Eddie Murphy and his new movie.

NB obviously my mom said that stuff earlier in Murphy's career, not in reference to stuff like Daddy Day Care or anything. Though I think she might still feel that way about certain aspects of stuff like The Nutty Professor. But she has a very high bar on this kind of thing -- I won't go into it, cuz this thread should be about Eddie Murphy, and not my mom. My mom rules, let's not drag her down.

I want to take the same line -- you know, why can't Murphy make fun of a specific comic type here, it's not a representation of all black women -- but representations of black women in stuff are often so bad, and so often in this particular mold, that this one looks really awful to me. And even asking "would you be bothered by this setup if it were white people" doesn't help, because if it were white people I'd probably be grossed out by scenting misogyny in it, or just awful juvenile dumbness. Combine that with the public image / stereotypes of black women, and it's just ... I can't imagine laughing at this character.

So yeah, I don't have a well-formed argument for why I'm suddenly not defending this kind of humor anymore, but I'd think it'd be really visible from the trailers why this is the film that treads past my comfort zone.

This man wants a word with you:

ihtp://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2000/08/07/kindhearts.gif

Norbit, starring Eddie Murphy, and also based on the life of New York City teenager Khalid Bennett, details the life of Norbit (Eddie Murphy), an African-American male who was abandoned as a baby on the doorstep of a Chinese restaraunt, the Golden Wonton, owned by Mr. Wong (Eddie Murphy). Mr. Wong later converts the restaurant into an orphanage and raises Norbit. During elementary school, Norbit was bullied by a mean and obese child Rasputia (Eddie Murphy), who later became his girlfriend.

xpost
C'mon, Ken, if Stone Phillips is googling himself, I totally want him up on this thread.

(J, yes, and that's like 90% of the explanation for why my mom prefers nice depictions of black Americans and does not so much go in for down-and-dirty Af-Am humor.)

otm.

But at least I can spell Yo La Tengo.

If they ever started routinely giving Oscars for broad comedy (Kevin Kline's supporting win for Fish Called Wanda and Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou are the only two I can think of --significantly, 'serious' actors doing slapstick instead of Chaplin, Groucho, Lewis, Steve Martin), there are about ten I'd give retro Oscars to before Eddie in TNP. (ie, his Buddy Love, and all the farting, were duds.) But this looks worse than anything in that cuz the fatness is just one nonstop aggro punchline.

maybe he shoulda played all the Dreamgirls.

xpost yeah not claiming "amorous obese woman" is in any way new as a punchline, though I'm not sure I like the way "black" has been casually pushed into this equation over the past decade or two; I'd be happier if fewer than a half-dozen "gross-out" comedies used "large black woman" as one of the "gross" bits.

fuck Thandie Newton. all she does in the preview is look at Eddie-Murphy-as-fat-woman like she's disgusting. she didn't have to take the damn role.

i’m a big fan of Sam Jay and i hope she got to hang out with Eddie making this movie, is about the extent of my enthusiasm

We Got Christmas Movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9d2G3l3UO4

eddie is great on kimmel, he seems so comfortable & jimmy brings the 80s stories out of him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_5-Alp62IY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBG3iyr5N70

Do we pretend II and III never existed? I'd like that.

Well, that's easy enough to do.

I was listening to NPR the other day, and they were talking about some new Eddie Murphy movie called "Candy Cane Lane." I figured it would be a bridge to some other subject, but no, they stuck with that movie. And I kept wondering: why? Just seems like another Eddie Murphy pseudo-family film.

I mean this looks like the worst Netflix garbage so file with II and III

And I kept wondering: why?

Why did they say they were talking about a new release Christmas movie in the second week of December?

Eddie ran out of comedic ideas long ago. He's sold his reputation so many times it's all used up, too.

xpost Yeah, but why *bother*? There is no law that every shitty Christmas movie needs to be talked about on NPR, though sure, if you're going to talk about a shitty Christmas movie, probably best to do it around Christmas.

to be fair, all a watchable Beverly Hills Cop movie needs is Eddie Murphy and the Axel F theme... and this has those.

like, has anyone watched the original film? the plot is tissue-thin and nothing Axel does is even a little bit plausible, it's a movie operating on 100% charisma and awesome synthesizers

I watched that Axel F trailer and was like, I am absolutely never gonna see this… and then saw the Netflix logo at the end and suddenly realised I will probably actually watch it. Or at least 15-20 minutes of it.

doot doo doot doo doot doot doo

15-20 minutes is iirc about the length of that interminable ferris wheel sequence in III.

