“Coming 2 America” proves that audience are still itching to see Eddie Murphy onscreen, no matter how long he takes between films. In a recent interview promoting “Coming 2 America,” Murphy bluntly explained why he stopped acting for so many years. “I was making shitty movies,” he said. “I was like, ‘This shit ain’t fun. They’re giving me Razzies…Motherfuckers gave me the ‘worst actor ever’ Razzie. [So I thought], ‘Maybe it’s time to take a break.”
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A native of Brooklyn, Murphy fell in love with comedy as a teenager, and honed his skills by listening to Richard Pryor albums. In the mid-‘70s, Murphy appeared in a talent show at the Roosevelt Youth Center, a gig he credited with launching his career. The amateur performance led to bookings at local comedy clubs. He made his “SNL” debut in 1980, though he wasn’t a cast member for long. Within two years, Murphy cut ties with “SNL,” and moved on to film. For the better half of the last 40 years, Murphy has appeared in dozens of films, many of which he has also written. In 2019, Murphy returned to the small screen in the critically acclaimed “Dolemite Is My Name,” where he portrayed comic Rudy Ray Moore. Murphy’s “Dolemite” director Craig Brewer also helmed “Coming 2 America,” as IndieWire’s Eric Kohn noted in his review of the film. “Largely predicated on fan service even as it introduces some next-gen faces, the sequel embraces the same appeal of the original, though it rhymes its best gags with such precision that it rarely finds its own tune. Capably directed by Murphy’s ‘Dolemite Is My Name’ director Craig Brewer with a lively mix of dance numbers, a dense cameo list, and a neat set of intergenerational conflicts, ‘Coming 2 America’ derives most of its entertainment value from winking to the original.” Besides rehashing his film career, Murphy plans to return to stand-up comedy (once the pandemic ends). In the meantime, we rounded up a list of 10 of Murphy’s films that you can stream right now, or purchase on Blu-ray. See our list below.
“Life”
“Beverly Hills Cop”
“Coming to America”
“Trading Places”
Speaking of “Trading Places,” Murphy’s performance in the ‘80s comedy helped solidify his place as a film star. The film, now streaming on Hulu and Sling TV, revolves around a wealthy broker (Dan Aykroyd) and street hustler (Murphy) in an unconventional life swap. “Trading Places” may be one of Murphy’s more popular films, but he wasn’t the first comedian in line for the title role. An earlier incarnation of the film was being developed to star Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder (the film was scrapped after Pryor nearly killed himself in a freebasing incident).
“Nutty Professor”
“Dr. Dolittle”
“Dr. Dolittle” is a family friendly film option that’s entertaining for a range of age groups. The slapstick comedy stars Murphy as a veterinarian who discovers that he can communicate with animals. The film is a remake of the 1967 movie based off High Lofting’s children’s novels, which debuted a century ago. “Dr. Dolittle” is currently streaming on HBO Max, and Hulu.
“Shrek”
“Dreamgirls”
“The Golden Child”
In his first PG-13-rated film, Murphy stars as a wisecracking social worker that takes with probably one of the biggest responsibilities of his life. Murphy spends much of the film making sure that a young Tibetan boy deemed “The Golden Child” is protected at all costs, all the while cracking a few jokes in the process. The film plot unfolds on the backstreets of 1980s Los Angeles with Murphy in what used to be his signature leather ensembles made famous in his stand-up comedy specials, “Delirious,” and “Raw.”
“48 Hours”
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