Review: Dolemite Is My Name
And this is the motherfucking game.
Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) is a comedian trying to make it big. He creates the character Dolemite - a very vulgar, kung fu fighting alter ego that catches on and becomes a huge hit in the comedy album scene. Moore decides he wants to move to the big screen and sets out to make a Dolemite movie.
When I started this film, I didn't think I knew much about Rudy Ray Moore, then as it went on I started recognizing several things, and it dawned on me I've had one of this films - The Human Tornado - in my Netflix Queue for over a year. But you don't need to know anything about Moore or Dolemite to enjoy this. It's such an easy film to love.
What I liked the most about this film was its structure. Many biopics put a lot of focus on the hardships, and Moore faced plenty, but I liked that they didn't dwell on his set backs. Watching him do stand up is fun, making the movie is outrageous, and whenever they hit a bump, it's brief. They spend more time with Rudy working hard and enjoying his craft. It keeps us upbeat with him.
The cast is absolutely amazing. I missed seeing Eddie Murphy like this. He hasn't done anything that's jumped out at me since he was robbed of his Oscar in Dreamgirls. He's perfect in this role and the supporting cast is amazing. Craig Robinson (I forgot how much I adore his singing voice), Mike Epps, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Keegan Michael Key Tittuss Burgess and Wesley Snipes - another whom I haven't seen like this in what feels like forever are all wonderful. I really hope they get a SAG ensemble award. I hope Murphy, Snipes, and Randolph get Oscar nominations. I want this to get as much awards love as possible.
I was not expecting to love this as much as I did, it just worked on every level and is easily one of the funniest films of the year. And thankfully for most of us, it's right there on Netflix to watch.
Recommended: Yes
Grade: A
Memorable Quote: "I just want people to know I exist." - Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy)
\
it's a really fun movie, but i actually do wish they had some flashbacks to his relationship with his dad. it obviously impacted him and wouldn't have given the film a bit more urgency
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point. They kept it pretty straightforward but it worked so well.
DeleteI've heard great things about this film. Especially as it's the film that gives us the return of Eddie Murphy. I hope he never works with Brian Robbins ever again. That no-talent hack just doesn't understand what Murphy is about.
ReplyDeleteMurphy is amazing here, I hope you get the opportunity to see him in this.
DeleteBrittani, i`m looking forward to seeing this one after reading your review and an interesting point about two of Murphys earlier movies is that even though 'The Golden Child' (1986) was an appalling and almost completely unwatchable film it still made vast quantitys of cash in America simply because the American public were completely smitten with Murphy at that time and would flock to see anything he was in not matter how bad it was, where-as 16 years later in 2002 when 'Pluto Nash' (a much much better and ludicrously under-rated movie) was released it went down the toilet in America simply because by then people had snided-off with other newer stars and Murphys star wasn`t shining anywhere near a brightly as it had been 15 years earlier, but then again such is the laughably hypocritical fickleness and churlishness of the American movie going public ! ! !. BTW, trust me, 'Pluto Nash' really is infinitely better than 'The Golden Child' as you`ll notice if you watch them back-to-back.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen either of those, though I'm sure I've seen parts of Pluto Nash on TV since then. I hope you enjoy Dolemite!
DeleteCheers Brittani, I'm sure i will.
ReplyDeleteI agree the performances are very good and the script is pretty quotable. I guess I prefer my comedy less sweary lol. If I'd grown up listening to comedy albums and watching Dolemite (1975) I think I might have loved it. As it is, I didn't laugh as much I had hoped.
ReplyDeleteI like sweary when it makes sense lol. Lots of writers get that wrong, this one didn't. I'm glad you a least got a few laughs from it.
DeleteCool review! Eddie was totally robbed of his Oscar in Dreamgirls. I've been waiting for this one for a while and can't wait to check it out. I'm grateful it was released on Netflix because I probably would've missed it in theaters.
ReplyDeleteHe really was. As much as I liked Little Miss Sunshine I about lost it when Arkin won it for playing something he's done so many times before. I really hope he can get another Oscar nom out of this performance.
DeleteGreat review! I'm curious to see it....the trailer looked great, but my brother-in-law saw it and wasn't impressed (plus the swearing bothered him). But I want to see something funny and entertaining tonight, so I might see this over The King.
ReplyDeleteI just watched The King last night and this is far better.
Delete