Top 10 Eddie Murphy Movies

Edward Regan Murphy or as Hollywood knows him, Eddie Murphy, was born in Brooklyn, New York. Murphy’s father died when he was very young so he, his brother and stepbrother were raised by his mother, a telephone company employee and his stepfather, who was a foreman at a Breyer’s Ice Cream plant. Murphy’s comedic talent was evident at a young age as at 15 years old he was writing and performing his own routines at youth centers and local bars. Eventually, his comedic prowess landed him in a Manhattan showcase, The Comic Strip. The club’s owners, Robert Wachs and Richard Tienken, were so impressed with Murphy's ability that they agreed to manage his career and even got him an audition for the revamped Saturday Night Live, where he would become a member of the show’s cast and remain there from 1980 to 1984. Murphy made his silver screen debut alongside Nick Nolte in the 1982 action adventure comedy 48 Hours. Their comedic chemistry won over both moviegoers and critics. Over the next few years, Murphy collaborated with director John Landis and together they cranked out more motion picture hits like the 1984 action comedy Beverly Hills Cop, which made Murphy a bonafide Hollywood superstar and the 1988 romantic comedy Coming to America. Since then, Murphy has starred in numerous smash hit comedies, bringing his signature bravado and raw comedic talent to every role he takes on plus he’s even tackled voiceover acting with 2001’s animated comedy Shrek. In honor of his 53rd birthday, here is a Top 10 list of Eddie Murphy movies.

10. Tower Heist: This 2011 crime comedy, directed by Brett Ratner, had Murphy teaming up with some other comedic powerhouses like Ben Stiller and Matthew Broderick. Murphy played Slide, an ex-convict, who Stiller’s character recruits to help him break into the apartment of Stiller’s boss, Arthur Shaw, at an exclusive apartment building, who stole all the employees’ pensions in a Ponzi scheme. Co-starring Casey Affleck, Alan Alda, Judd Hirsch, Téa Leoni, Michael Peña and Gabourey Sidibe, Murphy’s comedic talent was spot on as he tried to help these crime impaired misfits to set things right.

9. Shrek (voice:) This 2001 animated comedy proved that Murphy could be just as funny as an animated character as a live person. As Donkey, he was the sidekick of Shrek, (voiced by Mike Myers,) a grouchy green ogre, who goes to Lord Farquaad (voiced by John Lithgow) to ask him to stop exiling fairytale characters to his home in the swamp, where he was happy being alone. Co-starring Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona, who was rescued by Shrek from her tower prison, which was also guarded by a dragon. Murphy’s well-placed barbs about Shrek’s attitude and relationship with Fiona were hilarious and showed how Murphy could create an unforgettable animated character.

8. Beverly Hills Cop: This 1984 crime comedy made Murphy a Hollywood star. Playing the fast-talking Detroit cop Axel Foley, who finds himself in the middle of the murder investigation of his childhood friend in a place completely foreign to him…Beverly Hills, California! Co-starring Judge Reinhold, John Ashton and Ronny Cox, Murphy gave Foley a heart as well as a witty tongue as he worked with the town’s cops to solve the murder of his friend with his signature, no-holds barred style. The movie was a box office smash winning the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture, was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical and even received an Academy Award nomination. This movie announced that Murphy had arrived in Hollywood and was there to stay!

7. Trading Places: This 1983 comedy was directed by John Landis, who Murphy would collaborate with on several more hit films. Murphy played homeless street crook Billy Ray Valentine, who crosses paths with the wealthy, snobby Louis Winthorpe III (played by Dan Akyroyd) and both are unknowingly made part of a bet by two callous millionaires. Co-starring Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche and Jamie Lee Curtis, Murphy and Akyroyd made a superb comedic pair as they exacted revenge on the wealthy Duke Brothers (Bellamy and Ameche) by doing what they did to them. The laughs never stopped and Murphy proved he wasn’t just a flash in the pan comedian.

6. Coming to America: Murphy played a wealthy African prince in this 1988 romantic comedy directed by John Landis. Murphy’s character, Prince Akeem, the crown prince to the throne of the African nation of Zamunda, didn’t like being trapped in an arranged marriage so he goes to America to find a bride of his choosing. Co-starring Arsenio Hall, John Amos, James Earl Jones, Frankie Faison, a pre-ER Eriq La Salle, Louie Anderson and Shari Headley, Murphy played multiple characters in the film, even an older white man! In this film, Murphy showed his comedic flexibility and his ability to play multiple characters believably.

