Coming to America

Name: Coming to America
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Released: June 29, 1988
Duration: 116 min
Rating: 47
Cast: Eddie Murphy

1988

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 148 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 148 Ratings

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Coming To America

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: June 29, 1988 | R

Starring: Eddie Murphy

Summary: A very wealthy and pampered African prince comes to America in search of a bride. Accompanied by his closest companion, he quickly finds a job, new friends, new digs, new enemies - and lots of trouble. (Paramount Pictures)

Director: John Landis

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 116 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Brad Laidman

Eddie Murphy does everything in this movie successfully. Coming To America remains his most personal work and a great argument that a movie can be decent and wholesome despite having enough profanity to make Bill Cosby lose sleep. A perfect argument for Eddie Murphy as decent guy even without the fame and fortune. Not that he's planning on giving it back though. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Eddie Murphy's latest picture, Coming to America, is a harmless, fairly amusing comedy that will delight Eddie Murphy fans and keep everyone else mildly entertained. [30 Jun 1988, p.E1]

Jay Carr

The romantic stuff is tepid. Luckily, his onscreen buddy, Hall, never strays far. Coming to America is at its best when they're playing off each other, and not just as the prince and his buddy. [29 Jun 1988, p.69]

Empire Gavin Bainbridge

Landis' latest keeps you laughing not with it's originality (of which there is little) but with it's confidence to out-joke it's predecessors on this much-trodden ground. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Murphy takes on a softer edge than usual this time: the plot recalls a Jeanette MacDonald operetta of the Depression, the mythical African country looks like a Beverly Hills fever dream, and, true to Murphy's idealized black middle-class view of things, everybody gets what he wants without much fuss or sacrifice, and virtually the only poor people in evidence are white. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Coming to America starts on a bathroom joke, quickly followed by a gag about private parts, then wanders in search of something equally original for Eddie Murphy to do for another couple of hours. It's a true test for loyal fans. Read full review

Jay Scott

In past celluloid lives Eddie Murphy has been responsible for a handful of the most popular movies ever made, which explains why he has been able to bring Coming to America to your neighborhood theatre with its misogyny, technical ineptitude and witlessness intact.

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User Reviews

shod3030

Jun 5, 2017

Eddie Murphy at his best. This my all-time favorite movie. I have maybe watched this film over 100 time, and at one point I knew all the lines word for word. Arsenio Hall, and James Earl Jones serves as great supporting character in this classic coming of age movie.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

dkareruku

May 28, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of my top old movies i have attached over and over. never boring so hilarious always making my days.A very nice comedy & romantic movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

rsent

Dec 24, 2021

Coming to America is one of the best movies ever made. Several scenes defined pop culture and the soundtrack was amazing. Gave a positive image of Africa as well at a time when this was difficult to do.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ahmedaiman1999

Jan 20, 2021

It feels as if the filmmakers behind this movie followed the term "Rom-Com" as literally as possible, only switching the two parts of the acronym together! The first, and better, half of the movie is pure comedy. It's admittedly a bit stretched—considering it serves as a build up for what'sIt feels as if the filmmakers behind this movie followed the term "Rom-Com" as literally as possible, only switching the two parts of the acronym together! The first, and better, half of the movie is pure comedy. It's admittedly a bit stretched—considering it serves as a build up for what's to come— and has a couple of jokes that just didn't land. But there's no denying it's the part that garnered the movie a hint of originality to it as well as a dash of heart-warming moments that proved later on how potent—and even essential—they are.

Much of the humour emerges from the fish-out-of-water interaction between Prince Akeem and the New Yorkers. So on the surface using that comedic trope in that particular context would make the jokes unbearably clichéd—well, yes and no. Yes because they are clichéd for the most part. No because they ultimately come off as surprisingly refreshing. That was in part due to Landis's decision to make Akeem, as well as his friend Semmi, stick to their character "regal" roots as firmly and seriously as the comedic nature of the story, and the comic charm of the duo, would allow. It's Eddie Murphy who's also responsible for rendering the humour effective, as he was in full control and command of his star power.

The second part is where the movie became almost entirely "romance" film. Granted, the transition between "comedy" to "romance" was quite smooth so much so you barely notice, so it's just a matter of lack of consistency as we look at the whole picture. The real problem lies in the fact the movie totally succumbed to the archetype story it tells and followed it by numbers. As a result, I was able to see how it's going to end miles away. The fact that I was invested in every single character and immersed in the goings-on is what compensated a great deal for the story's predictability, and kept the movie afloat for me. I can gladly say that I'm excited an curious to see how the sequel is going to turn out.

(8/10)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

marc5477

Oct 20, 2015

One of the better comedies to come out of the 80s, it is a bit crude due to its age but the characters are simply unforgettable from the stars to the supporting cast. When you can remember supporting characters clearly, you know that a movie did something right though it does not hurt toOne of the better comedies to come out of the 80s, it is a bit crude due to its age but the characters are simply unforgettable from the stars to the supporting cast. When you can remember supporting characters clearly, you know that a movie did something right though it does not hurt to have people like James Earl Jones playing a comedic supporting cast in your movie. From the slutty sister, to the yukky hair family and the barbers, all the characters made an impact despite very limited screen time. This is very hard to do in a 2 hour movie and although its cheesy, I actually thought that the love interest is believable making the movie better than one might expect. In my opinion, this movie is probably Eddie Murphy's best comedic performance. Hint, you should watch this movie after Trading Places since it makes a funny reference to the other movie.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

alejandro970

Apr 4, 2021

One of the iconic comedies that put Eddie Murphy in the spotlight. The plot has the humor that characterizes it and has conquered a certain audience, not in vain. I don't know if it would have been a little better if not for his mania of monopolizing the screen with multiple roles.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Jch29

Mar 5, 2021

Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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