I’ve been working on an entry on Eddie Murphy for a few months now, so when I saw that he was going to be in something new I got really excited. “Oh gosh! This is so timely! He must be making a comeback!” Yay!
Then this trailer happened:
As happy as I am to see him in a big film that’s getting a lot of coverage, that is how disappointed I am to see him in a film that is actually about a pretty blonde girl. I cringed as I ticked off the boxes below:
Magical Negro Roll Call:
- He is nobly self-sacrificing
- He makes all problems go away
- He has no wants of his own
- He’s basically a eunuch
I want Eddie Murphy to make a comeback in a huge way, and be in some amazing film that blows our minds and returns him to the forefront of American cinema. I want Eddie Murphy to go the Bill Murray route, and be in a string of brilliant comedies with a profound emotional center that win all the awards and set him up for the legacy he’s worked so hard to create. He’s smart, savvy, and a great entertainer. I do not want him to be taking shit from a snotty little girl. I do not want him to be the supporting character to a little girl’s journey of self-discovery.
Maybe that’s not what this movie is! Maybe it’s too complicated to be summed up by a trailer, so to get people into the theater and talking about it, the filmmakers went with the ‘Well let’s do the tearjerker Mom Dies Of Cancer angle! That’ll get people to buy tickets!’
I want to believe! I want to!
Anyway, I hope that you’re having a great week, and that you have a great weekend. I went outside to see if I could spot any meteors from the Perseid Meteor Shower last night, but the sky was pretty overcast and I didn’t see anything. Maybe tonight’s the night!
This undoubtedly is one of the most precious films I’ve ever seen. To state that it is, “coming across as merely stale dramatic gruel”; is nothing short of being a cheap critical remark! The movie was superbly written, extremely well acted by ALL the actors; but most importantly, it was directed with touching brilliance. I’ve never cried all the way through a movie from beginning to end. Murphy’s role was so understated, and so diametrically opposed to anything he has ever done, that it deserves much more recognition than what some ‘critics’ have had to say about his ‘mediocre’ performance. These people have no souls! This film is the furthest thing than ‘about’ race!
Hi there!
Thanks so much for commenting!
I still haven’t seen the film and I’m not sure who you are quoting in your comment. I expressed that I was willing to give it a chance, although I did not care for the premise as it was shown in the trailer. I still will see it if I get the chance, as I love Eddie Murphy’s work.
As far as my having no soul, I can’t prove that I do, but I try to be a good human outside of my film blogging. I donate blood several times a year, have volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and other well-known charities, collect food for the homeless, and a few weeks ago I sewed festive pillow cases for children in the Leukemia ward of the Florida Hospital. My point is, I try to make my spot in the world a better place, although I am not perfect.
I do value your opinion, though! And thank you for commenting!