The Trailer for "Dolemite is My Name" Welcomes Back Eddie Murphy

Scene from Dolemite is My Name

For the first time in his career, Eddie Murphy has gone close to a decade without a genuine hit. While he has done the odd project here or there, his last major work came seven years ago with A Thousand Words and the Brett Ratner comedy Tower Heist. It's hard to remember these days why he's an essential figure in film comedy. With his first high profile gig in quite a while, Dolemite is My Name finds him starring with a strong supporting cast for Netflix. Considering that the streaming services is coming off a successful Oscar season, many have argued that this could be Murphy's return to the Oscars for the first time since 2006's Dreamgirls. It may be a long shot, but at least the trailer looks very funny and may revive his stillborn career. 

The last time that Murphy's name intersected with The Academy Awards, it was late-2011 and he was scheduled to host with Ratner as a producer. It was supposed to be a serendipitous cross-promotion for Tower Heist as well as the gig that reminded audiences why they loved the comedian. While many hold love for his earlier work, he needed a moment so memorable that it revived his career. At worst it would lead to a lot of curiosity, especially following the previous year's notorious James Franco/Anne Hathaway hosting gig. It wasn't until Ratner gained controversy for comments about how "rehearsals are for fags" that he was demoted from the producer. Murphy followed in a moment of solidarity, leading Billy Crystal to fill in at the last minute.

It's not the best note to leave on. With that said, Murphy's career would shortly enter a state of quietness, which was common for him. However, this was a period where the aging comedian would potentially enter retirement without anyone knowing. There was no certainty if he would return. It's what made his various projects, including the little-seen Mr. Church from Driving Miss Daisy director Bruce Beresford, have some intrigue for them. With that said, he never had the buzz that he needed to remind audiences of his brilliance. He was stuck in a late-stage inability to restart his career.

Dolemite is My Name is his most high profile gig since Tower Heist from eight years prior. It's also from Netflix in a year following their Best Director win for Roma (which also gave the studio their first Best Picture nominee). There's a lot of intrigue about potentially using the performance of an aging comedian reviving his career as an all-too-literal commentary on Murphy's current state. It's from screenwriters Larry Karaszerswki and Scott Alexander, who have had a great career making biopics, including Ed Wood, Man on the Moon, and the first season of the hit TV series American Crime Story. It's also from Hustle & Flow director Craig Brewer. It's a fairly prestigious team bringing the story to life, which makes the story of a blaxploitation icon a little more than b-movie material.

Check out the trailer below:

It looks very funny. Here's the plot description according to IMDb:

When Hollywood shuts him out, multi-talented Rudy Ray Moore strikes out on his own to make the 1975 blaxploitation film Dolemite.

For what it's worth, Murphy has been noted for turning down the role of playing comedian Richard Pryor in the past. He seems to be picky about playing real-life individuals. Playing Rudy Ray Moore is quite the breakthrough. The story must mean something to him. While it looks like a more conventional comedy than a prestigious picture, there's some hope that the comeback story embedded in the plot will play well in describing Murphy's own journey. That is of course if this is going to be a good movie at all. Given that Mr. Church failed to garner any buzz, it makes sense that many would proceed to this movie with caution.

Even if it's not the Oscar buzzy movie that we want from Murphy, it at least seems jubilant to have him back on the screen, entertaining audiences with another potentially memorable performance. If nothing else, it would be his most memorable role since Dreamgirls from 13 years prior. There's a lot to be excited about, and this being a potential upset at the Oscars is a strong one. Again, it's a long shot to end all long shots, but the narrative is there both on film and in Murphy's career. If the redemptive arc plays well, this could revive his career, making him capable of producing one or two more hits before his eventual retirement.