March '01 : Nutty Professor II
Big Comedian, Big Family, Big Laughs
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March '01 : Nutty Professor II | ||
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Shelby J. Jones
Rated “PG – 13”
EDDIE MURPHY IS STILL THE FUNNIEST COMEDIAN ON THE PLANET AND THE KLUMPS ARE LARGE AND IN CHARGE!
Considering that part of the writing team on this project were Paul & Chris Weitz of American Pie fame, I see no reason why this group won’t love this film. This group doesn’t remember Eddie Murphy from Saturday Night Live (1981-1984), Trading Places, Coming To America or Beverly Hills Cop, but they do know him from the first Nutty Professor, Metro and that incident in Hollywood.
This film will undoubtedly bring more firepower to the summer box-office gross. The Hollywood Reporter ran a story about how black filmmakers have carried the summer box-office this season with the success of Shaft and Scary Movie. Eddie is going to break the mold with this one. It may not beat Scary’s unbelievable opening but The Klumps will leave a mighty impression. I am guessing that it will easily top $150,000,000 within 3 weeks. With summer waning and baseball being about as exciting as watching paint dry, filmgoers will be running to the theaters for the next couple of weeks in record numbers. Just watch.
Did you know that Eddie Murphy, Julius Dr. J Erving and Howard Stern all went to the same high school? Obviously not at the same time, but they all attended Roosevelt High School in Long Island, New York.
Three and a half Stars!
PG-13 – Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers. |
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comes Eddie to show everyone that because of his inherent gifts, he
is the true ruler. Eddie displays his talents through the lens of
SIX CHARACTERS! Playing four men (Papa, Ernie, Sherman Klump &
Buddy Love) and two women (Moms & Grandma) Murphy does not miss a
beat. The most impressive aspect of any actor playing multiple
characters (remember Jeremy Irons in Dead Ringers – well try
and forget that) is his ability to use specificity, physical acting
and voice to make the characters real and sympathetic. Murphy
pulls this off as if he is walking in the park. Murphy exposes the
weaknesses of the entire family as well as their ultimate joy in
supporting Sherman in his work and quest for love. This time
around Sherman has found love in Janet Jackson while developing a
youth potion that will revolutionize the world. The only obstacle
to Sherman’s happiness with Jackson and eventual riches from the
youth potion is Sherman’s alter ego, Mr. Buddy Love, also played my
Murphy. The two collide and all chaos breaks loose with potion
drinking, family squabbles and an alley fight that is guaranteed to
have you in stitches. 
This group has been following Eddie for quite some time and
will not be disappointed at his return to the big screen. Most
important, it is Eddie being funny and that’s what American’s like
Eddie doing. It is the sole reason why Eddie is a multi-multi
millionaire. Did anyone see Metro when it was in the
theater? What about Vampire in Brooklyn? Exactly. 
Will there be another Klumps down the road? I think so. My
suggestion is that the next NP features brother Ernie enrolling in
classes wherever Sherman is teaching. He arrives at this point
after his son challenges him to a bet. While he is trying to
conquer college, another college student finds out about the former
Buddy Love problem, and unleashes him again through Ernie. Ernie’s
love interest should be Lil’ Kim or Eve!