advantage of viewers’ knowledge of the franchise’s tropes and core characters to take intriguing narrative paths. The team utilizes a deceptively simple story to ask some profound questions. For those wondering whether to have tissues nearby: yes, you’ll shed a few tears. But the biggest surprise might be how consistently funny it is. Toy Story 4 is hands-down the most purely comedic installment in the series.
We’ve grown so accustomed to Hanks as an Oscar-winning dramatic actor that many forget his killer comedy instincts. He instills Woody with not only a ton of heart, but also a simmering frustration that finally erupts in uproarious fashion. Still, Hale provides tough competition as Forky. His repetitive delivery of a single word in dozens of different ways (“Trash?” “Trash.” “Trash!”) had me in hysterics. Keanu Reeves is also fantastic as Duke Caboom, an action figure who is basically the Canadian Evel Knievel.
Unfortunately, wonderful as the new characters are, spending time with them comes at the expense of old characters we’ve loved for decades. Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) gets slightly more to do than the rest, but he and reliable favorites like Jessie, Rex, Hamm and Mr. Potato Head are barely in the movie.
Special features: Deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes and more.
Grade: A
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