Life

Eddie Murphy used to be one of those actors whose movies would sell out nation wide. For those of you who forget, Beverly Hills Cop, 48 Hrs., The Nutty Professor, and Coming to America were big box office draws for him. He has since made movies like Meet Dave, I Spy, Showtime, and Vampire in Brooklin. All were major misses for him. So where does a movie like Life rate: probably somewhere in the middle.

Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence team up again in a buddy movie about two strangers who are brought together to pay back a club owner in New York City. Along the way, they appear to be in the wrong place at the wrong time as they are convicted for murder which ends up sentencing them to life in prison. Martin Lawrence is great as Claude Banks! He blames everything on everyone as Eddie Murphy's Ray Gibson is always planning their next escape. The late-great Bernie Mac is also in the movie.

While I wouldn't put Life up there with Beverly Hills Cop, I would put it in the Boomerang, Metro, Dr. Dolittle catagory, movies that hold up on their own. I did like the reference that Eddie Murphy said when he told a big guy, "I know a bitch named Della that hits harder than you," referring to Della Reese when they played together in Harlem Nights. For Eddie Murphy fans who long for a good Eddie Murphy movie, check this out!