Boomerang
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Movie Reviews of Boomerang
Movie Review: Just try making that out of a cola nut
Summary: 4 Stars
Boomerang was not a huge success for Eddie Murphy, but I think it is a very entertaining film that unfortunately was too racy to appeal to a family humor audience, but not raw enough for the raunchy crowd. As a romantic comedy, it is perfectly adequate, but what really made it entertaining for me were the incredibly talented women.
Legendary Diva Eartha Kitt has done it all. She was born in South Carolina, but she sang and danced her way out of poverty, and by the 50's she had performed with the Katherine Dunham troupe on a European tour, soloed at a Paris night club, and was the toast of the Continent. Orson Welles called her "the most exciting girl in the world". Kitt was virtually exiled from the United States after making anti-Viet Nam war statements during a White House luncheon with Lady Bird Johnson in 1968. However, she was welcomed back to the White House by Jimmy Carter who took office in January of 1977. She played Cat Woman #2, after Cat Woman #1, Julie Newmar, on the Batman TV Show. Eartha Kitt was a good friend of actor James Dean. She had a sexy Christmas hit song with "Santa Baby". She was a guest on the very first Late Night With Conan O'Brien, and her Raving Diva came out, as she berated the poor Conan as a talentless hack. Her name can be seen on a Marquee in the famous cult film Plan 9 From Outer Space.
In Boomerang, she plays Lady Eloise, the figure head for a cosmetics company. For a lady of 65, she is surprisingly sexy, and she has great legs.
Robin Givens got her start on The Cosby Show, then was on the TV sitcom Head of the Class. Her marriage to heavy weight champion Mike Tyson in 1988 thrust her into the spotlight, but the troubled marriage lasted only a year. On the 28th of January 2004 she accidentally struck an 89-year old woman with her SUV in Miami. That is something she has in common with Halle Berry, who also had a car accident, and was charged with hit and run. Both Halle and Robin also dated Boomerang co-star Eddie Murphy.
In Boomerang, she plays Jacqueline 'Jackie / Jack' Broyer. Murphy's character is a womanizer, a successful ad executive who beds and discards women at an alarming rate. The tag for the movie is "The player is about to get played." Jackie gives him a dose of his own medicine when he finds out that due to a merger, she is his new boss. She turns the tables on Marcus, using him for her own pleasure, but keeping him at arm's length when he wants to take the relationship to the next level. In short, she treats him just like he treats all of his conquests. This makes for quite an amusing reversal of fortunes, as when he makes her a romantic dinner, but she wants to watch the Knicks game and drink beer.
Halle Berry is yet another amazing Black woman. She has had her ups and downs. She looked great as Cat Woman but the movie was a catastrophe. She was placed on three years probation and ordered to pay $13,500 in fines and penalties after pleading no contest on May 10, 2000 to a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of a traffic accident. The judge also ordered the actress to perform 200 hours of community service and to make restitution as determined by the outcome of civil litigation arising from the February accident when she was driving a rented Chevrolet Blazer and ran a red light and crashed into another car on Sunset Boulevard. She showed great commitment to acting when playing a crack addict in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever. She didn't bathe for days. Halle Berry is the first Black woman to win the Oscar in the lead category for her role in Monster's Ball.
In Boomerang she plays Angela Lewis, a creative woman who quietly steals Marcus' heart, only to have her own heart broken. A sadder but wiser Marcus Graham finally realizes that she is his true love, and struggles to win her back.
I've saved the most outrageous diva for last: Grace Jones plays Helen Strangé, a model hired to be the face behind a new fragrance. She is very far out there, and she crosses over the line several times. Her scenes are shocking, to say the least. Her first appearance on screen is way over the top. Don't want to spoil it by telling you what happens, but watch out for it. She really puts the 'boom' in Boomerang. There is a great scene where she storms off and hops in a cab set to the music of her own hit, "Pull Up to the Bumper."
Eddie Murphy shows a lot of range, though he only plays one character in this one. He is a charming player, a dog, really, but he has a sensitive side. He thinks he is all that, yet he doesn't really take himself too seriously:
Marcus Graham: Check it. Like Jet magazine. This is my mack daddie vibe I am giving you. In all its splendor.
He is given ample support by sidekicks, Tyler and Gerard, played by Martin Lawrence and David Alan Grier respectively. John Witherspoon and Bebe Drake also shine as uncouth country parents who embarrass the nerdy Gerard:
Mr. Jackson: I bet we've eaten everything on a pig from the rooter to the tooter.
Chris Rock plays Bony T, who is trying to work his way up from the mail room:
Bony T: Hey Marcus, I been working here about 8 days, been on time most of the time even when it rains. Don't you think it's about time we talk promotion?
