Rotten
The director is ... rather distracted; John Landis seems to be browsing through the scenes rather than gobbling them down.
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine
Coming to America
This summer, Prince Akeem discovers America.
1988 · 1h 57m · R
Comedy, Romance
Directed by
John Landis
Overview
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.
Director and cast
- John Landis Director
- Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem / Clarence / Randy Watson / Saul
- Arsenio Hall as Semmi / Extremely Ugly Girl / Morris / Reverend Brown
- Shari Headley as Lisa McDowell
- John Amos as Cleo McDowell
- James Earl Jones as King Jaffe Joffer
- Madge Sinclair as Queen Aoleon
- Eriq La Salle as Darryl Jenks
- Allison Dean as Patrice McDowell
- Frankie Faison as Landlord
- Samuel L. Jackson as Robber
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
73%
Tomatometer
Rotten
Starts on a bathroom joke, quickly followed by a gag about private parts, then wanders in search of something equally original for Eddie Murphy to do for another couple of hours.
Variety Staff, Variety
Rotten
A screenplay that seems to have escaped its doctors before it was entirely well.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Rotten
The main pleasure in America comes in the romancing of prince and pauper. But the comedy is a mere handmaiden.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Rotten
In Landis' hands, the film doesn't live up to even the meagerest of expectations.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
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