The four funniest men in America are Eddie Murphy.|Jun. 29, 1988|United States|117 Min.|R
Genre: Comedy;Romance
Description: In the affluent African nation of Zamunda, Crown Prince Akeem Joffer grows tired of his pampered life on his 21st birthday and desires to achieve more independently. When his parents, King Jaffe and Queen Aoleon, introduce him to an arranged bride, Akeem decides to take matters into his own hands. Wanting to find a woman who loves him for himself rather than his royal status, Akeem travels with his best friend and aide, Semmi, to Queens, New York. They rent a modest apartment in Long Island City, posing as impoverished foreign students.
During their search for Akeem’s ideal partner, they attend a local rally aimed at raising funds for the inner city. There, Akeem meets Lisa McDowell, who embodies the qualities he seeks in a partner. To get closer to her, Akeem and Semmi take on low-paying jobs at McDowell’s, a fast-food restaurant owned by Lisa’s father, Cleo McDowell. However, Akeem’s courtship of Lisa is complicated by her lazy and arrogant boyfriend, Darryl Jenks, whose family owns a hair care product called Soul Glo.
When Darryl announces their engagement without Lisa’s consent, she begins dating Akeem, who pretends to come from a family of poor goat herders. Although Akeem enjoys the challenges of hard work and living an ordinary life, Semmi struggles with their modest living conditions. After Semmi indulges in luxuries like a hot tub, Akeem donates the money to homeless individuals, prompting Semmi to secretly contact King Jaffe for financial assistance.
This leads the royal family to Queens, where Cleo discovers Akeem’s true identity as a wealthy prince, drastically changing his opinion of him. The story unfolds as Akeem navigates love, identity, and the complexities of his dual life.
Cast director: John Landis
Cast actor: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, John Amos, Shari Headley, Frankie Faison, Louie Anderson, Eriq La Salle, Allison Dean, Madge Sinclair
Original name: Coming to America