Last but not least, Geoffrey Holder is Nelson, a commercial director whose slogan should be sex sells, but who has to be carefully watched lest he go too far. Nelson would be the kind of director who would have thought of the 'wardrobe malfunction' when Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake performed for the Super Bowl Halftime show.
Holder is from Trinidad, and besides being an actor, he is also an award winning choreographer, costume designer, and director. He is the 6'6" tall bald man with the hearty laugh most familiar as the Uncola Man in soda commercials from the 70's and 80's. Upon winning the best-director Tony Award in 1975, he said in his acceptance speech, "Just try making that out of a cola nut!"
FILMS AND ROLES OF EDDIE MURPHY
Norbit (Widescreen Edition) (2007) .... Norbit / Rasputia / Mr. Wong. The critics panned it. He won Razzies for both his male and female roles, and also Razzie nominations for worst couples, all played by Murphy.
Dreamgirls (Widescreen Edition) (2006) .... James "Thunder" Early earned Murphy an Oscar nomination, and a win for Jennifer Hudson.
Dr. Dolittle (1998) .... Dr. John Dolittle
Trading Places (1983) .... Billy Ray Valentine
FILMS AND ROLES OF HALLE BERRY
Catwoman (Widescreen Edition) (2004) .... Patience Phillips / Catwoman
Monster's Ball (2001) .... Leticia Musgrove
X-Men (Widescreen Edition) (2000) .... Ororo Munroe / Storm
Bulworth (1998) .... Nina
OTHER FILMS AND ROLES FROM BOOMERANG CAST MEMBERS
Doctor Dolittle (1967) .... Geoffry Holder was William Shakespeare X in the original Doctor Dolittle, much better than the Eddie Murphy remake, by the way.
St. Louis Blues (1958) .... Eartha Kitt played Gogo Germaine in this great film about W.C. Handy, the first musician to put a Blues down on paper. Bessie Smith sings the title track and Nat "King" Cole plays W.C. Handy.
Movie Review: Almost a classic, but still a good movie
Summary: 4 Stars
Boomerang is a good film. Eddie Murphy is at the top of his game here, and the Hudlin Brothers fresh off "House Party" do a good job writing and producing their second film. Unfortunately, what make the movie fall flat are the lackluster performances of the supporting cast. Even though it's not as good as the Classic Beverly Hills Cop or Coming To America, it's still one of my favorite movies.
Eddie Murphy is great as Marcus the womanizing executive. He's a dog who is soon to have his day when he runs afoul of Robin Givens. Sadly, this is where the story starts to fall apart. Murphy and Givens just don't have the onscreen chemistry to make this romantic comedy work. That's not Robin Givens fault at all. One of biggest flaws of Boomerang is the screenplay and its poorly written female characters. None of the actresses had anything to work with here, since most of the female characters were extremely underdeveloped. With a stronger script I think Robin Givens would have been able to hold her own with Murphy. Halle Berry is sweet here as the office good girl who helps Marcus change his misogynistic ways. David Alan Grier is the "Nice Guy" and Marin Lawrence is hilarious stealing every scene he's in. It's a shame the story gets lost in all the stargazing, because it truly is a great premise.
That's the other weak spot Boomerang has: the Casting. There are just too many stars here and that prevents the viewer from seeing the characters in the story. For all you stargazers, there are appearances by Lela Rochon, Tisha Campbell, John Witherspoon, Geoffrey Holder, (7up man for you 80's kids) Grace Jones, Chris Rock, and Ertha Kitt. And that's the main problem here with Boomerang: No one blends seamlessly into the background of the film and becomes characters the way the supporting actors did in Coming To America. Worse, because there is no synergy among the actors onscreen most of the performances of the supporting cast are flat and uninspired. No one shares any chemistry with Eddie Murphy or each other onscreen. Everybody seems to be just doing "Their Thing." I remember watching this film in the theatres back in 1992 and most of the audience was pointing their fingers at the screen calling out actor names. That really ruined the movie for me back then.
I think Boomerang had the potential to be a true classic. With a little tweaking to the screenplay and some unknowns cast in some of the smaller supporting roles this film could have actualized the potential of the wonderful premise. With it's flaws, it's still a wonderful movie that shows what a group of talented African-American filmmakers, producers and actors can do if given an opportunity to make a movie.
Movie Review: Eddie's last "great" movie
Summary: 4 Stars
Okay, so everyone knows/remembers Eddie Murphy went into the 1990s on a roll:
--Trading Places
--Beverly Hills Cop
--BHC II
--Coming to America
--Harlem Nights
All of those were blockbuster movies, hilarious, appealing to wide, mainstream audiences and well-deserving of all the praise and $$$ he made off those films.
In my opinion, 1992's "Boomerang" was the last great film Eddie Murphy did and one of the good things about this movie is that it's a comedy nothing like Murphy's prior work.
