Spanning over 40 years, Eddie Murphy’s comedic output has stood the test of time in a genre that does not always age so well. At one point, it was less a career than an all-out entertainment brand. Rising from the ranks of obscurity, he hit the big time first on a struggling Saturday Night Live, the stand-up comedian thrust into a role that easily could have overwhelmed a lesser performer. Within a few years, Murphy was arguably the most sought-out comedy actor, selling out auditoriums, and even singing hit pop singles in his spare time. Throughout it all, the comedian depended on his persona of down-to-earth every man, purple leather tracksuits not withstanding.
Murphy perfected the buddy-cop formula and the stand-up special, while latter outings introduced him to younger generations. With the success came an inevitable slump. Sure, the guy’s had some rough spots. Nobody would claim the early-90s were a golden era for Murphy, but he has managed to rebound from the occasional bomb like Pluto Nash and Norbit to stake a claim among the giants of the big screen in recent years, growing into the elder statesmen role. As we await his return to comedy in Netflix's You People, here's a look at his funniest movies.
8 The Nutty Professor
Recasting Buddy Love was a tall order. This well-balanced remake of the Jerry Lewis classic from the 60s, marked a mini-renaissance of Murphy’s career amid a rough spot that saw him make more duds than masterpieces. The Nutty Professor would also demarcate a more family friendly era in his career. Reuniting with writers David Sheffield and Barry Blaustein, whom he worked with on Coming to America, the cast (including an early film appearance by then unknown Dave Chappelle) shows a great amount of respect for the source material while updating it.
At this point in his professional work, Murphy had demonstrated a love of make-up, fat suits, appliances, and other trick photography to portray several characters in his films, often with in the same scene. Here it works to great affect, never getting in the way of the story. The sequels? Well, those are quite another matter.
7 Dolemite Is My Name
Changing gears in his later years, Murphy would star in the biopic of hustler extraordinaire Rudi Ray Moore in 2019's Dolemite Is My Name. Moore was a 70s cult film icon synonymous with the irreverent, kung-fu-fighting pimp, Dolemite. His legacy, however, influenced many a young performer, with the film boasting the likes of Snoop Dogg and Wesley Snipes. To say that Moore had a colorful vocabulary and unconventional approach to filmmaking is an understatement, Murphy a perfect fit for the aloof, over-the-top independent movie-maker and underground comedy legend.
6 Raw
It’s worth remembering that Murphy broke into acting on the strength of his writing and stage presence. Only fittingly, it is obligatory to include his 1987 comedy film Raw in consideration when it comes to his most impactful films. The theatrically released film featured a few skits directed by Robert Townshend, but the real meat was Murphy’s routine itself, containing some of his greatest bits, including material lampooning Rocky Balboa, Johnny Carson’s divorce, and his own mother’s cheap cooking. Unfortunately, not all the bits aged like gold, a few gags stuck squarely in 1987, which Murphy later expressed embarrassment over. So, go into this one knowing the comedy special lives up to the title: unapologetic, and thoroughly politically incorrect.
5 48 Hours
It’s hard to even imagine the modern buddy-cop trope if not for the Eddie Murphy-Nick Nolte pairing in 48 Hours. True, Murphy would hone this concept to an even greater degree in Beverly Hills Cop, but this was the film that established Murphy’s bona fides as the go-to comic relief throughout the decade. Released from prison for two days to help catch a fellow criminal, Reggie Hammond teams up with police detective Jack Cates in a contrived but damn amusing crime thriller.
Nolte, with all the charm of a bag of rusty thumb tacks, plays an oddly endearing straight man to Murphy’s thieving convict. It’s a tad predictable, sure, each man growing to respect their polar opposite as they trade barbs and open up about their messy personal issues. In what was intended as a supporting role, Murphy steals every scene he’s in, elevating a standard, somber action film into a lively comedy. His career was off to a sprinting start.
4 Shrek
Cast as the dopey but good-hearted Donkey in 2001’s Shrek, Murphy segued from super stardom to smaller roles. Playing opposite Mike Myers, who was tasked with playing the titular role of the green ogre, the role perfectly captured Murphy’s persona and charm, which he had attempted to distance himself from in later years. Along with an incredible performance from Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona, the trio complement each other well, and it’s that chemistry that makes this film work. In a notable departure for Murphy, the animated film was primarily designed for adolescents, though new audiences of all ages soon discovered his versatility, regardless of the PG-rated material.
3 Trading Places
Off the unexpected success of 48 Hours, the comedic actor would team up with Animal House director John Landis and Dan Aykroyd in 1983. Proving himself no flash in the pan, Trading Places generated wide acclaim from critics and audiences. Both Aykroyd and Murphy are at their comedic peak in what could easily could have been a preachy film about the perils of capitalism. Not too shabby for a film about agricultural commodities.
In a cruel bet between two Wall Street brokers, Louis Winthorpe III is replaced by the seemingly unqualified street hustler Billy Ray Valentin, played by Aykroyd and Murphy respectively. Of course, we soon learn appearances are deceptive. Loosely based upon an actual scheme to manipulate the price of silver on the commodities market in 1980, the film’s fictional version of events operates as a modernist fantasy, the corrupt millionaires meeting their comeuppance at the hands of society’s misfits. It’s so funny you won’t even notice that you have no absolutely clue how the stock market actually works.
2 Beverly Hills Cop
It’s a little disturbing to think what might have happened to Beverly Hills Cop had the original first choices to play Axel Foley — Sylvester Stallone and Mickey Rourke — secured the role. Luckily, the stars aligned, and the gig fell into the lap of right guy. The action is fairly minimal. The premise is also admittedly thin: a Detroit street cop on the trail of a smarmy slimeball who killed his friend. So, it’s a testament to the newbie director, Martin Brest, and cast, which include Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, and Ronny Cox to maintain our attention with little more than some witty back and forth.
Two sequels would follow in 1987 and 1994. Neither match the original. Murphy was probably the only man who could turn the line “banana in the tail pipe” into a punchline people still remember four decades later.
1 Coming to America
Though any of the top four films in this list could likely claim the spot as Murphy’s most essential comedy, Coming to America merits extra credit for showcasing his talent for creating characters, literally upstaging himself in the same scene. While Arsenio Hall, Eric La Salle, and John Amos shine in supporting roles in the fish-out-of water story, it’s the various diverse roles portrayed by Murphy that remain the most hilarious in the film, including: Randy Watson, Saul the argumentative Jewish barber customer, and Clarence the barber. Bet you didn’t know Sexual Chocolate invented the mic drop, did you?
Sowing his wild oats in America, African prince Akeem Joffer eyes the land of opportunity to meet the woman fit to rule beside him in his future kingdom. What he finds is cynicism, crime, and a lot of rude New Yorkers, but regardless of all the pitfalls of inner city life, Akeem sees the true beauty of the community, only seeking to find someone who loves him for what he is. It is both modern and appealing to classic sensibilities. In many ways, it is reminiscent of old Hollywood films like My Man Godfrey. Director John Landis, the writers, and actors parody Black culture and American life without denigrating it, crafting a warm but never saccharine love story.