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Help! Save Eddie Murphy’s career!
Eddie Murphy’s new movie may be called Imagine That, but its box office this weekend should give Murphy a hard slap of reality.
The movie grossed $5.7 million dollars. For the entire weekend. Let’s put that into perspective, shall we?
That’s only slightly better than last summer’s Meet Dave, which made $5.2 million its opening weekend.
That’s about as much as the current box office leaders, Up and The Hangover, were making in one day. During the week.
That’s only about as much as much as 12 Rounds made during its opening weekend. Congratulations, Eddie. You are now the box office equal of John fricken’ Cena!
Clearly, Murphy’s career is on the skids. And clearly, not many people above the age of 6 are interested in his movies anymore. How can he get back on track? I have a few ideas.
1) No more family “comedies”: When Murphy started making these several years ago, it was kind of novel. Now it’s old hat. I didn’t think these movies were very good even when they were moneymakers like Daddy Day Care and Dr. Dollittle. Now too many bland Haunted Mansions have caught up with him so no one cares anymore. And apparently Murphy hasn’t learned his lesson. On his slate is a remake of The Incredible Shrinking Man, by the writers of the Night at the Museum movies. Eddie. Stop. Enough. (The Shrek sequels get a pass, those are understandable, even if they’re diminishing in quality.)
2) Go back to making grown-up comedies: They don’t necessarily have to be raunchy movies, but good, solid adult comedies that will allow him to flex those comedy muscles that have atrophied. Something like Bowfinger would be nice.
3) Take more supporting roles, or at least co-leads: It worked like gangbusters for Dreamgirls, his one recent unqualified success. And actually, Bowfinger is a good example there too. He was a lead in that, but that was just as much Steve Martin’s movie as it was his. Those days when he could take a lame script like The Golden Child and turn it into a hit just because he was in it? Done and gone.
4) Work with A-list talent behind the camera: Too many of Murphy’s movies lately have been directed by nondescript names like Brian Robbins (Norbit, Meet Dave) and Tom Dey (Showtime). He needs to turn to good directors like Frank Oz. It would be really interesting to see him in one of Judd Apatow’s movies. Heck, even John Landis would be preferable at this point. But again, Murphy doesn’t seem to know what’s good for him. Robbins is directing him again in a movie called A Thousand Words. (sigh).
5) Check the ego at the door. Or better yet, sell it: Some people were surprised when Murphy lost his Dreamgirls Oscar to Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine. I wasn’t. I called that a mile away. He has alienated too many people in Hollywood with his self-important, “I’m god’s gift to this movie” attitude. And quite frankly, he alienated me. When he picked up some awards for Dreamgirls, he kept going on about how he worked in the movie for “free.” Yuk, yuk, yuk.
You may have been laughing Eddie, but all that told me was that all you care about is money. Well now your movies aren’t making any.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t dislike Eddie Murphy. I’m very disappointed in him. It’s not that he’s lost his talent. If that were the case, it would be easier to write him off and move on. But as Dreamgirls showed, he can still deliver the goods. The problem is, that movie aside, Murphy just isn’t trying anymore. He’s capable of so much better, but he takes the lazy road almost every time now. And for someone as talented as him, that’s a crying shame.
What do you think? Why did you stop seeing Eddie Murphy’s movies? What would get you to go back to him again?
