Movie · 2019 · Drama, Comedy, History · 1h 58m · R · English
Curator score: 8.1/10 (69.1K ratings)
Make your own legend
Overview
The story of Rudy Ray Moore, who created the iconic big screen pimp character Dolemite in the 1970s.
Ratings
Curator score: 8.1/10
IMDb: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Metacritic: 76
TMDB: 7.0/10
Director
Craig Brewer
Production
Davis Entertainment
Cast
Eddie Murphy, Wesley Snipes, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Snoop Dogg, Ron Cephas Jones, Barry Shabaka Henley, T.I., Luenell, Tasha Smith, Chris Rock, Aleksandar Filimonović, Ivo Nandi, Michael Peter Bolus, Kazy Tauginas, B.J. Bingham
Where to watch
Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A lively, crowd-pleasing comeback vehicle that turns a scrappy showbiz origin story into a celebration of Black creativity, hustle, and self-belief. It’s funny, warm, and buoyed by a strong central performance, even if it plays more like an affectionate victory lap than a deep biographical study.
Best for
fans of underdog entertainment-industry stories
viewers who like energetic comedy-dramas with heart
people interested in Black film history and blaxploitation-era culture
audiences looking for a charismatic Eddie Murphy showcase
Skip if
you want strict historical accuracy
you prefer low-key or subtle comedy
you’re looking for a hard-edged, emotionally punishing biopic
meta movies about filmmaking usually leave you cold
Overview
Dolemite Is My Name is the kind of movie that knows exactly how much fun its story should be having. It takes Rudy Ray Moore’s improbable rise and frames it as both a comeback tale and a tribute to the power of making something outrageous, imperfect, and unforgettable on your own terms.
Worth noting
Eddie Murphy gives the film its spark, leaning into Moore’s swagger without losing the vulnerability underneath it. The supporting cast helps sell the sense of a ragtag creative family building a movie from sheer force of will, and the film’s affection for performance, audience response, and cultural visibility gives it real warmth.
Bottom line
It’s not especially interested in nuance or historical precision, and some of its biggest pleasures come from how shamelessly it embraces the myth of the thing. But that’s part of the charm: this is a movie about believing in a persona so completely that it becomes a legacy. For viewers in the mood for an exuberant, feel-good showbiz story, it lands hard.
Top Letterboxd reviews
demi adejuyigbe (4★) · 1298 likes
Easily the silliest movie that has almost brought me to tears. A fun, easygoing movie about what even the most ridiculous films can mean to people. The Disaster Artist found dead in a ditch.
Karsten (4★) · 1065 likes
One of the most enjoyable films of the year. Dolemite is my Name fills it’s runtime with as much energy as it can, even moments that need a minute to catch their breath feel like they have something exciting to offer. I don’t think I’m the one that needs to tell you this but Eddie Murphy delivers a performance that never loses your interest. The cameos, the music, the energy of it all, sure it might not be saying a whole lot but it’s hard not to have a great time watching this.
Patrick Willems (4★) · 889 likes
I missed Eddie Murphy so much
Sean Baker · 665 likes
Murphy and Snipes are great. Lots of LOL moments and the premiere scene was moving for me. I'm a big fan of the original films so this was especially fun for me as a genre film geek. But being close to the originals also made it harder for me to accept the many artistic liberties taken. Although the film is about the making of Dolemite (1975), most of the iconic scenes that we see being shot in the film are… more Murphy and Snipes are great. Lots of LOL moments and the premiere scene was moving for me. I'm a big fan of the original films so this was especially fun for me as a genre film geek. But being close to the originals also made it harder for me to accept the many artistic liberties taken. Although the film is about the making of Dolemite (1975), most of the iconic scenes that we see being shot in the film are… more
SilentDawn (4★) · 582 likes
79
"I'm so grateful for what you did for me, cause I'd never seen nobody that looks like me up there on that big screen."
A film about visibility and creativity, about being up on the silver screen for the sake of being known and understood. One of the funniest movies in a long time, and oh so joyous.
1994 · Comedy, Drama, History · 2h 7m · R · Curator 8.2/10 (363.3K ratings)
A classic companion piece about an outsider filmmaker whose enthusiasm outruns his resources, with the same mix of affection, chaos, and movie-making devotion.