'Boomerang'
The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Van Lathan are joined by the New York Times' Wesley Morris to give you their mack-daddy vibe in all its splendor after rewatching the 1992 comedy 'Boomerang' starring Eddie Murphy, Robin Givens, Halle Berry, and David Alan Grier.
Cast
Eddie Murphy as Marcus Graham
Robin Givens as Jacqueline
Halle Berry as Angela Lewis
David Alan Grier as Gerard
Martin Lawrence as Tyler
Grace Jones as Strangé
John Witherspoon as Mr. Graham
Chris Rock as Bony T
Directed by: Reginald Hudlin
Notes
- $40 million budget (most expensive Black movie ever at that point), made $131 million worldwide. Despite this, it was framed as a disappointment because it didn't open #1 – the first time an Eddie Murphy movie hadn't.
- Eddie Murphy wrote an op-ed in the LA Times defending the movie after racially coded criticism. A studio exec had said during the pitch: 'I don't know how you're going to make this work. Eddie Murphy is in a romantic comedy. He's got that broad nose and big lips.'
- The John Witherspoon dinner scene was almost entirely improvised. Hudlin said when Eddie, David Alan Grier, Martin Lawrence, Witherspoon, and Bebe Drake were together, 'it was literally an absolutely unbearable amount of funny.'
- The movie was originally supposed to end with the three buddies on the roof. The ending with Marcus choosing Angela was added later.
- Martin Lawrence and Tisha Campbell had great chemistry on set. Murphy told Hudlin he should do a film with them. Lawrence overheard and said 'I'll just get her to be my girlfriend on the show' – that's how she ended up on Martin.
- Bill says he's seen the movie 30 times: 'This is one of my movies.'
Categories
Quote from Rog's review:
“Boomerang is powerful evidence that Eddie Murphy is back on track. It shows a kinder, gentler, funnier Eddie Murphy than we've seen in recent years.”
Bill: 'I completely agree. This is Eddie at the peak of his powers.'
- The first lunch with Marcus, Gerard, and Tyler – 'I lose all interest but it's not my fault' plus the asparagus scene.
- Marcus sleeping with Lady Eloise then going to work – 'a perfect 6 minutes.'
- The John Witherspoon scenes (lumped together) – mushroom suit, 'I heard you're pussy-whipped,' the bathroom scene. Almost entirely improvised.
- Eddie seeing Robin Givens for the first time – 'you're just breathtaking.'
- Halle Berry's performance – Wesley: 'If there was any justice in the world, she'd become Meg Ryan after this movie.'
- Eddie Murphy's clothes – 'Never wears a tie. Fantastic clothes that would work now. He is ridiculously sharp in this film.'
- The Mojo arc – getting whipped, having your heart broken, regaining your mojo. 'Such an identifiable real life theme.'
- Geoffrey Holder as the ad creative with the sexually suggestive fruit commercials.
- The sexual harassment throughout the movie – Van: 'You couldn't make this movie now.' Lady Eloise is described as 'basically Harvey Weinstein.'
- The 'chicks with dicks' conversation in the first lunch scene.
- Eddie not realizing how hot Halle Berry is for 90 minutes – 'the biggest flaw of this movie.'
- Hudlin wanted Halle Berry; Murphy saw her reading and said 'That's it, there's no need to see the other actresses.'
- Vanessa Williams was the backup for the Jacqueline role if Paramount wouldn't approve Robin Givens.
- Wesley's what-if: Whitney Houston would have killed in this movie.
Grace Jones – 'She dials it up to 1,000.' The legs scene in the restaurant is singled out.
John Witherspoon – declared possibly the greatest heat-check performance in podcast history. 'He is in the movie 49 minutes. He puts up 29 points. He debauches everybody.' Bill: 'I could honestly be talked into calling this the John Witherspoon Award.'
Geoffrey Holder – the ad creative pitching sexually explicit fruit commercials.
- Robin Givens – unanimous pick.
- David Alan Grier – in this movie and on In Living Color at the same time.
- Bill notes the movie is arguably Apex Mountain for virtually everyone in it.
- Angela moves in with Marcus absurdly fast.
- Timeline confusion – four months pass after the breakup, yet Angela already has a new job with a new perfume out.
- Van and Bill: Halle Berry – 'She's the hidden star of this movie.'
- Wesley: Eddie Murphy – 'This is just a really good performance. It has a lot of tenderness and vulnerability.'
- How is Keith Sweat not on the soundtrack?
- Did they cast Robin Givens because she basically took Mike Tyson's mojo, mirroring how her character takes Marcus's mojo?