Fletch is the same thing, it's just Chevy Chase and Harold Faltermeyer going hard for 90 minutes

I think everyone gets that about the original lol

Have you seen the much worse sequels?

Like I hate to break it to you but there are films that meet the criterion “has Eddie Murphy in” that aren’t good

it isn't a guarantee but it means the new one has covered the basics of a good Beverly Hills Cop movie

and the first three Beverly Hills Cop films are in my carefully curated Blu-Ray library, yes

🫡

he got a lot of goodwill back with dolemite is my theory here

Beverley Hills Cop II was my first R-rated film. my friend’s dad took us

i remember nothing about it except that the entire experience was thrilling

II has the scene where Gilbert Gottfried really <became Gilbert Gottfried> in the eyes of the public at large.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv7Ui4z-ga0

like, has anyone watched the original film? the plot is tissue-thin and nothing Axel does is even a little bit plausible, it's a movie operating on 100% charisma and awesome synthesizers

A high concept that's right there in the title + loaded soundtrack = the 80s math of producer Don Simpson.

I liked You People quite a bit and thought Eddie was especially good in a deadpan/"humorless" way.

watched Candy Cane Lane tonight with inlaws and while it was too long by at least 30 minutes and slowed way down in the middle, it was kinda fun and a nice xmas watch w family

David Allen Grier as Santa was kinda worth it.

oh but trigger warning: nick offerman does an EGREGIOUS “shine yer shoes guvnah” english accent that is just pure wtf

Yeah, this was quite enjoyable and probably too damn long. Eddie was in good form and worked well with Tracee Ellis Ross and the youngest daughter. Chris Redd stole all of his scenes.

Still, these two sketches are the best Eddie Xmas things since Trading Places or his "Mr. Robinson's Christmas" sketch from '84.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxVXYp2KIeE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBqvPvMfr0E

They did a sequel to the latter sketch with Kate McKinnon last week, and it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

They

IT DONT MATTER WHAT MY NAME IS

What the fuck happened to Judge Reinhold's face?

It's like he hired whoever did Mickey Rourke, and then Mickey Rourke found out and beat up Judge.

It was distracting.

Axel F. otherwise good. Double-featured it with BHCII, which I hadn't seen in forever, and remains A+ '80s trash.

yeah Judge looked a bit weird

Enjoyed Axel F - Murphy was in great form, they hit all the right beats… loved the snowplow chase and the helicopter was ridic & b funny & the fact that it was low almost the whole time was a fun approach stunt-wise

my main gripe is it was too long by half and a bit too much plot … needed to be snappier but i guess the first movie really is a unicorn in that way
the middle really dragged

Oh, man, did he fuck it up like Meg Ryan and Annette Benning?

my main gripe is it was too long by half and a bit too much plot

Seems like that's a problem with designed to stream stuff where they don't have to worry about cutting to fit reels and multiple screenings per day.

One thing I loved when revisiting II is that it goes straight into the action with Neilson and the jewelry store robbery.

yeah that was good, i was excited by that

None of them are particularly good films, but at least the second is aesthetically beautiful, and Tony Scott knew how to shoot action

i know it was a cheesy move to reuse the big soundtrack songs but i was **so hype** that they used Shakedown again, it’s really the best

xpost um the first movie is a perfect action comedy and i won’t hear otherwise

The first film is a sloppy mess that feels like it was made up as it was shot, which is what happened. I do really like Martin Brest’s Hot Tomorrows (1977) and Midnight Run (1988), though

hmph

R.I.P. Brian Wilson pic.twitter.com/PaDDjfAyJm

— Slouching Towards McDonaldland (@FugaziTruther) June 11, 2025

lol

https://deadline.com/2025/07/eddie-murphy-inspector-clouseau-new-pink-panther-movie-1236472857/

“I’m getting ready to do a [biopic of] George Clinton, [his music collective] Parliament-Funkadelic. I’m getting ready to do George Clinton,” The Pickup star said, confirming Deadline’s scoop last year. “I’ve already started Shrek 5. And I’m going to be — I’m Inspector Clouseau in the next Pink Panther.”

honestly i’d watch it

VegemiteGrrl says "yes please" to Shrek 5.

rude

i meant pink panther (and george clinton)

Dr. Dolittle 6: Let's Take It to the Stage