5. Boomerang: This 1992 romantic comedy had Murphy playing a womanizer, who ended up falling for the female mirror image of himself. Murphy played Marcus Graham, a successful advertising executive, who goes through women like clean shirts, but when he finds the “perfect woman” he gets a dose of his own medicine. Co-starring Robin Givens, a pre-Hollywood heavyweight Halle Berry, David Alan Grier, Martin Lawrence, Grace Jones, the late Eartha Kitt, a pre-stardom Chris Rock, Lela Rochon, John Witherspoon and Tisha Campbell-Martin, the hoops that Murphy’s character goes through to please Jacqueline (Givens) were hilarious as he sees how callous someone can be with another’s emotions. In the end, Marcus does find love, but in the last place he ever thought he’d find it. In this role, Murphy showed both his conniving and vulnerable sides and moviegoers ate it up!

4. Vampire in Brooklyn: This 1995 horror comedy was directed by Wes Craven and had Murphy playing a villain for a change. Murphy played a Caribbean vampire named Maximillian, who comes to Brooklyn in search a half-vampire woman to be his mate. Co-starring Angela Bassett, Allen Payne, Kadeem Hardison, John Witherspoon and Joanna Cassidy, Murphy played the sinister blood-sucker superbly as he’d stop at nothing to claim Det. Rita Vetter (Bassett,) for his own, but not if her partner Justice (Payne) had anything to say about it since he’s secretly in love with her. Murphy again played multiple characters including a white Italian thug named Guido. Critics didn’t look favorably on the movie, but, IMO, it showed that Murphy’s acting talent wasn’t limited to comedy.

3. The Distinguished Gentleman: This 1992 crime comedy was directed by Jonathan Lynn and its plot centered around Washington DC politics. Murphy played Thomas Jefferson Johnson, a Florida con man, who figured out that the biggest con of all was in being Washington DC Congressman after learning of all the perks the office comes with. Co-starring CBS’ The Young and the Restless’ Victoria Rowell, James Garner, the late Lane Smith, Grant Shaud, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Charles S. Dutton, Joe Don Baker, the late Noble Willingham, Chi McBride and Kevin McCarthy, Murphy played a slick con man, who gets into Congress by name recognition as the deceased Congressman in his district and he shared the same name. The hijinks that Murphy’s character, his gang of fellow con men and woman get into were hysterical, but Murphy’s character learned it wasn’t all fun and games when a serious issue made him strive to pull off the ultimate con. With some slightly more critical issues laden within the comedy, Murphy showed that he can interweave serious with wit any day!

2. Meet Dave: This 2008 comedy/science fiction film had Murphy playing the captain of a humanoid alien race, who fly to Earth in a ship resembling a human (aka Eddie Murphy,) in their quest to retrieve an object that had fallen to Earth that could save their rapidly dying planet, but the humanoid aliens don’t know how to interact with Earthlings so comedic idiocy ensued. Co-starring Elizabeth Banks, a pre-The Hangover trilogy Ed Helms, Gabrielle Union, Scott Caan, Kevin Hart, Marc Blucas and Judah Friedlander, the movie was panned by critics, but, IMO, it was a light-hearted comedic romp that showed an even funnier Murphy as he fumbled around acting like a robot with no idea how to interact with humans. The scene with Murphy in an Old Navy store attempting to buy clothes had me rolling!

1. Beverly Hills Cop II: This 1987 crime comedy was the sequel to the enormously popular 1983 Beverly Hills Cop. Here, Murphy reprised his role as Detroit cop Axel Foley and was reunited with Beverly Hills detectives Billy Rosewood (Reinhold) and John Taggert (Ashton) to stop a robbery/gun-running gang after Captain Andrew Bogomil (Cox) was shot and seriously wounded. The threesome definitely rekindled their original magic as they weaved through mysterious clues and an uncooperative new Police Chief to get to the truth. Also starring Brigitte Nielsen, Dean Stockwell, Gilbert Godfried and Paul Reiser, Murphy brought back Foley’s signature humor as he, Rosewood and Taggert cracked the case amidst bullets and the incompetency of the new police chief. IMO, this movie was better than the first!