Granted, I haven't discussed the film with a lot of people, but those I've discussed it with hated it. Oddly enough, it's the only post-Boomerang Eddie Murphy film I like and the ONLY martin Lawrence film I like from any era.
Yes, it's derivative as shit, but I think it's warm and well-executed.
3. "One of the most underrated comedies" In response to Reply # 0
and a personal favorite of mine. That movie is fucking hilarious... but then when you think about it, it's also fucking depressing as hell too. Two innocent Black men are imprisoned for 50 years for a murder they didn't commit because of the racism of the criminal injustice system... hijinks ensue.
--
"You can't beat white people. You can only knock them out."
35. "I think the underratedness comes from its grosses" In response to Reply # 4
Life was hyped like a motherfucker, and despite it being, yes, a black film in 1999, it also had two of the biggest names in comedy at the time. And it didn't even make back its production budget (63.8 mill gross, 75 mill budget, per IMDB). So it's seen as a flop, and thus a dud, despite being a really good film, and one that you could tell everyone had fun making, rather than one of those shitty comedies you could tell the actors gave up on in the first table read.
12. "Maybe that's why I hated it." In response to Reply # 3
>Two >innocent Black men are imprisoned for 50 years for a murder >they didn't commit because of the racism of the criminal >injustice system... hijinks ensue.
I couldn't get past the appalling premise and the fact that they made light of such a situation.
Go Smack yourself and then apologize to your hand for looking stupid - Case_One
14. "How did they make light of it?" In response to Reply # 12
You could see in plenty of scenes how bitter they were about the situation. Really all of the arguing they had with each other was based on blame for being there. Plus you get the payoff in the end when the sheriff gets popped. That movie had alot of heart in it.
>>Two >>innocent Black men are imprisoned for 50 years for a murder >>they didn't commit because of the racism of the criminal >>injustice system... hijinks ensue. > >I couldn't get past the appalling premise and the fact that >they made light of such a situation.
They didn't make "light" of it. If anything, its brave to make a comedy in settings like that...the truth is, there are very few situations in life where humor is not present; even the very sad experiences.
11. "I hated that movie." In response to Reply # 0
I don't even remember WHY I hated it. It's been a decade since I saw it. But I distinctly remember being appalled (1) at the movie itself (2) at the approval with which the rest of the audience greeted it.
Go Smack yourself and then apologize to your hand for looking stupid - Case_One
13. "GREAT movie...not Eddie's best, but it may be my personal favorite" In response to Reply # 0
of his. It's definitely Martin's best work. The chemistry between them in that movie was just perfect from beginning to end.
It has PLENTY of classic one liners in it that my wife and I use on a daily basis (you gonna eat your cornbread?, I da pappy, there's gonna be consequences and repercussions, the pie was too hot, nigga pie, cause I'm a nasty mfer, dog had worms, nice and supple like a lady, the gun line, I got's to know, who da Yankees? etc.) But the fact that all that comedy is in a movie that has an overall dark premise, covers a LONG time period, and has a good ending which is unexpected the first time you see it makes the movie great IMO. Very underrated.
As a side note I think the funniest line is in the outtakes - "this ain't my daddy's watch!"
22. "I can understand this. It was actually pretty sad. " In response to Reply # 20
But that is sort of what makes the humor so warm.....kinda of a nod to the power of comedy; you really can laugh your way through any sad experience in life.
The scene that got me was when the gay dude got his release papers and realized that he had nowhere to go cuz his family wouldnt accept him and ran for the gun line, cuz he'd rather die than go home to face that Then when Jang-a-Lang walked over to him....
27. "I agree with what you said" In response to Reply # 26
also when the white chick has the baby with Can't-Get-Right, it was kinda touching when she left. even though they had no scenes together, you can tell they had feelings for each other. probably the best job Bokeem Woodbine ever did
28. "I like the basic premise but the execution falls short for me" In response to Reply # 0 Tue Jun-28-11 05:44 PM by AFKAP_of_Darkness
Watched it recently for the first time since it first came out and I enjoyed it a lot more than I did originally... I had previously thought it was terrible; now I found it slightly underwhelming but not at all unpleasant.
I still feel it could have been so much more than it was, though.
>Watched it recently for the first time since it first came >out and I enjoyed it a lot more than I did originally... I had >previously thought it was terrible; now I found it slightly >underwhelming but not at all unpleasant.
LOL.
>I still feel it could have been so much more than it was, >though.
56. "nuh uh....and don't laff either it aint funny!" In response to Reply # 31
__________________________________________ CHOP-THESE-BITCHES!!!! ------------------------------------ Garhart Ivanhoe Poppwell Un-OK'd moderator for The Lesson and Make The Music (yes, I do's work up in here, and in your asscrease if you run foul of this
32. "Hated it? Shit every black person i know LOVED that film!" In response to Reply # 0
Good casting, good script, decent acting, great comedy. what's there not to like? Eddie and Martin worked perfectly off of each other. Perhaps this was one of those films that white/other folks just didn't get due to historical nature of the film, the racial undertones, and the general banter.
