Many comics, like Jim Carrey, and Robin Williams, reach a certain age where they stop doing what they are good at and go into family movies. Jim Carrey was funny on In Living Color and Robin Williams has a certain magic with drama films, but now they continue to submerse themselves in the lowest common form of comedy. Cheap bathroom humor and little kid comedies that are in no way funny, nor clever. Eddie Murphy is no exception now doing such things as Daddy Day Care, Imagine That (remember that?), and those countless Shrek films.
But, with Eddie Murphy Raw, this was shot in 1987, when Murphy was a very vulgar and hilarious comedian. Eddie Murphy doesn't do anything like Delirious and Raw anymore, or does any sort of stand up comedy at all. These are two little pieces of his history that are now overshadowed by his lame kiddy comedies.
Eddie Murphy Raw is a ninety minute comedy special of him performing at Madison Square Garden in NY's Felt Forum. The comic discusses sex, women, actors, why whites can't dance (coming from a white man, so true), why Italians are motivated by Rocky, divorce, and just the topic of life itself. He gives his realism approach to everything, and even shows sympathy for Johnny Carson losing half of his money to his wife after their divorce.
The language in the film is absolutely filthy and the women dialog is incredibly misogynistic and degrading. But it's hilarious and has its own truth behind it. I'm sure Eddie cares about women, but some of the things he says about divorce is relatively, right on the money.
By the end of the special, it goes a tiny bit downhill which is exceptional because most of the beginning was hilarious and very funny. Raw is the sequel to Delirious, which is one I will be sure to see in the future. Going into this with only average expectations I came out very surprised at what I just saw. I almost had to sit down and have a long talk with myself about right and wrong. It's that good.
Starring: Eddie Murphy. Directed by: Robert Townsend.
