When Eddie Murphy hit it big on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s, he became the hottest featured player on there since John Belushi. Along with that came his (then) shocking and hilarious comedy albums. He like Richard Pryor or even Steve Martin in the '70s, became a stand-up comedian, treated like a rock star.
Then came great films like 48 Hours, Trading Places & Beverly Hills Cop #1 & #2 ...plus Coming To America. Only 2 Mis-steps. Like : "Best Defense" (which he's barely in) and "The Golden Child".
Mostly though, it was his (clean version here) "smart-aleck" or "street smart" persona that made him. It's also what broke him, at least for awhile.
Harlem Nights was a disaster, Another 48 Hours could have been made on a Xerox machine. In 1992 it seemed he had rebounded with "Boomerang" and then came this film.
The Distinguished Gentleman takes Murphy, once again back to the street smart, con artist he'd played before. The smart aleck humor seemed tired for a man (then) 30 years old.
Eddie plays Thomas Jefferson Johnson, a guy who decides to get into public office through some con artistry and because he knows that, voters recognize a name like Thomas Jefferson.
He seems to be under the impression that once he gets into office, he'll be able to get new laws passed in a snap and introduce bills that may benefit him and others, as he feels the real politicians just don't care.
His character sees that, being a Public Servant is and getting things accomplished, isn't as easy as he thought and despite his cleverness, he's of course, outnumbered.
The realities involved in the political office he's won. Become apparent to him, as in seeing a little girl whose hair has fallen out due to electrical tower radiation makes him see the light.
He then needs to get the other working politicians on board but , naturally, there are those of the opposing party who wont help and want to control him. He 'had' conned his way into office but does he still want the office itself, if it means opposition like this?
The movie overall is almost like a battle between the 1980's Eddie Murphy and the serious need for a new, more seriosu but still funny Eddie to movie forward.
I won't say what happens but i will say in most comedies, there's a pretty funny ending but the writers couldn't even give us that. In the last moment, I was like,"That's it?"
4 stars is my rating. As the comedy is very hit and miss (or just all out flat). The serious sides seem to play better overall.
I feel that Murphy was at least trying to say good-bye to his 80's super-star and hello to maturity in movie roles, which he finally found...this just wasn't it. (END)
Then came great films like 48 Hours, Trading Places & Beverly Hills Cop #1 & #2 ...plus Coming To America. Only 2 Mis-steps. Like : "Best Defense" (which he's barely in) and "The Golden Child".
Mostly though, it was his (clean version here) "smart-aleck" or "street smart" persona that made him. It's also what broke him, at least for awhile.
Harlem Nights was a disaster, Another 48 Hours could have been made on a Xerox machine. In 1992 it seemed he had rebounded with "Boomerang" and then came this film.
The Distinguished Gentleman takes Murphy, once again back to the street smart, con artist he'd played before. The smart aleck humor seemed tired for a man (then) 30 years old.
Eddie plays Thomas Jefferson Johnson, a guy who decides to get into public office through some con artistry and because he knows that, voters recognize a name like Thomas Jefferson.
He seems to be under the impression that once he gets into office, he'll be able to get new laws passed in a snap and introduce bills that may benefit him and others, as he feels the real politicians just don't care.
His character sees that, being a Public Servant is and getting things accomplished, isn't as easy as he thought and despite his cleverness, he's of course, outnumbered.
The realities involved in the political office he's won. Become apparent to him, as in seeing a little girl whose hair has fallen out due to electrical tower radiation makes him see the light.
He then needs to get the other working politicians on board but , naturally, there are those of the opposing party who wont help and want to control him. He 'had' conned his way into office but does he still want the office itself, if it means opposition like this?
The movie overall is almost like a battle between the 1980's Eddie Murphy and the serious need for a new, more seriosu but still funny Eddie to movie forward.
I won't say what happens but i will say in most comedies, there's a pretty funny ending but the writers couldn't even give us that. In the last moment, I was like,"That's it?"
4 stars is my rating. As the comedy is very hit and miss (or just all out flat). The serious sides seem to play better overall.
I feel that Murphy was at least trying to say good-bye to his 80's super-star and hello to maturity in movie roles, which he finally found...this just wasn't it. (END)