THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Just because science fiction was a dominant film genre in the 1980s does not mean comedy didn’t shine.
PLOT
Coming to America follows Akeem, prince of a fictional African county named Zamunda. He is now 21 years old and is engaged to marry a woman who not only has he never met, but she is also trained to mindlessly obey his every command. Tired of being pampered, he wants to marry a woman that is independent and will love him for his personality, not his fame. He tries to explain this to his father King Jaffe, but he mistakes this as an excuse to fulfill his erotic desires before marriage, giving him only 40 days. He goes to Queens, New York with his personal aide Semmi, hoping to find the woman of his dreams. They rent a squalid tenement and pose as poor foreign students. Akeem doesn’t get the best of luck looking for the one when cruising nightclubs. When getting a haircut by the local barber, he is invited to a rally. There, he encounters Lisa and he thinks she possesses all of the qualities he’s looking for. Hoping to woo her, he and Semmi get a job as janitors for McDowell’s, a fast food restaurant where she works with her father Cleo. It starts off as a challenge because she is in a relationship with Darryl, whose father owns a Jheri curl-like hairstyling aid. During a double date where he goes out with her sister Patrice (Allison Dean) at a basketball game, he is almost recognized by a vendor for his royalty but is able to avoid having Lisa notice. He is able to impress her the next day after stopping a burglar from robbing McDowell’s again. Lisa chooses to go out with him when Darryl announces their engagement without her consent. Akeem’s chances are almost ruined as Semmi furnishes their apartment with luxuries including a hot tub. Since she didn’t notice the inside of it, they continue their date elsewhere. As they share a dance after having dinner, they both confess their love for each other and share a kiss. The following day, Akeem grows excitement that he will have another date with Lisa. As that happens, Semmi telegraphs King Jaffe for more money which prompts him to come to Queens to find him. When Akeem discovers that his parents have arrived, he plans to lie low at Cleo’s. That doesn’t work because his parents happened to be there when arriving. It is here where Lisa discovers he is a prince, hurt that she was lied to. Darryl tried to win her back but Cleo quickly dismisses him due to the excitement of who Akeem is. He brushes it off quickly once he wins over Patrice. Akeem chases Lisa to a train and explains that he wanted her to marry him for who he is, not what. Despite his offer to renounce the throne, she turns down his proposal. His mother Queen Aoleon calls out her husband for being rude to Lisa and not thinking about what their son wanted. Back at Zamunda, Akeem sadly moves forward with his arranged marriage but quickly becomes ecstatic when it’s Lisa instead, proving to finally be approved by his father. As they have their happily ever after riding off into a carriage, the film ends with Lisa playfully declining Akeem’s offer to renounce his throne.
THOUGHTS
I’ve been watching this since 2014 and rewatching it years later, it’s just as funny as first released in 1988. John Landis gives the most fun a love story could ever have. What I enjoy so much about this film is I get the message of how the whole point of loving someone is for who they are, not what they have. I would’ve not gotten that without Akeem. Thanks to a great performance of Eddie Murphy, we felt his adventurous spirit and open minded personality. The man was willing to work as a janitor and renounce his throne to win over the woman of his dreams. If that isn’t romantic, I don’t know what is. I have the biggest smile when he tells two kids about how excited he is of his date, it’s hard to not relate on that. If I had a date, I totally would be as excited as he was. While Murphy is the leading man, he ain’t the only scene stealer here. Arsenio Hall was at his level here because he is the total opposite as Semmi. He is so used to the Royal lifestyle, he hates every second of labor. I can never stop laughing when he is delighted to see Akeem after buying the hot tub, unaware that he could’ve blown their cover. The one thing both actors had in common that solidified their chemistry was the other multiple roles they played as the movie progresses. Thanks to Rick Baker’s incredible makeup, it was originally hard to recognize either of them with the roles of: Barbers Morris and Clarence, Saul the barbershop customer, Reverend Brown and performer Randy Watson. I mean that is versatility at its finest. I still respect that Murphy continued to do this in not just this film’s sequel, but also Norbit and both Nutty Professor films. Going into the rest of the cast, Shari Headley was great with the role of Lisa because she represented her exactly as what Akeem sought her out for: an independent woman that doesn’t need to rely on him and prefers not to be forced into anything, which makes the relationship poetic. I was on her side when it came to not taking Akeem’s hand at the moment because finding out a janitor is really a prince is a lot to take. While it sounded unreal for her to marry someone she only had two dates. But that comes to show how people fall in love differently. I got a soft spot John Amos here as Cleo because it’s hard to have a straight face and say McDowell’s isn’t a McDonald’s ripoff. I respect the character for looking after his daughter in a financial standpoint. He grew up struggling and he doesn’t want Lisa to go through that ever. So he clearly overreacted when meeting Jaffe. Thankfully, he stood up to the king when the time was right. Eriq La Salle was straightforward with making Darryl a douche, which was the whole point with the role. From the first time seeing him not donate money, you know you’re not gonna like him at all throughout. There isn’t much to say with the royal servant character Oba, but Paul Bates is one hell of a singer. When he sings “She’s Your Queen to Be”, he was going for it and I was amazed the whole time. I was really caught off guard seeing Samuel L Jackson as the burglar, credited as the Hold Up Man. It was pretty cool seeing this as a stepping stone for a colossal career he would eventually have. Last but not least, James Earl Jones and Madge Sinclair were a match made in Heaven with the roles of King Jaffe & Queen Aolelon. While Sinclair perfectly displays Aolelon as the loving mother who speaks for herself, Jones is on point making Jaffe as a firm king and attentive father. I truly felt the Royal presence thanks to great costume design by Deborah Nadoolman. If these two weren’t so great together, I think the roles of Mufasa & Sarabi would’ve been casted differently in The Lion King. Despite all the love I have for this rom com, there are a few things I scratch my head about. I know it’s funny Akeem picks Queens to travel to because it represents royalty, but why not research how it is before arriving? Had he not went in blind, he’d be prepared on the kind of people he’d encounter. The dating montage is another funny moment but I do not believe he would meet two different pairs of twins. Those chances are slim and I have a hard time believing that both pairs would be in the same bar. McDowell’s is an on the nose rip off to McDonald’s. It’s hilarious how Cleo denies it but my question how has he not gotten sued by Mickey D’s in the first week of business? For a popular fast food chain like that, it’s impossible saying they haven’t. I’m also a germaphobe so it was very uncomfortable to see Cleo flip a burger with his bare hands. He could’ve got his hands burnt and he could’ve spread germs. If McDonald’s didn’t sue him, a customer would. I can buy that the burglar has robbed McDowell’s before, but if Cleo says five prior times, how has he not gotten security? Hell, Akeem and Semmi would’ve been great choices as security before making them janitors. I was caught off guard that the homeless people Akeem gave money to were the Dukes from Trading Places. It was a pleasant surprise but they missed a big opportunity not mentioning how the prince looks like Billy Ray Valentine. It makes for the pot to get stirred if someone like Patrice were to snoop the apartment of Semmi & Akeem, but why her exactly? There was no scene of her being suspicious and that kinda felt like forced suspense. Lastly, I am as happy as the rest of the audience when Akeem gets to marry Lisa. My question is what made her change her mind exactly? If Jaffe apologized to her, why don’t we see that? I wouldn’t mind five extra minutes where we see him apologize and then cut to the wedding. However, this movie remains a delight once ignoring these flaws. In short, Coming to America is a love story unlike any other. If you’re making an 80s comedy watchlist, put this at the top because I can guarantee you’ll have a ball with this one.
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