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)
