#DavidSheffield

[adamwatchesmovies]

Coming to America (1988)

Upon its initial release and even moreso today, Coming to America has a familiar story with few surprises. It’s a good thing Eddie Murphy was in his prime when made it. Otherwise, this would all be forgettable. Or… maybe not. In a post-Black Panther world, certain jokes become much funnier than anyone would’ve found them in 1988. With the already ample laughs and a sequel just released, now’s the right to go come back to Coming to America.

Crown prince Akeem Joffer (Addie Murphy) is turning 21. According to Zamunda customs, it is time for him to marry. Dissatisfied with his arranged bride-to-be (Vanessa Bell), he convinces his father to allow him an "extended bachelor party" visit to the United States. Akeem hopes Queens will provide a more suitable wife. With the help of his best friend/personal aide Semmi (Arsenio Hall), they search while attempting to blend in and not let anyone know of his kingly fortune.

With James Earl Jones playing King Jaffe, Akeem coming from a wealthy (made up) African nation and him being sheltered from the outside world all his life… it’s hard not to think of Black Panther while watching. As in the Marvel film, the cast is almost entirely black - the only significant white characters are a rude cab driver (Jake Steinfeld) and an employee at the McDonald’s knockoff called Maurice (Louie Anderson). Instead of portraying Africa as a place you send your pocket change to when feeling guilty about starving children, it’s an opulent paradise full of beautiful people and dazzling costumes. Except this isn’t a superhero movie, it’s more like “What if T’Challa landed in a romantic comedy and was played by Eddie Murphy?”

The romance is the most disappointing aspect of the film. After a hilarious montage of unsuitable women (that scene’s got a great punchline), Akeem and Semmi meet Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley). She’s intelligent, passionate, and beautiful. Too bad she’s dating self-obsessed, lazy, obnoxious Darryl (Eriq La Salle). I bet you know where most of the plot is headed just from the character descriptions. It's a shame, though you may not mind if you’ve been wanting to see it with Black performers.

If the romance is mundane to you, at least there's the comedy to look forward to. There’s a recurring gag about Soul Glo - a Jheri curl-like hairstyling product that leaves stains everywhere -, the “fish out of water” thing is well done at the McDowell’s restaurant and in the dilapidated apartment in which the Zamundans reside “to know what it’s like to be normal people”. Then, there are the now-trademark costumes and makeup effects. Murphy and Hall play a variety of outlandish characters that provide big, memorable laughs. Murphy playing the singer of Sexual Chocolate is a strong contender for “best gag in the movie”.

Coming to America would’ve been better if it made bolder statements about Black Africans vs. Black Americans or threw some curveballs during the romance. That’s alright. There’s more than enough here to keep you consistently laughing. At its worst, the movie is familiar. That’s not the same as being bad. Clearly, everyone is having a great time and it ends on the perfect note to wrap it all up nicely. (March 9, 2021)

[3sc-me]

Coming to America (1988) #ComingtoAmerica Director #JohnLandis Writers #EddieMurphy (story) #DavidSheffield #BarryWBlaustein (screenplay) Stars #EddieMurphy #PaulBates #GarcelleBeauvais #3SC #اقتباس #اقتباسات #اكسبلورر #اقوال #حكم #اقتباسات_مترجمة #QuotesofTheDay #Inspiration #Life #Saying #Love #Truth #BestMovie #Cinema #film #movie #Explorer #Viral #Quotes #films #movies https://www.instagram.com/p/CgoNIqJPQaW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[wherever-i-look-blog]

Coming 2 America (2021) - Review/Summary (with Spoilers) | Coming 2 America has its moments, but as it hints itself, like many sequels, it was unnecessary. | https://tinyurl.com/yb6saoen

[universalmovies]

Barry Blaustein e David Sheffield scriveranno il sequel di Il principe cerca moglie

#BarryBlaustein e #DavidSheffield scriveranno il sequel di #Ilprincipecercamoglie

Il principe cerca moglie (Coming to America il titolo originale) è uno dei film più apprezzati interpretati da Eddie Murphy anche se, a dirla tutta, non è il suo migliore. Il film, uscito nel 1988 e diretto da John Landis, sta per avere un sequel, e a scriverlo saranno Barry W. Balustein e David Sheffield, ovvero gli stessi autori del film originale.

Il principe cerca moglieraccontava la storia…

[adamwatchesmovies]

Coming 2 America (2021)

Only watch Coming 2 America if it’s been decades since you saw the original. Enough time will surely make this follow-up feel nostalgic instead of derivative and uninspired.

On the 30th anniversary of his wedding, Prince Akeem of Zamunda (Eddie Murphy) readies himself to ascend to the throne. Complicating his new role is Zamunda’s hostile neighbor, led by General Izzi (Wesley Snipes). To prevent a war between the countries, Akeem needs a male heir for Izzi’s daughter (Teyana Taylor). Luckily for him, he impregnated Mary Junson (Leslie Jones) before meeting Lisa (Shari Headley). Akeem must go back to America and convince Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler) to start a new life.

Chop this movie up, re-arrange it, and you’ve got Coming to America but with a few details wrong. In Zamunda, Lavelle’s put in an arranged marriage to a beautiful woman who has no personality or goals except to obey him. If that doesn’t sound familiar, the movie tells you it’s repeating itself by showing you Vanessa Bell Calloway’s character, still hopping on one foot and barking like a dog. Like before, you know Lavelle will reject his royal duties in favor of the "plain, normal" woman he’s fallen for (Mirembe, played by Nomzamo Mbatha). It wouldn’t be such a big deal if this film wasn’t aggressively obsessed with its history. Louie Anderson is back as Maurice, still working at McDowell’s. When Akeem and Semmi (Arsenio Hall) make a trip back to Queens, they visit the same barbershop with the same people inside it, again. The makeup used to transform Murphy and Hall into Mr. Clarence, Saul, and Morris is great but we’ve seen that joke before. It isn’t all that funny anymore, neither are Randy Watson, and Reverend Brown.

Something feels like it's missing in every scene. The entire film depends upon Akeem’s daughters (played by Kiki Layne, Bell Murphy, and Akiley Love) being ineligible to ascend to the throne. We’re told women aren’t even allowed to own businesses in Zamunda. You’d think Akeem’s American-born wife, Lisa (Shari Headley, barely in the film) would’ve ensured some changes to the kingdom when her father-in-law was still alive (he's still played by James Earl Jones). Instead, she’s apparently spent the last 30+ years doing nothing. These, and a joke about how American movies are all superhero- or franchise-based highlight the sloppy writing. We know Black Panther (the movie) exists in this world, so why draw attention to your comparatively barbaric province? Pointing out your flaws doesn't make them disappear.

The film isn’t devoid of laughs. Wesley Snipes as the over-the-top General Izzi is terrific. Other highlights include Akeem’s three daughters and the colorful, inventive, and beautiful costumes. The threads Teyana Taylor is given will make your jaw drop.

If you watch Coming 2 America, you might as well stay through the end credits for a bonus scene at the end. Overall, the movie is good-natured but it’s like a dart thrown just a few millimeters off to the left. When you miss your mark, the effort only counts for so much. (May 10, 2021)