Dolemite Is My Name
Once upon a time, there was an argument to be made that Eddie Murphy was the most famous person on the planet. His electric brand of comedy and megawatt smile made him a household name before the era of social media and fractured content universes. He entertained all. Since then, his career has waxed and waned through eras of inactivity and irrelevance, constantly making people ask ‘what happened to Eddie?’
With “Dolemite Is My Name,” Eddie Murphy is back; and not just back in the sense of limelight, but back to doing what he does best. Making people laugh with his unique brand of incisive humor and irreverence. It is fitting then that his return to form comes as he plays Rudy Ray Moore, the 1970s comedian who made a career of serving up blaxploitation films that tapped a certain unmet need in American cinema. He was the Tyler Perry of his day and his movies were often misunderstood and under appreciated.
“Dolemite Is My Name” follows Moore through the origins of the Dolemite character, seeking to establish himself as a brand and be taken seriously. We see him enlist those around him to serve as a sort of motley crew of production staff. Things take any number of turns as the production runs into budgetary, logistical and even identity issues on the way to completion. No one involved believed in Moore’s vision as much as he did, but ultimately that was all that mattered.
The beats of the overarching story are reminiscent of 2017’s “The Disaster Artist.” With Eddie Murphy in the James Franco slot, the film manages to be similarly heartfelt, and ultimately, kind to its characters. No one is the subject of ridicule or mockery. Everyone is treated as though their goals and actions are legitimate. The result is rather dignified portrait of a man of simple goals and specific, though some might say limited, talents.
That dignified portrait is only enhanced by the dynamic work of Murphy, who is just captivating. Even in the moments that careen past the threshold into caricature, you just can’t stop watching what he is doing. And while he has your undivided attention, he molds a character that is imbued with a certain pride—representing what it meant to be Black at that moment in his particular America. That that history is given its proper due seems like a fitting extension of Murphy’s talents.
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