Synopsis: From teenage comedian to Hollywood legend, Eddie Murphy revisits his extraordinary showbiz ride with raw honesty and humour.
Review: 2025 has already seen the release of several celebrity documentaries, including the acclaimed John Candy: I Like Me and the revealing two-part aka Charlie Sheen and the multi-episode Mr. Scorsese. Ben Stiller also recently directed a documentary reflection on his parents, titled Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, which combines footage from their comedy careers with an in-depth look at their lives. The latest look back at an icon through their own stories is Being Eddie. Now airing on Netflix, Being Eddie is told through interviews with Eddie Murphy and his contemporaries, as they chronicle his meteoric rise from Saturday Night Live to the present day. While Murphy’s life has been thankfully free of controversy, Being Eddie feels more like a greatest hits compilation than a deep dive into anything else. Still, it is a wonderful way to look back on one of the all-time greats.
Being Eddie is centered around Eddie Murphy’s career, as he recounts his experiences in an on-camera interview at his home in California. Murphy does not spend a great deal of time discussing his childhood, but he does include how his love of entertaining began when he received a ventriloquist dummy. The inspiration for his humor stemming from his mother and father is touched upon, but Being Eddie really kicks into gear with the nineteen-year-old getting cast in the 1980 season of Saturday Night Live. Murphy discusses his stand-up experience and work on SNL, as well as his foray into feature films, including 48 Hrs. and Trading Places. First-hand interviews with Trading Places director John Landis and producers Jeffrey Katzenberg and Brian Glazer reveal some insider details about the meteoric rise of Murphy, as well as the monumental fame he achieved as a Black man in Hollywood during an era when few individuals reached the same level of celebrity.
Hearing from Murphy’s friends and colleagues, such as Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Arsenio Hall, Kevin Hart, and Jerry Seinfeld, lends some context as to just how influential Eddie Murphy was on comedians and actors around him. Jamie Foxx, Pete Davidson, Adam Sandler, and Michael Che are also included in interviews, as well as archival footage of Eddie’s late brother, Charlie Murphy. The range of work that Eddie has been a part of over his career is even more impressive when condensed into a feature-length documentary, while also touching on his directorial debut on Harlem Nights, leading the first Black-led romantic comedy in Boomerang, his iconic voice work in Shrek, and even Eddie’s prolific musical career. The documentary also touches on the low points of Eddie’s filmography and how Norbit may have single-handedly doomed his Oscar hopes when he was nominated for Dreamgirls.
Eddie discusses some moments in his career that generated mild controversy, including his anger towards SNL when David Spade made a joke about Eddie’s film, Vampire in Brooklyn. The documentary dedicates a reasonable amount of time to Eddie’s return to host SNL in 2019, his first appearance on the show since 1984. The most interesting things I learned from watching this documentary, aside from Eddie’s relationships with his ten children and his current wife, Paige, were his clean living habits, free from drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Eddie is also a massive fan of YouTube and the recently canceled MTV series Ridiculousness, making him as normal a person as anyone you may know in your personal life. Eddie Murphy also does not consider himself a comedian, an actor, or even a musician, but rather an artist who can communicate in countless mediums. There was also a tease of Murphy’s upcoming roles, including a biopic of George Clinton and being cast as Inspector Clouseau in the latest remake of The Pink Panther.
Director Angus Wall relies heavily on Eddie Murphy’s openness about his career and discusses the pitfalls of the level of celebrity he reached. Wall, a two-time Oscar-winning film editor for The Social Network and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, makes great use of the bounty of archival footage from interviews, films, and behind-the-scenes recordings over Eddie’s career, along with access to childhood photos. Being Eddie feels more like a tribute than an in-depth documentary, largely due to Eddie Murphy’s avoidance of controversy throughout his career and his reputation as a caring and decent person. Murphy barely raises his voice or says anything negative throughout the documentary. The actor remains even-keeled in his analysis of his life and his aspirations for the years ahead. Given that he has hundreds, if not thousands, of notes for jokes and funny ideas, we could very well see another stand-up concert film from Eddie Murphy, which would further solidify his status as an entertainment legend.
While not an in-depth psychoanalysis of Eddie Murphy or a no-holds-barred expose, Being Eddie is a nostalgic and nice ode to the man who serves as an icon and idol for many aspiring actors and comedians. Eddie Murphy is a singular talent who has navigated the highs and lows of his life with a smile and a laugh. This documentary may not emotionally move you as much as the recent John Candy film. Still, you will definitely remember all the amazing work Eddie Murphy has been a part of and may even want to revisit some of it. Being Eddie is a nice, positive watch about a legendary entertainer.
Being Eddie is now streaming on Netflix.
Source:
JoBlo.com
