Curator Watchlist
A sharp, crowd-pleasing star vehicle that blends fish-out-of-water comedy, romance, and class satire with huge charisma. Its jokes are uneven by modern standards, but the performances, world-building, and sheer comic momentum still make it an easy recommendation.
Where to watch: Buy
Wed · 1h 57m
Director: John Landis
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley
An African prince decides it’s time for him to find a princess... and his mission leads him and his most loyal friend to Queens, New York. In disguise as an impoverished immigrant, the pampered prince quickly finds himself a new job, new friends, new digs, new enemies and lots of trouble.
John Landis
Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley
A sharp, crowd-pleasing star vehicle that blends fish-out-of-water comedy, romance, and class satire with huge charisma. Its jokes are uneven by modern standards, but the performances, world-building, and sheer comic momentum still make it an easy recommendation.
Coming to America works because it understands that a fairy tale can be funniest when it’s also about status, labor, and the absurdity of wealth. The setup is elegant, the comic premise is instantly legible, and the movie keeps finding new ways to turn royal privilege into a joke without losing Akeem’s charm.
Eddie Murphy is the engine here, but the film’s real strength is how many memorable bits it stacks around him: the barbershop, McDowell’s, the Queens neighborhood, and the parade of supporting characters who feel like they wandered in from a much bigger comedy universe. It’s loose, but in a way that keeps the movie alive.
Some material is undeniably dated, especially in how it handles courtship and gender, and the movie’s fairytale ending leans more idealized than incisive. Even so, it remains one of the defining star comedies of its era: warm, quotable, and still genuinely funny when it’s firing on all cylinders.
matt lynch (4★) · 1153 likes
"This is the place I was telling you about. It's real fucked up."
adambolt (3★) · 932 likes
when i finally visit america i expect it to be exactly like this
Matt Singer (4★) · 827 likes
Such a deep bench of great supporting actors in this one, but none of them can hold a candle to Eddie Murphy in any of his roles. He’s just one of the purest movie stars ever here; the complete package of charisma and warmth and humor and that incredible smile. What I wouldn’t give to eat just one tie-in meal at McDowell’s. Just one...
The Reel House (4.5★) · 543 likes
“Freeze, you diseased rhinoceros pizzle!” Is still the best line in cinematic history.
Ian West (4.5★) · 528 likes
I adore the cast, the barbershop scenes, the pro working class commentary, McDowell’s, the asshole Landis idiot humor, and how this is basically a lewd rom-com with Murphy (and everyone else) just going for it. That opening scene and wedding dance routine are absolutely beautiful. Also, Royal penis cleansing.
A sharp class-comedy companion piece with a similar mix of social satire, broad laughs, and 1980s star-powered energy.
Another showcase for a comedian playing multiple roles and turning transformation into both character comedy and social satire.
Shares the same era’s breezy confidence, fish-out-of-water momentum, and a lead performance built on charm and improvisation.
A classic outsider comedy about social awkwardness, status, and a protagonist trying to fit into a world that doesn’t quite make sense.
A warm, crowd-pleasing body-and-status comedy that uses a fantasy premise to explore adulthood, class, and romance.
A fish-out-of-water comedy with strong character work, sharp dialogue, and a lovable outsider trying to navigate an unfamiliar world.
A romantic fairy tale with comic wit, memorable supporting characters, and a playful sense of adventure.
A romantic fantasy-comedy that balances sweetness, culture clash, and a premise built on wonder and awkwardness.
For viewers who want to revisit the characters and tone, even if the sequel is more nostalgic than essential.
A glossy romantic comedy with Eddie Murphy’s charm, workplace status games, and a polished mainstream-comedy feel.
A lively, youth-driven comedy with strong neighborhood texture, music, and a similarly infectious sense of comic momentum.
A high-energy farce about identity, performance, and social presentation, with a warm heart under the jokes.
fish-out-of-water, romantic comedy, class satire, identity and disguise, immigration and assimilation, wealth and privilege, cultural clash, self-discovery
1980s comedy, fish-out-of-water, romantic comedy, class satire, cultural clash, ensemble comedy, urban setting, fairy tale, workplace humor, star vehicle