From stand-up specials to iconic '80s films, the eight best Eddie Murphy comedies are mostly from decades past, but are ones to watch again and again.
Eddie Murphy is one of the greatest comedic talents of his generation. Starting his career as a cast member on the sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in the early ‘80s, his break-out movie roles were in 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop. Where Murphy truly shines, however, is in his stand-up comedy specials, which have been cited as inspirations for many comedians who have come since.
Related The results are devastating for Louis, who discovers how difficult it is to live in Billy’s shoes. Billy, however, is living it up in style, leveraging his street smarts and cunning ways to become a well-mannered businessman. The story in Trading Places gets dark sometimes, but Murphy’s perfect comedic timing brings the story back every time. With a satisfying ending, Trading Places is as much a feel-good movie about breaking barriers to social hierarchies as it is a comedy.
6. Shrek In the 2000s, Murphy took on the voice role of the fast-talking Donkey in Shrek, considered one of the best animated movies ever made. While Mike Myers is the star as the titular character, Murphy’s donkey is the scene-stealer with his annoyingly talkative nature. A sidekick, Donkey provides the comic relief, but he’s full of wit as well.
Murphy acts as you would expect as a criminal granted access to civilian life after being locked up for several years. From waving Cate’s badge around to playing cop to getting into bar fights, he’s downright hilarious, while the chemistry between the two leads is fabulous. The combination of comedy and action proved that Murphy had serious chops in the business. It’s no surprise that the ’80s continued to be one of Murphy’s best decades for movies following this gem.
Even with the impressive other performances in this movie, Murphy’s innocently sweet and jovial Akeem won fans over. The decades-later sequel, Coming 2 America, released in 2021, didn’t quite live up to the original. But Coming to America remains one of Murphy’s standout comedic performances, combining a heartwarming story with his signature style of comedy.
2. Eddie Murphy Raw It’s an hour-and-a-half of pure comedy gold, but Eddie Murphy Raw exemplifies why Murphy shines most in his stand-up routines. The usually quiet personality explodes when he’s on stage by himself, mic in his hand. The jokes flow freely in this stand-up comedy routine, with the set beginning by addressing his previous routine Eddie Murphy Delirious. As the name would imply, the set is unadulterated, profane, and downright raw in material.
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