Akeem Joffer, the crown prince of the wealthy African nation of Zamunda, has tired of his luxurious, curated life. From having servants wipe his butt to bathers clean his royal penis, everything is done for him; even his future wife has been hand-selected. But Akeem wants to find love for himself and spend time without his luxury trappings. Sensing that Akeem is just anxious and wants to “sow his oats” before marriage, Akeem’s father King Joffer agrees to let Akeem (and friend/aid Semmi) travel to New York for 40 days. The two young men hole up in a crappy apartment in Queens and Akeem begins his search for real love. The two get jobs at fast food restaurant McDowell’s and Akeem becomes enamored with the boss’s daughter, Lisa. With Lisa already in a relationship, Lisa’s father Cleo somewhat-dismissive of Akeem, Semmi struggling with poverty, and King Joffer angered to discover the truth of the visit, Akeem has his work cut out for him! Hilariously, I might add.
This film is amazing. I watched “Trading Places” two months ago and knew I needed to explore more classic Eddie Murphy (hilariously, this film takes place IN the “Trading Places” universe). I sort of half-jokingly placed this film in February to be a “Black History Month” selection and it totally plays. With an excellent, all black cast and diverse black characters, this film does what “Black Panther” did, 30 years earlier. I understand how it’s different, but also—Wakanda is basically just Zamunda. Lol. The fish out of water elements were well done, the film is funny, and while a little rushed, the romance is cute. The film’s critical reception suggests it’s not as universally loved as I would have expected, but I loved it.