By the time he turned 30, Eddie Murphy had shot two of the most influential standup specials of all time and starred in four of the greatest comedies ever made. Without a doubt, he’s one of the most legendary names in comedy. Murphy has been a bankable star for almost half a century, regularly appearing in hit high-concept comedies, often playing multiple roles within the same project. From the class-war caper of Trading Places to the sci-fi hijinks of The Nutty Professor, Murphy has headlined many comedy classics. But which are the funniest movies of his career?
48 Hrs. Was One Of The Earliest “Buddy Cop” Movies
Murphy’s very first movie is still one of his best. Directed by legendary action filmmaker Walter Hill, 48 Hrs. was one of the early classics that laid the groundwork for the now-beloved “buddy cop” genre. Nick Nolte stars as a grizzled, stern-faced cop who reluctantly arranges to have a petty crook, played by Murphy, released from prison for two days so he can help him catch his old partner-in-crime. As with any “buddy cop” duo, their initial bickering ultimately paves the way for an endearing friendship.
Led by Murphy and Nolte’s odd-couple chemistry, 48 Hrs. is a rare example of an action comedy whose action is visceral and thrilling and whose comedy is well-timed and well-written. The shootouts are as intense as the banter is hilarious.
Norbit Is An Underrated Gem
Back in 2007, a couple of months after Murphy’s much-deserved Academy Award nomination for Dreamgirls, he received some of the most ruthlessly negative reviews of his career for Norbit. Norbit might not be an awards contender, but it’s a lot funnier than its critical reception would suggest. Murphy anchors the movie with a hysterical dual performance (thanks to Oscar-nominated make-up effects by the great Rick Baker) as the eponymous character, a geeky orphan, and his brash, possessive, sadistic wife, Rasputia Latimore.
The movie often resorts to broad humor and slapstick gags, but funny is funny. Norbit is the kind of all-out laugh-a-minute comedy that doesn’t get made anymore. Murphy’s performance in Dreamgirls is spectacular, but his work in Norbit – playing a husband and wife, one timid and the other loudmouthed, in the same scenes – is arguably an even more impressive feat.
Coming To America’s Story Of Romance Is Both Unique And Moving
Drawn from a story conceived by Murphy himself, Coming to America is a modern-day fairy tale that hits audiences in the feels as often as it tickles their ribs. Murphy stars as Akeem, crown prince of the fictional African nation of Zamunda, who grows weary of being served everything on a silver platter and having all his decisions made for him. The prince ducks out of his arranged marriage and sheds his royal riches and luxuries so he can find true love in America. He heads to New York with his best friend Semmi, played by Arsenio Hall, and they rent a dingy apartment and get fast food jobs at a McDonald’s knock-off called McDowell’s.
Coming to America has a ton of great standalone gags, from Murphy and Hall’s many show-stopping supporting characters to the negligible differences between McDonald’s and McDowell’s. But these gags are all layered on top of a compelling emotional storyline as Akeem falls for his boss’ daughter and sets out to woo her before the king and queen arrive to bring him back to Zamunda.
Shrek Is A Delightfully Offbeat Fairy Tale Satire
Murphy made his animation voiceover debut with the role of Mushu in Mulan, but his second foray into the cartoon medium was even more memorable. Shrek subverts all the expectations of fairy tales in its seemingly traditional story of a knight in shining armor saving a princess from a tower guarded by a dragon. In most folklore, the ogre who lives alone in a spooky swamp is the bad guy. That expectation made Shrek the ultimate underdog.
Mike Myers made the titular ogre an instant icon, while Cameron Diaz gave audiences an imprisoned princess to root for and John Lithgow gave them a smarmy villain to root against. But Murphy seizes the spotlight with his hilarious chatterbox vocal performance as Donkey, Shrek’s scene-stealing sidekick.
Beverly Hills Cop Is A Pitch-Perfect Action Comedy
A couple of years after pioneering the “buddy cop” genre with his turn in 48 Hrs., Murphy solidified its tropes with his star-making performance in Beverly Hills Cop. Murphy plays a Detroit lawman who takes his vacation time and heads to sun-drenched Beverly Hills to solve the murder of his best friend. There, he runs afoul of a pair of local straitlaced cops played by a well-matched Judge Reinhold and John Ashton.
Detective Axel Foley was the perfect role for Murphy’s motormouth comedic talents. As an undercover cop, he’s constantly talking himself out of trouble and adopting new guises to infiltrate investigation hotspots.