Movie · 1988 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 57m · R · English
Curator score: 4.3/10 (488.2K ratings)
This summer, Prince Akeem discovers America.
Overview
An African prince decides it’s time for him to find a princess... and his mission leads him and his most loyal friend to Queens, New York. In disguise as an impoverished immigrant, the pampered prince quickly finds himself a new job, new friends, new digs, new enemies and lots of trouble.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.3/10
IMDb: 7.1/10
Letterboxd: 3.57/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 73%
Metacritic: 47
TMDB: 6.9/10
Director
John Landis
Production
Eddie Murphy Productions, Paramount Pictures
Cast
Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley, John Amos, James Earl Jones, Madge Sinclair, Eriq La Salle, Allison Dean, Frankie Faison, Louie Anderson, Paul Bates, Samuel L. Jackson, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Calvin Lockhart, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Cuba Gooding Jr., Feather, Stephanie Simon, Garcelle Beauvais, Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Curator Review
Verdict
A sharp, crowd-pleasing star vehicle that blends fish-out-of-water comedy, romance, and class satire with huge charisma. Its jokes are uneven by modern standards, but the performances, world-building, and sheer comic momentum still make it an easy recommendation.
Best for
fans of 1980s studio comedies
viewers who like charismatic ensemble comedies
people who enjoy fish-out-of-water stories
audiences looking for a romantic comedy with broad humor
fans of Eddie Murphy's peak-era screen persona
Skip if
you’re sensitive to dated gender politics or 1980s sexual comedy
you want tightly paced modern comedy
you dislike broad, sketch-like supporting characters
you prefer romance that stays grounded and realistic
Overview
Coming to America works because it understands that a fairy tale can be funniest when it’s also about status, labor, and the absurdity of wealth. The setup is elegant, the comic premise is instantly legible, and the movie keeps finding new ways to turn royal privilege into a joke without losing Akeem’s charm.
Worth noting
Eddie Murphy is the engine here, but the film’s real strength is how many memorable bits it stacks around him: the barbershop, McDowell’s, the Queens neighborhood, and the parade of supporting characters who feel like they wandered in from a much bigger comedy universe. It’s loose, but in a way that keeps the movie alive.
Bottom line
Some material is undeniably dated, especially in how it handles courtship and gender, and the movie’s fairytale ending leans more idealized than incisive. Even so, it remains one of the defining star comedies of its era: warm, quotable, and still genuinely funny when it’s firing on all cylinders.
Top Letterboxd reviews
matt lynch (4★) · 1153 likes
"This is the place I was telling you about. It's real fucked up."
adambolt (3★) · 932 likes
when i finally visit america i expect it to be exactly like this
Matt Singer (4★) · 827 likes
Such a deep bench of great supporting actors in this one, but none of them can hold a candle to Eddie Murphy in any of his roles. He’s just one of the purest movie stars ever here; the complete package of charisma and warmth and humor and that incredible smile.
What I wouldn’t give to eat just one tie-in meal at McDowell’s. Just one...
The Reel House (4.5★) · 543 likes
“Freeze, you diseased rhinoceros pizzle!” Is still the best line in cinematic history.
Ian West (4.5★) · 528 likes
I adore the cast, the barbershop scenes, the pro working class commentary, McDowell’s, the asshole Landis idiot humor, and how this is basically a lewd rom-com with Murphy (and everyone else) just going for it. That opening scene and wedding dance routine are absolutely beautiful.
Also, Royal penis cleansing.
1996 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 59m · R · Curator 7.8/10 (359.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus
A high-energy farce about identity, performance, and social presentation, with a warm heart under the jokes.