Coming to America

1988 Comedy

Coming to America casts comedian Eddie Murphy as pampered African prince Akeem, who rebels against an arranged marriage and heads to America to find a new bride. Murphy's regal father (James Earl Jones) agrees to allow the prince 40 days to roam the U.S., sending the prince's faithful retainer Semmi (Arsenio Hall) along to make sure nothing untoward happens. To avoid fortune hunters, Prince Akeem conceals his true identity and gets a "Joe job" at a fast-food restaurant. Murphy and Hall play multiple roles, and there are innumerable celebrity cameos peppered throughout the proceedings -- including the Duke Brothers (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy) from Trading Places. Coming to America made further headlines when humorist Art Buchwald sued the film's producers for plagiarizing one of his works. Buchwald carried the case to trial, where he won a sizeable judgement against the film's producers. more..

Director: John Landis

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, John Amos, Madge Sinclair

 16 Reviews  6 Awards

Reviews

  • It's a sweet, oft-told story, and Murphy and Hall add a number of very sharp supporting roles-hidden by makeup-to add spice to the general level of gentleness.

    Gene Siskel - The Chicago Tribune

    19 January 2013

  • 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.

    Mick LaSalle - The San Francisco Chronicle

    19 January 2013

  • Though Coming to America is a romantic comedy the director steers the film more often toward quick, in-and-out comic situations and gags that are only mildly funny. In part this is due to the fact that Mr. Murphy plays the prince with cheerful, low-keyed innocence that is completely legitimate, but is not supported by the short attention span of the screenplay. The romance is tepid.

    Vincent Canby - The New York Times

    19 January 2013

  • 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.

    Jay Carr - The Boston Globe

    19 January 2013

  • Although the fairy-tale script is as old as the motion picture industry itself, the resourceful cast of Coming to America brings freshness to the annoyingly cliched material. Unfortunately, Landis' inelegant direction nearly derails the film.

    - TV Guide

    19 January 2013

Awards

  • Best Costume Design

    Academy Awards (1989)

     

  • Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

    American Comedy Awards (1989)

  • Nile Rodgers

    BMI Film & TV Awards (1989)

  • Golden Screen, Germany (1988)

  • Outstanding Motion Picture

    Image Awards (1990)

Lists

No lists

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