Coming to America series

It is odd to think of Coming to America as a series.  While I heard rumors about a potential sequel to Eddie Murphy’s big 1988 hit for years, I thought it about as likely as another Austin Powers, or True Lies film.  Comedy sequels often do not work because they are a result of a financial decision as opposed to inspiration.  See Arthur 2, Three Men and a Little Lady, Little Fockers, The Hangover Part II, or one of the endless Police Academy films to name but a few that merely recycle the main beats of the original film. The few that work usually are a result of broader ideas that did not quite make the first film and or further the story or expand the lives of the characters and can exist on their own (a la Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me or Meet the Fockers).

Spoilers below for both Coming to America films.

Coming to America (1988)

Coming to America came out in the summer of 1988.  Eddie Murphy, who had been on Saturday Night Live, standup specials and a handful of big movies, had a rock star aura about him.  To this point in his career Murphy had only played streetwise characters that made great use of his wit, superb impersonations and often got laughs at the expense of other characters, though usually in a good-natured way.  Murphy’s films were usually rated R because of he used a lot of foul language but he was an African American star with a huge crossover appeal similar to Bill Cosby, though Cosby’s image and hit show were more family friendly (Cosby’s predatory behavior was unknown to the public).  The success of both men paved the way for a lot of other African American comedians. 

Once in a high school class in the 1980s, I quoted a line from Eddie Murphy Delirious (his first concert film) and all the guys in my class exploded in laughter.  The girls had no idea what I was talking about.  I think this goes to show that prior to this movie Eddie Murphy mostly appealed to men in part because he often spoke of women in offensive terms but also because his films rarely had any romance or memorable parts for women.

The year before Coming to America was released Beverly Hills Cop II came out.  In that film although Murphy’s Axel Foley is a Detroit police detective, he is first seen driving a Ferrari and dressing in expensive suits as part of a cover.  Clearly the idea was to show Axel more like the star himself.   In the first film he drove a beat up 1975 Chevy Nova.

Coming to America is about a prince who comes to the borough of Queens in New York City to find a bride who he can fall in love with (instead of going through with an arranged marriage).  In doing so Murphy’s character Akeem, who is among the most privileged people imaginable, willingly turns himself into a working man and a fish out of water.  I think it is a big step forward for Murphy that he wanted to play a character with some humility who was willing to be the butt of the joke.  Also setting so much of the film in Queens where African Americans are struggling is a way for Murphy to comment on his background before he was famous.  The McDowell family’s presence is more realistic as a family who also lives in Queens but McDowell has worked his way up and lives far more comfortably, and is trying to support the community he grew up in.

Coming to America also has one very good female role, Lisa played by Shari Headley.  Lisa is intelligent and considerate, and it is impressive that Akeem falls for a woman who has her own opinion.  Lisa is from a similar economic class as and is more cultured and educated because she has had many of the same opportunities as Akeem.  This makes for a different dynamic than if Akeem had fallen for a struggling single mother.  Lisa would have a bright future no matter what she does.  I am not sure which approach is better, but it is an interesting decision.

Many of the other female roles are not as impressive, save for the late Madge Sinclair, as Akeem’s mothers, who projects a lot of dignity and maternal strength.  Lisa’s sister is a portrayer as a gold digger, there are several nude female bathers in Akeem’s kingdom of Zamunda, and while Akeem’s resistance to marry a woman who will only do what he says is admirable, the way the film shows this (with the girl left barking like a dog at Akeem’s command) is tasteless.   

The men come off better, with James Earl Jones a standout as King Jaffe Joffer, Akeem’s father.  Jones’ powerful voice is a perfect fit for a regal role and foreshadows his statelier turn as Mufasa several years later in The Lion King.  Madge Sinclair played Serabi in The Lion King making Coming to America their first of two turns as a royal couple.  This film made for the first time I saw Jones’ in person though I had heard him in the Star Wars films.  When the King says “I will deal with him myself” in reference to his son, it seemed an obvious wink to Darth Vader delivering the same line in Return of the Jedi, which is the kind of thing director John Landis loved to do.

Arsenio Hall is amusing as Semi, Akeem’s assistant, and a person much more spoiled than Akeem.  My favorite moment of with Semi is when he opens the door, sees the Zamundan royals, screams in a high pitch, closes the door, and then reopens it having collected himself.  Several other African American actors get a showcase here such John Amos, Samuel L Jackson, Frankie Faison, and Eriq LaSalle. 

Coming to America was also the first film in which Murphy played multiple roles, most notably in the barbershop scenes in which Murphy plays the barber Clarence, the old white Jewish customer, and Randy Watson, the lead singer of a band called Sexual Chocolate who is nowhere near as charismatic or talented as he thinks he is.   These scenes have a sketch comedy aspect to them and are the funniest bits of the films but do not forward the narrative much.  Arsenio Hall also plays three other characters in the film and but has done little acting in the years since, opting instead to become a talk show host.

John Landis directed Coming to America.  Landis and Murphy worked together several years earlier in Trading Places, which I must admit, I have only seen the second half of and it was around the time that Coming to America came out, which meant that I did enjoy the joke in which Akeem gives money to the two bums who turn out to be Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy from Trading Places.  Overall though I have never been a huge fan of Landis who seems to favor big gags as opposed to structuring a narrative.  The Blues Brothers has some fun moments but to me is overlong and I do not understand why it is considered such a classic.  American Werewolf in London is worth a look but is memorable more for its makeup.  Revisiting Coming to America it felt very episodic with flat cinematography and is poorly edited.  For example, Lisa and Darryl discuss their relationship and his desire for her not to work (contrasting him with Akeem who would encourage it) but we have never seen any lead up to this beforehand.  Also, the scene in which Cleo is shamelessly trying to impress the royals while trying to keep Lisa and Akeem in the room should be pure farce but is staged so flatly and cut without any sense of pacing the scene needs that it just sits there, despite the efforts of the actors, particularly Amos. 

