Year of Release: 2019
Director: Craig Brewer
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Keegan-Michael Key, Wesley Snipes, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Snoop Dogg, Barry Shabaka Henley, Ivo Nandi, Chris Rock, Bob Odenkirk, Tip Harris, Luenell
Genre: Comedy, Biography
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:
Director Craig Brewer who made a name for himself with "Hustle and Flow", followed by "Black Snake Moan" and more recently "Footloose", is back after a few years working primarily on television. His latest film, written by the fantastic duo of Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (they wrote Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" and "Big Eyes" as well as Milos Forman's "The People Vs. Larry Flynt" and "Man on the Moon"), is a biopic based on the story of actor/stand-up comedian/recording artist, Rudy Ray Moore, who became well known in the 70s for bringing the character Dolemite to the big screen. The film introduces us to Moore in the early 70s, as a working man trying to make it big in LA. He works as an assistant manager in a record store, and is desperately trying to break into show business by doing standup in a small club, where he is allowed to perform before the main event starts. His material however doesn't connect with the audiences, and he becomes increasingly frustrated with his life. He accidentally hears homeless people dole out some riotous folklore type of jokes, and decides to capture all these stories, rework them, and make them part of his repertoire. With the new material and a new visual, he starts getting a lot of attention, which explodes when he captures it on disk (vinyl records). With a contract now at hand, he decides to aim higher, and sets out to do a film, without knowing much about it, but filled with enthusiasm and dreams.
"Dolemite is My Name" is a biopic that in a lot of ways, is a sibling to Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" (without achieving the crowning heights of humor and heart that film had). Rudy Ray Moore, much like Ed Wood, has a dream which keeps propelling him forward, against all odds, and against all naysayers. Director Craig Brewer manages to capture and bring to life this riveting universe, California in the beginning of the 70s, showcasing some profound alterations society was having (sexual revolution, women's liberation, among many others). He is particularly successful at illustrating the energy emerging from the black clubs around that time, and how voices that had been silent for so long, were finally freed to tell whatever stories they wanted. Rudy Ray Moore, who was originally from Arkansas, built a persona for himself, and through sheer persistence, enthusiasm and belief, managed to assemble a group of friends who were in his wave length, and who enabled his projects to come to life. The film illustrates these trials and tribulations with heart and humor, giving Eddie Murphy quite possibly his best role yet. The film allows him to mix his swagger, with his humor and his heart. The supporting cast is uniformly excellent, particularly Wesley Snipes, who once again proves he can actually go in any direction a good film director asks him to go. The cinematography from Eric Steelberg is fantastic, as is the Product Design from Clay A. Griffith. A good film worth watching.
"Dolemite is My Name" is a biopic that in a lot of ways, is a sibling to Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" (without achieving the crowning heights of humor and heart that film had). Rudy Ray Moore, much like Ed Wood, has a dream which keeps propelling him forward, against all odds, and against all naysayers. Director Craig Brewer manages to capture and bring to life this riveting universe, California in the beginning of the 70s, showcasing some profound alterations society was having (sexual revolution, women's liberation, among many others). He is particularly successful at illustrating the energy emerging from the black clubs around that time, and how voices that had been silent for so long, were finally freed to tell whatever stories they wanted. Rudy Ray Moore, who was originally from Arkansas, built a persona for himself, and through sheer persistence, enthusiasm and belief, managed to assemble a group of friends who were in his wave length, and who enabled his projects to come to life. The film illustrates these trials and tribulations with heart and humor, giving Eddie Murphy quite possibly his best role yet. The film allows him to mix his swagger, with his humor and his heart. The supporting cast is uniformly excellent, particularly Wesley Snipes, who once again proves he can actually go in any direction a good film director asks him to go. The cinematography from Eric Steelberg is fantastic, as is the Product Design from Clay A. Griffith. A good film worth watching.
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