Viewers who like funny, twist-ending kind of romantic comedies will really get into this film.
Without giving away too much of the plot, I'll just say the gist of this movie is that for all the men (playas, pimps, dawgs) out there that one-night stand, wam-bam-thank-you-ma'am women who are fooled into thinking they've hit a relationship jackpot, "Boomerang" turns the tables.
Eddie Murphy stars as "Marcus" an executive in an advertising firm chasing foil "Jacqueline" played by Robbin Givens.
As the two eventually hookup and do the damn thang (wink, wink), Marcus falls in love with Jacqueline who plays him.
A long, dirty-laundry list of hilarious events ensue afterward when once Marcus "gets played" and finds himself enduring several of the indignities, inhumanities and out and out disrespectful treatment from the opposite sex he was guilty of treating in these same fashions.
This is one of the gender roles, turning-the-tables-to-see-how men-like-it-when-the-shoes-on-the-other-foot kind of romantic comedies.
This came out my freshman year of high school and everyone I knew loved it and totally got what the point of what this movie was trying to say about (then) modern relationships in dating.
Bit parts for Halle Berry, Lela Rochonn, Tisha Campbell, Grace Jones and Eartha Kitt make this movie probably the sexiest for some of the industry's sexiest women!!!!
Not a movie little kids will relate to, but preteens through any adult that's got "stories to tell" about odd relationships they've had will really enjoy this picture.
And just remember this was one of Halle's first big movies before her career took off ... worth watching just to notice the difference(s).
Highly recommended.
Movie Review: RIP to the SNL Eddie and hello... to the new Mr. Murphy
Summary: 4 Stars
Based on a story about an urban metrosexual player , who gets burned ( broken hearted )by a woman who uses the same tricks that he does to women , is a turning stone , for Eddie Murphy's film career. This is a transitional film. It's funnier than Eddie Murphy's latest roles. But it's not as funny as his earlier ones ( Trading Places , 48 hrs. , Coming to America , ect.. ). Atleast not , on his part. However , his " downplayed" performance , helped Chris Rock's, Martin Lawrence's, Robin Given's , David Allen Grier's , and Hally Berry's performances, stand out. Eddie Murphy is so instinctively funny , that I believe he intentionally made an effort to water down and tame his character. Either, due to his attempt at becoming a "serious" actor or internalizing his parenthood respnsibilites by consciously making an effort to change his image , accepting his role as a leading , visible black actor. Pick your own choice , as to why ...but there's no denying that he could've been funnier. However , on a contrasting level...his acting has never been better , up to that point." Boomerang" marked the maturing of Eddie. The young , daring , over the top, juvenile, and flamboyant comic died , in this film. The budding , mature , comedic , actor , replaced him. Plain and simple. "Boomerang" isn't a great film.However, it's a respectable one. And the addition of young and up coming actors , make this a memorable film. Great soundtrack and direction. The script is good also. But when you mix that with obvious scenes of improv from creative actors/actresses....it only gets better. I recommend this for any Eddie Murphy fan. But if you only like the early SNL Murphy...you'd be better off getting the Murphy films , made, previous to this one. And seek some counseling..because you're obviously incapable of change. As far as Eddie Murphy is concerned... after this film ...the OTAY ! , days are officially over.Movie Review: You'll be pleasantly surprised
Summary: 4 Stars
I did not see this movie in the theatres, I rented it years ago and every time I see it, I laugh till I cry. this film is a romantic comedy that happens to have a primarily African American cast. The cinemetography is beautiful...Everyone looks great, sets, costumes, all of it...well done. And the characters are not caricatures of how Black people "act" in the corporate world , in love or just living life. Eddie's playboy character truly gets his just rewards by way of Ms. Givens well acted character, Jacqueline Boyers. She goes for what she wants, (in life and in romance) gets it and moves on if it gets too intimate. (How stereotypically male of her LOL!) I actually liked her in this, her work wasn't forced or overly smug as she usually can be. And a un glamorized and very pretty Halle Berry was a real treat.. a basic sister with what looks like her original features and a sweet acting style, very believable...I am sure if you look at her early films you will see what I am talking about...It is a fun film, so many great cameos and characters. Grace Jone's scene in the restaurant and actually all of her scenes are hysterical. Geoffrey Holder and Eartha Kitt? absolute Gems!
Like Coming to America, I think Murphy hit on something that AFrican AMerican viewers have always looked for in Tv and film...non caricatured treatment of the kinds of stories that all lovers of film want to experience and enjoy. Ten years later, with films like Brown Sugar, Love and Basketball
etc, we have an opportunity to experience a wider range of African AMerican storytelling. I wish we could see Angela, Lynn, Denzel, Eddie, Anna, and so many other well trained performers have a chance to explore this area. Peace