Grab your friends and order some McDowell’s — Coming to America is now available to stream on Netflix. Released in 1988, the comedy movie is a true demonstration of Eddie Murphy at his absolute best. He channels the persona of not just Prince Akeem, an idealistic Royal who comes to New York in search of a true love match, but also several memorable side characters like soul singer Randy Watson and abrasive barbershop owner Clarence.
With Akeem’s enduring optimism, the ’80s movie strikes the perfect balance between cringe-out, awkward comedy and a genuinely sweet and heartfelt love story. As much second-hand embarrassment that you might get for Akeem, you also can’t help but root for him. He’s also surrounded by a strong supporting cast, including Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Shari Headley, and John Amos.
With an average Rotten Tomatoes score of 73%, critics have plenty of good things to say about this Netflix movie, which John Landis directed. The Guardian‘s Derek Malcolm praises Murphy’s “spiky charm,” while Sean Collier of Box Office Prophets calls it “charmingly old-school in plenty of regards – while remaining quotable.”
When you’re done streaming Coming to America, be sure to check out everything else new on Netflix this month, including new movies, Netflix series, Netflix horror movies, and Netflix documentaries.
Sure, there’s a Coming to America sequel, but we’re going to be straight with you. It’s far from the best movie. In fact, it’s pretty shit. While it features the return of cast members like Murphy, Hall, and Jones, it severely lacks the charm of the original – and only holds a 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. So, do yourself a favor and give it a skip.
Instead, immerse yourself in some more nostalgic greats with our guides to the best ‘90s TV shows, best ‘90s movies, and best ‘2000s movies.
If you prefer Eddie Murphy a little less R-rated, here’s how to watch all the Shrek movies in order: the majority of which features Murphy as the fan-favorite character, Donkey. You can also check out our guide to the Shrek 5 release date, where Murphy is expected to return as the character.