Come for the nostalgia but stay for an ensemble of comedy All-Stars, up-and-coming actors, and an icon evolving his game.
The theme of a father being challenged to recognize his children’s unique desires and power is central to the story of Coming 2 America, the long-awaited sequel to the ‘80s classic of a similar name. But it’s also essential to what makes this sequel go. Starring Eddie Murphy as Akeem and other familiar faces from the original (Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley, John Amos, James Earl Jones), the sequel walks a tightrope, paying service to the original and its fans while also ushering in a new generation of characters and evolving the story. But those new characters aren’t there merely as stand-ins who are tasked with helping Murphy rewalk the path of the original. They’re empowered to bring a new energy and make this feel like as much their movie as it is Murphy’s. Which is a shocking thing considering the death grip franchise stars usually want to keep no matter the advance of time. Call it the Die Hard principle. Jermaine Fowler is the biggest beneficiary of this, playing Akeem’s bastard son. His character, Lavelle, has a few things in common with ‘80s Akeem and the fish out of water element of both films is certainly central. But there are layers to his character’s story that make things a lot more complicated than when a young Akeem was combing through Queens in search of love. Watching his character not just find himself but assert himself, impacting everyone around him, is the best part of the whole thing. It’s heart and soul and signifies a real breakout for Fowler, a comic who stood out in Sorry To Bother You, helped to make the TV adaptation of Superior Donuts interesting, and has generally been on the cusp for years. Whether it was director Craig Brewer or Murphy, good eye to whoever put Fowler in a position to do his thing and succeed. Ditto on the casting of Wesley Snipes, who never really springs to mind as a perfect comedic foil.
