Film

Coming 2 America

Name: Coming 2 America
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2021
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Leslie Jones, Arsenio Hall, Teyana Taylor, Wesley Snipes

Comedy
Light-hearted

A belated sequel to a beloved '80s comedy, *Coming 2 America* reunites Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall for another riff on fish-out-of-water royalty in Queens. It's broad, affectionate, stuffed with cameos, and deliberately lightweight—a film that knows exactly what it is and doesn't apologize for the simplicity. For fans of the original, or anyone who just wants to watch Murphy play multiple characters being charming.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love broad, sweet-natured comedy built on a gleefully overdone sense of costume, colour and character, and you're happy to laugh at a fish-out-of-water premise that's been polished rather than reinvented.

Skip it if the jokes lean on the first film's goodwill more than on new ideas, and its pace is loose enough that a 108-minute runtime can feel stretched.

What it asks of you: Expect a loose, sprawling two hours of sketch-like scenes, bright costumes and affectionate mugging, with few stakes and no need to track anything closely.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Trading Places1983

The blueprint for Murphy's early comedy: wealthy men displaced into unfamiliar worlds, broad humor anchored by genuine character work, and a script that trusts its premise completely. Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy together are pure alchemy.

But The satire of class and racial dynamics has aged unevenly, and the pacing drags in places. Some sequences feel longer than they need to be.

The Golden Child1986

Murphy as a wisecracking action hero, genuinely funny and genuinely charming in equal measure. It's a perfect example of Murphy in his prime: confident, inventive, able to make absurdity feel effortless and real.

But The plot is genuinely nonsensical, and the action sequences are dated enough to feel a bit clunky. It's all charisma carrying a thin story.

The Nutty Professor1996

Murphy playing an entire family of characters with distinct voices and physicality—the same kind of virtuosic multi-role work that made *Coming 2 America* fun. Hilarious, surprisingly touching, and proof Murphy could handle sentimental material.

But The body-humor premise is relentlessly crude, and the romantic subplot feels obligatory. The satire of beauty standards lands inconsistently.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Coming 2 America

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Norbit2007

Both are Eddie Murphy vehicles built on the premise of him playing multiple distinct characters in increasingly elaborate disguises, each one a complete comedic performance.

Murphy playing three roles in an aggressive, ugly comedy that doesn't care if you like it. It's the spiritual heir to *The Nutty Professor*'s multi-character work, but meaner, weirder, and aimed at a very specific audience who still finds it hilarious.

But It's genuinely offensive—racist caricatures, homophobic gags, body horror treated as comedy. Many people find it unwatchable, and that's a fair reaction.

48 Hrs.1982

Murphy's breakthrough: a straight cop-comedy hybrid where he's genuinely funny and genuinely sharp. The chemistry between Murphy and Nick Nolte is electric, and the film respects both the humor and the crime story.

But The tone shifts aggressively between comedy and violence. Some of the '80s attitudes toward race and gender are uncomfortable even for the era.

Beverly Hills Cop1984

The other archetypal '80s Murphy: a faster, tighter film where his improvisational charm and quick wit are the whole point. Axel Foley is a character he could play in his sleep, and he never does—he finds something new in every scene.

But The plot is serviceable at best, and the action is secondary. If you don't buy Murphy's personality carrying ninety minutes, you'll be bored.

Raw Deal1986

Murphy as stand-up comedian, which is what he really is. Brilliant, profane, completely unfiltered—this is the opposite of the family-friendly charm on display in *Coming 2 America*, but it's unmissably funny.

But Extremely explicit language and subject matter. The bit about women and relationships is offensive enough to pull many viewers out of the comedy.

Harlem Nights1989

Murphy as director and star, acting opposite Richard Pryor, both of them at full voltage. It's rougher and more dramatic than his comedies, but the charisma and the supporting cast make it memorable and strange.

But Tonally messy—it can't decide if it's a comedy or a crime drama, so it fails partially at both. Some sequences drag interminably.

The Breakfast Club1985

Not a Murphy film, but it captured the exact era and tone of youth comedy that *Coming 2 America* is channeling. A perfect artifact of '80s cinema: sincere, funny, unafraid to let characters breathe and surprise you.

But The sexual dynamics are uncomfortable by modern standards. It feels very much like a product of its decade, which some will find quaint and others will find off-putting.

Coming to America1988

The original, which you should see if only to appreciate what a lightning-in-a-bottle phenomenon it was. Perfectly constructed, endlessly rewatchable, and the movie *Coming 2 America* is trying very hard to be again.

But It's so iconic that watching the sequel after this creates an unavoidable comparison—and the original usually wins. There's no way around it: the first one was better.

Dolemite Is My Name2019

Both are celebrations of a specific era and style of Black comedy and entertainment, with Murphy as the connective tissue. One looks backward with reverence, the other tries to resurrect the energy of that era.

Eddie Murphy in a genuine dramatic role, playing a real historical figure (Rudy Ray Moore) with warmth, vulnerability, and humor. It's a love letter to '70s Black cinema and comedy, and Murphy's performance has real depth without losing the charm.

But It's a biopic, not a broad comedy—the rhythm is completely different, and if you came for Murphy making faces and playing multiple roles, you'll feel misled.

Uncle 'Bar' at Barbershop2000

Both are comedies built on ensemble casts and individual character moments rather than plot momentum, using humor to celebrate community and cultural identity.

An ensemble comedy that uses a single location (a barbershop) as a stage for character comedy, philosophical humor, and genuine warmth. It's far more grounded than *Coming 2 America*, but it understands that good comedy comes from letting people be fully themselves.

But The comedy is quieter and more character-based than you might expect from a high-concept premise. Some storylines feel underdeveloped. It's also very specifically about Black American experience, which may limit its appeal to some.