Movie · 1996 · Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Science Fiction · 1h 35m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 1.2/10 (240.7K ratings)
Inside Sherman Klump, a party animal is about to break out.
Overview
When beautiful Carla Purty joins the university faculty, genetic professor Dr. Sherman Klump grows desperate to whittle his 400-pound frame down to size and win her heart. So, with one swig of his experimental fat-reducing serum, Sherman becomes 'Buddy Love', a fast-talking, pumped-up, plumped down Don Juan.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.2/10
IMDb: 5.7/10
Letterboxd: 2.61/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 63%
Metacritic: 64
TMDB: 5.6/10
Director
Tom Shadyac
Production
Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Eddie Murphy Productions
Cast
Eddie Murphy, Jada Pinkett Smith, James Coburn, Larry Miller, Dave Chappelle, John Ales, Patricia Wilson, Jamal Mixon, Nichole McAuley, Hamilton von Watts, Chao Li Chi, Tony Carlin, Quinn Duffy, Montell Jordan, Doug Williams, David Ramsey, Chaz Lamar Shepherd, Lisa Halpern, Mark McPherson, John Prosky
Curator Review
Verdict
A broad, often very funny Eddie Murphy showcase with memorable physical comedy, strong makeup effects, and a few genuinely inspired set pieces. It also leans hard on fat jokes and broad 90s studio-comedy crudity, so whether it works for you depends on your tolerance for that era’s taste.
Best for
fans of broad 90s studio comedies
viewers who enjoy Eddie Murphy’s multiple-character performances
people who like high-energy physical comedy and makeup effects
audiences okay with crude, uneven humor
Skip if
fat-shaming or body-based jokes are a dealbreaker
you prefer tightly written romantic comedies
you want subtle or modern comedy sensibilities
you’re sensitive to dated PG-13-era humor and stereotypes
Overview
The Nutty Professor is one of those mid-90s comedies that lives or dies on whether you buy the chaos. Eddie Murphy is the whole engine here, and the movie gives him room to play not just Sherman Klump but an entire comic ecosystem of relatives, alter egos, and escalating disasters. The practical makeup and transformation work still have real charm, and the dinner-table sequences are the kind of overcooked farce that can feel genuinely inspired when it lands.
Worth noting
At the same time, the movie’s humor is very much of its moment: loud, crude, and built around body-size gags that haven’t aged gracefully. The romance is thin, the plot is basically a delivery system for set pieces, and the tonal swings can be messy. But if you’re in the mood for a big, shameless studio comedy that commits fully to the bit, there’s enough invention here to make the ride worthwhile.
Bottom line
It’s not a clean recommendation, but it is a distinctive one. The film’s best qualities are its performance energy, its makeup-driven spectacle, and its willingness to go absurdly far. If you can accept the dated edges, it remains an easy watch with a few genuinely standout comic moments.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Joel Haver (2.5★) · 627 likes
You could NOT make this movie in 2022!! It goes straight up INSANEO STYLE!!
Barry M Potter (2.5★) · 522 likes
i've never heard so many "n words" in a PG-13 film before. it's refreshing.
James · 347 likes
women be shopping
MenOnFilm (5★) · 314 likes
We all have our vices and mine is apparently watching fat sassy farting black families at the dinner table.
Joseph Hagan (5★) · 232 likes
This movie is soooooo bad but it's so good at the same time.
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 90s farce with big performances, rapid-fire comic construction, and a strong sense of ensemble timing.