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86672 posts
Wed Jun-29-11 03:55 PM
41. "*spits out drink*" In response to Reply # 38 Wed Jun-29-11 03:55 PM by Frank Longo
>He got a lot of good-ass movies
Outside of the two Bad Boys films (entertaining, debatable whether they're "good") and Life, I can't think of a good-ass movie where Martin plays a lead. And I like Martin.
44. "^ hasn't seen 'Blue Streak'" In response to Reply # 41
The exciting repartee he maintains with support Luke Wilson is...j/k
that movie was horrible. but Dave Chappelle was alright. and if you're on board with Lawrence's exaggerated facial expression comedy then you can probably bear the whole thing.
51. "Thin Line, Nothing To Lose, Life, and Blue Sreak were" In response to Reply # 41
4 movies in a row that were good IMO. You could even back up on year and add Bad Boys to that list.
Now everything since then (except Bad Boys II) has been real shitty. REALLY REALLY shitty. But he did make some good stuff in the 90's, including a bunch of good supporting roles early on.
63. "I think they're entertaining" In response to Reply # 62
Not saying they're classic material, but they have entertianment value. There are a lot of "stupid" or "bad" movies that are entertaining. Those are some of them.
50. "I initially didn't want to like the movie." In response to Reply # 0
I think at them time it was the second or third black prison movie coming out and I was annoyed that it seemed like so many of those types of movie were being made. Then I was also appalled by the idea that there could be anything funny about being in a black person in a southern jail in the 1920s for a crime they didn't commit. I think it was also marketed as a straight comedy.
And yet, the movie is so funny and tender at moments. It's great. And this scene is easily Eddie Murphy's greatest performance of his career:
********** the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.
Then I was also >appalled by the idea that there could be anything funny about >being in a black person in a southern jail in the 1920s for a >crime they didn't commit.
This is my mom's problem with the film. She couldn't get past that.
53. "RE: I initially didn't want to like the movie." In response to Reply # 50
Then I was also >appalled by the idea that there could be anything funny about >being in a black person in a southern jail in the 1920s for a >crime they didn't commit.
This is my mom's problem with the film. She couldn't get past that.
I only happened across it a couple years ago on tv and couldn't believe how good it was. Way better than I expected.
Martin and Eddie had great chemistry....but what really sold me was the ensemble scenes. The boom boom room/cafeteria scenes which have some really good timing with the editing and pace. You can tell everyone had alot of fun making this movie. The vibes on set must have been real good.
I was kinda surprised when the narrative jumps ahead in time. That's when the darkness of the script really hit me. Genuinely surprised me when you see them old and still there. After that....even a 'happy ending' can't be so happy.
Hilarious....plus a well-written story. Doesn't pander to the audience cause it never gives us what we want. When it finally does....it's almost too late. So it's dark....but walks a fine line cause it still has a warmth.
Many quoteable lines, cast was good too. My fave scene that I have not seen anyone mention above is when Martin & Eddie were standing on the bottles. The entire dialouge seemed to be ad libbed, and Martin almost got Eddie to break.
The deleted scenes duing the credits were really funny, I wonder if the DVD has more outtakes.
...and if you listen hard enough I say some things - Jeezy
57. "my favorite outtakes were" In response to Reply # 55
-the Ray/Biscuit jaint -Ray answering the cell phone 'yeah I was the first mothafucka with the shit' -Ray and R. Lee Ermey with the '....this ain't my daddy watch!'
__________________________________________ CHOP-THESE-BITCHES!!!! ------------------------------------ Garhart Ivanhoe Poppwell Un-OK'd moderator for The Lesson and Make The Music (yes, I do's work up in here, and in your asscrease if you run foul of this
58. "shut yo mouth, and to FAT ASS, BOY!" In response to Reply # 0
__________________________________________ CHOP-THESE-BITCHES!!!! ------------------------------------ Garhart Ivanhoe Poppwell Un-OK'd moderator for The Lesson and Make The Music (yes, I do's work up in here, and in your asscrease if you run foul of this
64. "RE: What's the consensus on "Life" (Eddie/Martin)?" In response to Reply # 0
Aged really, really well. Saw it for the first time in years a few weeks ago. Eddie was fantastic. Did not get nearly enough credit for that role. The scene where he gets the watch back gets me every time.
68. "the only thing I didnt like was the music" In response to Reply # 0
yes I know everyone loves the soundtrack. But using modern music in a movie that was supposed to take place in 1930's America didnt work to well. The main 2 parts where it didnt work was when they went into the montage after Claude and Ray get into their big fight, and at the very end when they are at the baseball game. I mean I know its not that big of a deal because the rest of the movie is perfect. But it bugs me every time I watch it.
November 8th, 2005 The greatest night in the history of GD!
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