Permalink | Comments (15) | Post your comment | Categories: Celebrities
Comments
By Sir Critic
June 19, 2009 10:51 AM | Link to this
According to Forbes, Murphy banked $40 million last year. It’s amazing that a studio was willing to pay him that much. They’re not getting their money back.By Rocko
June 17, 2009 9:17 PM | Link to this
Have to agree with a few other people!!..I could watch trading places and his old movies all day..I think he is so into himself and not his fans that he has lost all since of reality with his own self..Good luck eddie on being funny again going to take years of getting your fan base back to make the big bucks again!!By Aaron
June 17, 2009 8:41 PM | Link to this
I started ignoring him when he stared all of these Eddie Murphy, starring Eddie Murphy, Featuring Eddie Murphy, and co-starring Eddie Murphy movies. I find them incredibly annoying and unlikable. Beverly Hills Cop anyone?By Ricky Tinkle
June 17, 2009 11:22 AM | Link to this
To be popular again, he needs to have relations with a transvestite again.By Jennifer
June 16, 2009 12:09 PM | Link to this
Frankly I can’t stand the man and these crappy family films he keeps making. Maybe 9-year-olds like it, and it’s a clean film, but there is much more entertaining stuff out there. Someday he will be too old for the little kiddie film movies too, and then he will be sunk. People need a good laugh and Murphy just can’t provide with the roles he takes. I swear someone says, “I have a crappy family film. Who can we cast in this thing? Who would take this crappy role? AH! Eddie Murphy! He’ll take anything these days!” If the weekend grossing proves anything, it’s that Murphy is irrelevant and unwanted to mainstream audiences.By Kim
June 16, 2009 12:04 PM | Link to this
I do miss the “old” Eddie. I can watch Beverly Hills Cop and Trading Places over and over. He was one of my favorite comic actors - but I agree that he has been wasting his talent for the most part here lately. I would like to see him aim a bit higher. I have definitely reached that “don’t care anymore” point with him and have stopped bothering to see his films.By LOLA
June 16, 2009 8:05 AM | Link to this
I saw the movie this past weekend and I thought it was wonderfully adorable and emphasize the incredible contrast between family and a professional career. My profession keeps me glaring in a computer screen with charts and figures representing an income a thousand times more earnings than I will ever know. Awarding million dollars contracts and writing proposals that would make the grounded person wonder �is it all worth it�. For those of you that are listing, our little ones need to know the pure creative ability of using their own imaginations and not merely pushing a button and your entire creative abilities are left to some one else interpretation. Initially, my trained abilities wanted to see the dragons and mystical wizardry, but after realizing that this was a father that was finally getting it! Children adore their fathers, and so what it wasn�t the multi million dollar movie presentation. It left my grandchildren wanting more! It is really all about money?By Sir Critic
June 16, 2009 1:24 AM | Link to this
I haven’t seen “Imagine That,” Patti, so I can’t comment on the movie, but I would say not only ARE people looking for “uplifting movies for the whole family.” I would say they found one - in “Up.”By Patti K
June 15, 2009 9:28 PM | Link to this
I saw the movie this weekend with my sister and my 9 year old granddaughter - it was a really cute, family movie - we all liked it. Too bad there aren’t more folks looking for uplifting movies for the whole family. Good on ya, Eddie! Plus a pleasant surprise to see Martin Sheen on the screen.By SRCputt
June 15, 2009 6:40 PM | Link to this
The most recent film to open on 3000+ screens and do worse than Imagine That? Meet Dave.By SRCputt
June 15, 2009 6:38 PM | Link to this
Jack Black has a career partly because of good choices rather than Murphy’s choices. Since 2000, Black has been directed by Stephen Frears, The Farrelly brothers, Richard Linklater, Barry Levinson, Peter Jackson, Jared Hess, Nancy Meyers, Michel Gondry, Ben Stiller and Harold Ramis. In that same time period Murphy has been directed by Peter Segal, Steve Carr, Tom Dey, Ron Underwood, Betty Thomas, Carr again, Rob Minkoff, Bill Condon (the lone good film), Brian Robbins twice, and now Karey Kirkpatrick. Yikes.By tiffany
June 15, 2009 4:17 PM | Link to this
he is funny awesome guyBy Tony
June 15, 2009 2:56 PM | Link to this
ditto for Jack BlackBy Brian Robbins?
June 15, 2009 2:49 PM | Link to this
Who would have thunk the rebel guy from Head of the Class would have stunk as a director. Allie D’s dead on, as is the blog. Murphy is far better than this. So is Steve Martin with what he’s been doing lately. Bowfinger might be the last good film for both. Stay away from so-called family films, gentlemen.By Allie D.
June 15, 2009 1:21 PM | Link to this
I could have written this blog word for word. I agree 1000%. He needs to get out of the “family comedy” rut and start making real comedy again. Or the dramatic stuff. We’ve seen a lot of actors pull out of their bad streaks and go on to gain or regain some credibility. Or actors who have made some bad choices who seem to hit the money spot now and again. Ben Affleck is one. Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, etc. You think Murphy’s ego would have hit him in the face after Pluto Nash, but apparently he still has a lot of learning to do. Or maybe he simply can’t learn. Meanwhile, I’ll watch Trading Places or Coming to America for good doses of Murphy adult comedy.