Eddie Murphy Raw (1987)

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Live in New York, Eddie Murphy may well look quite ridiculous in his purple jumpsuit but he holds the stage really well in this large arena. It goes without saying that his material is relentlessly foulmouthed and occasionally offensive but it rarely bothered me because he does manage to be consistently funny throughout the show. His topics are mostly in the realm of relationships in regards sex and women generally. This worried me a little bit because these topics hardly offered much in the way of originality but actually he did really well with it.It wasn't that he avoided clichés (because he doesn't) but more that he manages to inject energy into his whole show. At times his material is very strong but even when he is being obvious and crude, his energy lifts it, engages the audience and makes it feel better than it is. I wasn't rolling with laughter all the time but I did really enjoy the show so, even when I didn't laugh at some bits, it wasn't really a problem but he was generally still amusing. Director Townsend doesn't really help him by having the camera tight on him so much either; Murphy's energy is in his whole body so the close shots reduce this somewhat – plus the whole setup makes it hard to appreciate the audience being in the room.Overall though a funny and energetic show from Murphy. It isn't a classic by any means and his material is hardly original but he has stage presence and energy and that helps a lot. Maybe too crude and foulmouthed to be to everyone's tastes but if it is your thing then it is worth a look.

There was once a day when everything Eddie Murphy said and did was hee-larious. Back in 1987, at the height of his powers, Eddie released a movie version of his stand-up act Raw, a sort of follow-up to 1983's Delirious.Film at New York's Felt Room, Eddie discusses Mr T, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor (doing faultless impressions of all), Johnny Carson's costly divorce, relationships, gays, a home-made McDonalds burger that ruined his childhood etc. It's all pure comedy gold. After about half an hour you'll realize that the reason your face hurts so much is because you're smiling too hard. My favorite moment has to be any impression Eddie does of the average white guy, especially the 'white dude dancing' moment.Where did this Eddie Murphy go and who is the man that gives us kiddie drek such as Daddy Day Care and Haunted Mansion? If you need a major dose of Eddie in his prime then check this one out. I promise you'll love it and you'll be quoting it for days.Look out for a youthful Samuel L. Jackson and Basil Wallace as Eddie' uncle and dad too.

Rated R for Pervasive Strong Language and Crude and Sexual Humor. Quebec Rating:13+ Canadian Home Video Rating:18AI saw Eddie Murphy's Raw on BET about a month ago.I must say it is simply hilarious.Eddie Murphy is a very funny comedian and Eddie Murphy's Raw is one of my favorite stand-up comedy routines of all time.Eddie Murphy's Delirious came four years before this.It was very funny but Raw was definitely better! There is an opening skit with an unknown Samuel L Jackson as Eddie Murphy's uncle and it goes on from there.There are plenty of funny topics such as how Bill Cosby called up Eddie Murphy to tell him that he was very vulgar,how Mr.T and Michael Jackson want to kick Eddie Murphy's a**.Eddie Murphy's childhood etc.Raw is a very funny stand up comedy routine and if you find it, watch it! Runtime:93min9/10

Eddie Murphy has to be the Richard Pryor of the 80's. He would star in these comedies that were just hard not to laugh at. Even when he would do things like Delirious and Raw he would still be really funny and when he did stand up he was uncensored. He did what he wanted and that brought him his pay at the end of the day. That was Eddie's passion, Comedy. He was the funniest man of the 80's. He would make any body laugh if he could talk to them. I'm sure that having a conversation with him would have been a great one. Now that he is divorced I feel bad. Now he has kids and is single again. But he isn't the 25 or older comedian he used to be. He kind of had to calm down since being married and having children.