![]() ![]() ![]() Added to this, is a cultural landscape that has simply evolved. On the one hand, Zamundans are yet again represented as simple-minded, the emphasis on their backwardness might even be more prevalent in the sequel than in the original. What does stand out though is how the film employs and weaponizes stereotypes of both Africans and black Americans in its depictions. ![]() The entire problem of Coming 2 America is not only is the whole not greater than the sum of its parts, there are simply no great parts. Comedy, like every other film genre, can both meet its bar and contain elements that leave much to be desired a film’s failure in one area does not preclude it from being enjoyable and more importantly, succeeding as a whole. If this were Coming 2 America’s main error, then it might even be redeemable to some if it were also funny, charming, and had a stimulating plot. Notwithstanding, from its first arrival and since, there have been many criticisms for its portrayal of Africa in the form of its fictional Zamunda nation, reducing the continent’s representation to an ahistorical facade of mostly simple-minded people occupying, by contrast, an ostentatious kingdom. It evokes nostalgia cross-culturally and across several generations who came of age during it, or at least watched it in the decade or so that came after, part of a much-loved childhood canon. After all, Murphy earned a fanbase as a world class impressionist before he evolved into a blockbuster movie star.Even today, the first Coming to America holds its own as a comedy classic. Murphy reprises Saul in Coming 2 America for practical purposes (10 performers from the original film return for the sequel), and also to showcase his comedic versatility. Strangelove, and who inspired Murphy to take on multiple roles in Coming to America. With the character Saul, he honors the legacy of English comedian Peter Sellers, the man who portrayed multiple characters in Stanley's Kubrick's 1964 film Dr. In 2019, Murphy publicly apologized for making ignorant jokes in past stand-up specials like Eddie Murphy: Delirious (1983) and Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987). In fact, the people who made The Nutty Professor said they loved working with Sherman Klump, but they hated working with Eddie Murphy." Once he was in the makeup, he wasn’t Eddie anymore. "Once he was in the makeup, he was just as fresh as when he was nineteen. Landis had previously directed Murphy in the 1983 comedy Trading Places, and wasn't impressed with his on-set demeanor when they reunited for another film, stating "The guy on Trading Places was young and full of energy and curious and funny and fresh and great the guy on Coming to America was the pig of the world – the most unpleasant, arrogant, bullshit entourage… just an a*****e." When Murphy first transformed into Saul, Landis realized that the makeup "freed" him, and that he seemed to channel the comedic energy that fueled so many of his Saturday Night Live performances and early films: However, the appearance of Saul in Coming 2 America may catch some viewers off-guard because of the racial aspect.ĭuring production for Coming to America, the character Saul helped resolve conflict between the filmmaker and star. A few years later, Murphy expanded on the concept by portraying Coming to America's Saul - a Jewish man who converses with Black characters in a Queens barbershop - and eventually became well-known for portraying multiple Black characters in films like The Nutty Professor, Bowfinger, and Norbit. In the 1984 season 10 mini-mockumentary "White Like Me," he wore prosthetics to pass as a middle-aged white man in New York City, hoping to better understanding White America vs. In 2021, the casting decision may not seem appropriate, and some viewers may feel that such cultural appropriation is offensive. However, historical context is crucial when understanding why Saul appears in both the 1988 film Coming to America and the 2021 Amazon Prime sequel, Coming 2 America.ĭuring the early '80s, Murphy established himself as a master impressionist while performing on Saturday Night Live. Eddie Murphy plays a white Jewish man in Coming 2 America, which was an idea from the original film's director. ![]()
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