Written & Directed By: Eddie Murphy
Cinematography By: Woody Omens
Editor: Alan Balsam & George Bowers
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Della Reese, Jasmine Guy, Danny Aiello, Arsenio Hall, Lela Rochon, Michael Lerner, Stan Shaw, Robin Harris, Charles Q.Murphy, Miguel A. Nunez Jr., Nona Gaye, Berlinda Tolbert
"Sugar" Ray is the owner of an illegal casino, who contend with the pressures of vicious gangster and corrupt policemen who want to see him go out of business. In the world of organized crime and police corruption in the 1920s, any dastardly trick is fair!
This could have been great it looked like a slam dunk. All the great Black Comedians cast in one film that would be the writing and directing debut of Eddie Murphy and…it was a huge misfire.
First off you have some great comedians past their prime in this film. They are obviously getting older and sick so they can’t do the characters and jokes they used to pull off if this was made in the early 80’s when they still had juice then the results would be better. Watching the film it is obvious they are sickly and very stiff so the jokes and their personea’s are just not there and a unwelcome reminder of how good they used to be.
There are some laughs to be had and some generally funny scenes, (The Arsenio Hall chase and shoot out, The Della Reese Fight) But a majority of them are just foul mouthed jokes that either seem juvenile and out of place or are just plain not funny. Half the humor seems to be about how well dressed and classy the characters are while cursing up a storm.
The film is also a major disappointment as so much talent is involved and no one could save this sinking ship. It looks like it was filmed on a back-lot. I applaud Eddie Murphy for trying and having ambition with this project, but maybe it was just too soon. Maybe it was a natural progression as he had the clout and knew if not then, then when. Plus maybe he knew his comedy heroes didn’t have too much time left so it was then or never. Who knows I also believe that the failure of the project other then being a big blow to his ego. Damaged Murphy into thinking he had let everyone down. So why even try people loved his films where he just performed and ever since then that is all he has ever done. No passion though. He made quite a few great films after this one, but none seemed as personal and passionate as his films before this one.
I remember wanting to see this in theater’s but even then I knew to read reviews and from the beating this film took in the reviews I knew it best to wait for home video and once it finally did. Let’s just say I was glad I waited.
One of the problems with the film is that it has these grand comedy scenes then goes into more story and plot and I hate to say it most are going to want to watch this film more for the cast and what they hope are funny scenes. Instead they get what tries to be a more comedic urban THE STING. A very weak knock-off of it. Though a bunch of times things just seem to happen rather than being planned out and happening by subtlety. I don’t know if he was trying to just be shocking and jolt the audience.
I’m not going to say skip it. You should watch it once just for the experience but I doubt you will ever want to watch it more then that except for maybe the highlights.
Eddie Murphy Even admits he was more focused on partying after the filming for the day then paying attention and caring about the day to day duties on the film. The only reason he even wrote it is because he always wanted to act in a period film.
It’s not horrible but is certainly disappointing.
GRADE: D+
A
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