What appears to be a fish-out-of-water comedy on the exterior actually plays out as a naturalistic evolution of life from two inadvertent friends who were caught up in the wrong circumstances. The aforementioned theatrical release poster suggests that the film is the next-in-line pure comedy from Eddie Murphy, with the text and font of the title looking awfully similar to that of 2007's Norbit. In many ways, Life is one great act of inverting audience expectations. This is the trait that every great movie star strives for. Both of the film's two main settings, the nightclub scene and rural Mississippi where Ray and Claude (Lawrence) are framed for murder by a racist sheriff and sentenced to life in prison, present Murphy as timeless, with his energy and charisma feeling timeless. Playing Ray Gibson, a small-time thief in New York, Murphy fits right into the setting of Prohibition-era speakeasies. When he can solely focus on bringing his usual charm and versatility on screen, Life is the proper result of Murphy in a period setting. The brunt of the issues of the film is Murphy's inability to direct - a reality that he admitted himself, while also stating that the experience soured him on being at the helm of the director's chair ever again. The reviews of Life were overwhelmingly positive compared to the panning that Harlem Nights received. Where they differ is in the critical reaction department. The film of Murphy's that is most reflective of Life is his 1989 sole directorial effort, Harlem Nights, as it is a slightly more sophisticated period piece and a partnership with another lead, this time being Murphy's idol, Richard Pryor. RELATED: Legendary Eddie Murphy Movie Roles to Catch Before You People In a different universe, Life could have served as the launching pad for the pair to jump around from various high-concept settings. Perhaps due to the mild failure of the film, but Murphy and Lawrence never became a long and fruitful screen partnership like Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. The star has so much natural chemistry with anyone who is on-screen with him, including additional characters who are also played by Murphy ( Coming to America and The Nutty Professor), that a close-to-equal talent in Lawrence can unlock his hidden acting potential and lessen the comedic weight off his shoulders. Aligning himself with a proper co-lead in a film was a smart decision. Murphy's co-star Martin Lawrence truly is a dual-lead with him. The main theatrical release poster of Life bills it as an "Eddie & Martin" picture. For instance, Beverly Hills Cop was only completed on the backs of him improvising his way through its messy script. When he stars in a movie, it is his movie. While the edited version delivers the plot well enough, you'll laugh along with the theatrical version much more.One aspect that makes Life stand out from the Eddie Murphy filmography is that it is not an "Eddie Murphy movie" in the traditional sense. I was prompted to write this review having just seen it uncut for the first time. Watch this movie please, and if you've seen it watch it again. Lee Ermey as the racist bad guy was genius too. I've been repeating Bernie Mac's lines and the "cornbread" scene for years. The rest of the cast is as underappreciated as this movie is in general. Their love-hate "old married couple" bickering will leave you in stitches. They don't do that so much here, but these guys age from mid-20s to 90s convincingly. Murphy with the Nutty Professor characters, demonstrates serious acting ability while creating laughs. While on the surface, Claude and Ray are sentenced to life in prison for a crime they didn't commit, the real story here is about life-the ups and downs, the choices you make, and the friends you sometimes can't stand but ultimately depend upon along the way.īoth Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence became known for, along with being very funny, the characters they create. It certainly is no serious take on a subject that would be all-too serious elsewhere, but the double entendre of the title belies the reason, besides all the talent present, why this film works so well. ![]() ![]() If you go to the movies to be entertained, it doesn't get much better than this.
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