 

Some other observations I had are:

·       How is Akeem not the most spoiled person ever with an orchestra waking him up?  I sense he gets his disposition from his mother.

·       Zamunda’s palace looks like a movie set, which I suppose is ok since this is basically a fairy tale.  But you never believe for a moment that they are in Africa.  

·       Jones is hilarious in his ironic line deliveries in his first scenes.

·       The production number and Akeem leaping ridiculously high in the training are Landis trademarks. 

·       When Akeem and Semi arrive in NY they land at either JFK or Laguardia (but it is likely JFK since they flew in from London and JFK receives more international flights).  Both airports are in Queens so when Akeem says “Take me to Queens” they are already there.

·       The moment in which Akeem sings out loud after his date with Lisa and the city yells back at him is funny.

All in all, Coming to America is a sloppily made film but has several good moments and is one of Murphy’s funnier films from the time, with the barbershop scenes as a highlight.  ***.

Interestingly despite its big success Murphy’s films for the next few years (Harlem Knights, Another 48 Hours, The Distinguished Gentlemen, etc.)  underperformed but he got back on track with The Nutty Professor in 1996 in which he started targeting a younger audience.  Then after many years it was announced that Murphy would be appearing in a sequel, called Coming 2 America.

Coming 2 America (2021)

The pandemic forced this project, originally due to release in cinemas December 2020, to Amazon Prime.  I noticed the new film was rated PG-13.  Akeem had been a clean character, but I wondered how the barbershop scenes would have the same edge since their R rated jokes were the highlights.  Realistically the characters would not be working or probably even alive given they all appeared in their 60s in 1988 since they were played by then 26 year old Murphy and 32-33 year old Hall they are now more age appropriate and both actors still bring plenty of bite to those roles and are creative enough to do it in a PG-13 fashion.

In the story Akeem, who becomes king upon the death of his father, learns that he has a son conceived when he was drugged from his first trip to America and has to go back to offer him as a heir to avoid a war Zamunda would likely lose with a neighboring country, headed by Wesley Snipes..  Akeem goes to Queens to find the son and groom him to be the king and marry the daughter of Snipes’ General Izzi.  Meanwhile one of Akeem and Lisa’s three daughters is clearly ideal to be the queen but tradition prevents her from assuming the role. 

Craig Brewer, who directed Murphy and Snipes in a film called Dolemite Is My Name takes over as director for this film and is a big improvement over Landis.  While the film has a similar slapshod plot it flows much better from scene to scene, in particular a sequence in which Lavelle, Akeem’s son, played by Jermaine Fowler, finds a creative way to steal whiskers from a lion, which is a play on some of the trials given to boys in Africa. 

The title of the film is both accurate and a misnomer.  Akeem comes to America twice in the film but the bulk of the story is set in Zamunda, which I think is both a response to the success of Black Panther but also a desire to show Akeem and company more in their natural element.  Although Akeem is home he struggles mightily with adapting to his role as the new king and the threat General Izzi poses.

Murphy and Hall wisely keep Azeem and Semmi much the same.  Akeem is still a positive and pure character who is trying to keep all ends of his family happy.  Murphy has more of a dad bod now which makes Akeem and his struggles a little more relatable. 

The film has a very big cast as nearly everyone from the first film reappears and many new characters are introduced.  Jones’ King Joffer again gets to shine in a scene in which he attends his own funeral and see how he is eulogized, right before his actual death, which needs to occur for Akeem take over the throne.

Lavelle has to carry a lot of weight as the “bastard” son and while he is fine in the role, it takes a lot of the spotlight and I did not find the character terribly interesting.  Leslie Jones and Tracy Morgan provide some comic balance but for some reason I have never found Morgan to be that funny.  The conceit that Akeem was drugged and raped by Jones’ character Mary who then became pregnant is not as funny as I think the film thinks but watching Mary savor the royal lifestyle once she gets to Zamunda is. 

The film does not quite know what to do with Lisa, who was such a crucial part of the first film.  I would expect based on her character in the first film that Lisa would be running a lot of charities or education foundations to help the less fortunate in Zamunda but if that is happening, we do not see it.  Lisa’s ultimate friendship with Mary, the only other American woman around is a good touch but otherwise Lisa is just the person Akeem is always in trouble with. 

Wesley Snipes brings a lot of comic flash to General Izzi and Kiki Layne is a strong presence as Meeka, Akeem and Lisa’s first daughter whose natural leadership, and fighting ability, make her a fit to become the next leader of Zamunda.

Because the film spends so much time in Zamunda a lot of characters who would have little reason to go there are shown there.  I cannot see why Akeem would bring the Queens barbershop group nor Randy Watson.  Would Cleo really have opened a MacDougal’s (with Louie Anderson still working there) in Zamunda?  I was waiting for Samuel L. Jackson to show up to try to rob it again.  John Amos and Murphy do get a good scene right before Akeem goes back to America the second time, proving that Cleo is probably more of a father figure to Akeem than Joffer, but Amos is not in enough of the film to justify his being in Zamunda.

Overall Coming 2 America is a better constructed film that the original and about as funny.  It was nice to see Akeem again at another stage of life, but I think the story has been told.  ***