 |
| Scene from Dolemite is My Name |
For several generations, there was nothing as reliable as a new Eddie Murphy movie. From his breakout roles post-Saturday Night Live to the 2000s, he was known for producing some of the most successful comedies, regardless of how well they were actually received. It's what has made the past eight years a bit of an odd period for him. After seemingly producing multiple hits a year, he has spent most of the decade in silence, producing only five films compared to triple that in the previous period. He hasn't had a major hit since 2011's Tower Heist and everything since has looked doubtful that he would ever have that return to power.
That is exactly what makes director Craig Brewer's Dolemite is My Name such a fascinating project. Much like Dreamgirls before, Murphy has often been at his best when something feels personal about his work. In this case, it's easy to see what draws him to blaxploitation icon Rudy Ray Moore. Both were vulgar comedians who appealed to the masses with profane catchphrases and ignoring everything a conventional performer would. Murphy in some ways has come full circle in the process, managing to feel like Moore because of his recent fallow period. He's older, may be seen by some as irrelevant, and it's exactly now that he needs to prove himself to a new public. Much like Moore with the iconic Dolemite, Murphy uses the biopic to explore how artists strive when nobody believes in them, creating a vision that reminds us that it isn't about age or looks, but the passion to create art no matter what. It's what helps to make this one of the greatest comeback metaphors of the decade.
