Coming to America

1988 • 116 minutes
4.6
1.43K reviews
73%
Tomatometer
R
Rating
Eligible
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About this movie

Coming to America casts comedian Eddie Murphy as pampered African prince Akeem, who rebels against an arranged marriage and heads to America to find a new bride. Murphy's regal father (James Earl Jones) agrees to allow the prince 40 days to roam the U.S., sending the prince's faithful retainer Semmi (Arsenio Hall) along to make sure nothing untoward happens. To avoid fortune hunters, Prince Akeem conceals his true identity and gets a "Joe job" at a fast-food restaurant. Murphy and Hall play multiple roles, and there are innumerable celebrity cameos peppered throughout the proceedings — including the Duke Brothers (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy) from Trading Places. Coming to America made further headlines when humorist Art Buchwald sued the film's producers for plagiarizing one of his works. Buchwald carried the case to trial, where he won a sizeable judgement against the film's producers.
Rating
R

Ratings and reviews

4.6
1.43K reviews
Zig Zag (BEE ZZZZZ MMXX)
December 26, 2014
This is a favorite among Africans and African Americans. I've seen this movie something like 15 times in my life and it is always fun to watch with friends and family. There is always something to laugh at and talk about whether it's the acting, actors, or the storyline. The plot is a reverse Cinderella story taking place in modern New York and a fictional kingdom in Africa. Just let your "soul glo" and have fun with this classic.
25 people found this review helpful
Paa ManchezterUnited Kyei
March 24, 2015
This movie to me is one of the best ever comedy movies made.... I've watched it about 100 times and still love to watch it again. If u don't like it then you must be either retarded or a hater
A Google user
September 12, 2012
Love this movie my fave of all time!!! I love how he hides his royalness to find his perfect wiife which he did and absolutely loved that him being a prince he ended up wanting to live among ordinary people.. =) its just as old as i am same month and year 01/1988