I have waited a little while to post this as I wanted to give people the opportunity to see the new movie and not put too many spoilers out there. First, we have to give acknowledgement to the original and celebrate its 33 year anniversary of the release of the film. We all can admit that we have enjoyed the characters of the film, its many memorable quotes and songs, the infamous McDowell’s, and reliving the comedy experience of the movie every time a station shows the reruns on television. Oh how I’ve long-awaited and anticipated the sequel creation of Coming to America. I was so excited that I even designed a t-shirt of a quote noted from the original. (pic below) Before watching the new movie, I had to tell myself “go into it with an open mind and don’t expect it to be identical to the original”.
I’ve seen and heard a variety of responses to whether or not the movie was “good”. One question I have would be, “What makes a sequel or remake good?” Does it have to briefly retell the story of the original for viewers to be able to follow along with the current movie? Do the comical moments in the current film need to be equal or more than the original? Does adding in tons of celebrities oversaturate the film and divert the attention of the storyline? And finally, if the current film isn’t as “good” as the original, does it necessarily make it a “bad” film or just different?
Here’s my view on Coming 2 America: I absolutely…LOVED THIS MOVIE! My husband would say that I feel this way because of how much I loved the original but I would disagree with that reasoning. If I were a part of the production of this film, here are some of the things I would change or alter: (1) The Son – though this actor has a very reputable filmography, I would have opted for someone with a little more expression and natural humor. They didn’t need to be “roll on the floor” funny, but just a more to match the comedy weight of the movie. Maybe Ron G or Jessie T. Usher would be candidates, or just a little more added to the present actor. (2) The storyline – Some have expressed how it was a challenge to imagine that this random lady linked up with Akeem and a son came from that connection as he spent all of his time chasing after Lisa in the original. If they had called me and said “Mesh, who should we have as the mother of the son from America?” I would’ve responded “Thanks for reaching out! I think you should use Lisa’s sister. Take it from the night they went to the basketball game together and the rest is history.”
Here are some of my favorite highlights and perspectives: (1) Let’s start with James Earl Jones. I just want to begin with how amazing he looks and what a great joy to see him given the opportunity to appear in this film. I think it was pure genius and beautiful for the movie to “give him his flowers” in celebrating his life and legacy through the vehicle of the scene on and off camera. I would have loved for him to lasted longer in the film, but I understand and am grateful for the time allotted. (2) Leslie Jones – I salute her in giving a great performance in her character in the film. In reading more on her comedy journey and what trials she’s had to ensure, I’m proud of her shine at this time with opportunities from this film as well as her current host position for the show Supermarket Sweep. (3) The dynamic duo – If you’re like me, you have craved for the collaboration of Eddie Murphy & Arsenio Hall to thrive again. It’s been a long time as both have gone on different paths in their careers but we know how dynamic they are together. I enjoyed the overall storyline and new characters and got a kick out of being able to laugh at all of the original characters of Eddie & Arsenio again like those of My-T-Sharp barber shop. And the end of the movie just blew me away. You would've thought I was at the wedding waiting for the special musical appearance.
(4) The movie composition – I said it once and I’ll say it again, what ultimately made this movie great in my view was that it was a perfect blend of current pop culture and the nostalgic moments of the original!
If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out now! You must watch the end and even the bloopers through the credits. If you have seen it, feel free to share your thoughts on the film.
Love,
Yo! Mama Mesh of Zamunda (just kidding)
