Angus Wall’s documentary about Eddie Murphy feels more like a promotional piece than a critical look at his life and career. While it celebrates Murphy’s significant impact on comedy, it avoids addressing any potentially negative aspects of his public persona. This film is Murphy’s fifth collaboration with Netflix since 2019’s Dolemite Is My Name, following a reported $70 million deal for new stand-up material – his first since the controversial Raw special in 1987. As a result, Being Eddie comes across as a lengthy piece of public relations.
The film isn’t without merit, but it feels surprisingly simple. The title promises a more personal story than it actually delivers, relying heavily on Eddie Murphy’s own commentary and supportive remarks from his friends. Fellow Netflix comedian Dave Chappelle jokingly compares himself to LeBron James, positioning Eddie Murphy as the Michael Jordan of comedy.
Eddie Murphy’s career is truly exceptional, and deserves immense recognition. As critic Elvis Mitchell notes, he fundamentally changed the landscape of entertainment, similar to icons like Michael Jackson, Prince, and Whitney Houston. Murphy began his career on Saturday Night Live at just 19, quickly becoming a film star with 48 Hrs. at 21, and releasing his first comedy special at 22. He was the most prominent Black star of the 1980s. The film highlights that the success of later comedians like Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, and Kenan Thompson likely wouldn’t have been possible without the path Murphy forged.
Despite potentially being the most objective voice among those interviewed, the documentary Being Eddie remains limited in scope. It doesn’t fully explore the broader cultural effect of Raw, acknowledging its groundbreaking humor and charm but failing to address the criticisms regarding its offensive homophobic and sexist content. The film also largely ignores Eddie Murphy’s string of unsuccessful films in the 1990s and 2010s, only briefly mentioning them and even framing them positively by Tracee Ellis Ross as a result of his dedication to his family.
The film feels like a saint’s life, but by carefully leaving things out. While the interpretations presented aren’t necessarily incorrect, the film—or more likely, the subject himself—doesn’t offer a complete, honest portrayal, especially given its title, Being Eddie. Even setting aside his extensive career, the film doesn’t truly delve into Eddie Murphy’s inner world. His reported battles with OCD, paranoia, and difficult upbringing—including his parents’ constant fighting and his father’s murder when Murphy was eight—are mentioned, but only briefly and without much depth.
Angus Wall, an Oscar-winning editor known for films like The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, makes his first attempt at directing with this documentary, but it unfortunately falls into the same trap as many easy-going Netflix documentaries. The film spends a significant amount of time praising Eddie Murphy as a father, which feels like an advertisement. While he may be a good father, the documentary doesn’t mention he has ten children with five different women, or that he once denied the existence of one of them for years. It also completely omits the fact that Murphy was arrested for soliciting sex from a transgender worker, Atisone Seiuli, who ended up serving 90 days in jail while Murphy faced no consequences.
Wall’s documentary offers a great overview of a comedian whose impact is difficult to overstate. Murphy himself once aimed to be as hilarious as Richard Pryor, as effortlessly cool as Elvis, and as widely known as The Beatles – and he achieved that level of success for many years. His memorable characters like Buckwheat, Gumby, and James Brown were key to establishing Saturday Night Live as a television staple. With Beverly Hills Cop, he became the most reliable box office draw for a Black actor since Sidney Poitier. And his iconic red leather outfit in Delirium cemented his status as both a comedic and a sex symbol.
Looking back at Eddie Murphy’s career, it’s amazing how he didn’t just create opportunities for himself, but also helped other Black artists get noticed in mainstream films like Boomerang and Harlem Nights – which he actually directed! The documentary really highlights the racism that was prevalent in the 80s and 90s media. It was frustrating to see how people couldn’t accept his success without comparing him to Richard Pryor, like there was only room for one successful Black comedian. I remember Boomerang getting unfairly criticized, which really showed how resistant some were to seeing people of color in roles traditionally reserved for white actors. It’s also incredible to learn he actually called out racist practices at the Oscars back in 1988, but that never really got the attention it deserved.
Despite his successful career, Eddie Murphy remains a private person. He often talks about growing up watching television and being fascinated by actors who transformed themselves with makeup. He even shares that his mother used to joke about not always recognizing his voice because he was constantly imitating others. These stories hint at someone who’s always been a bit of a chameleon, even while achieving incredible comedic heights – a talent level rarely seen, comparable to legends like Jerry Lewis and Charlie Chaplin.
You know, watching Eddie Murphy, I’ve often wondered why he seems to keep a certain distance, like we only ever see a surface level of who he is. Maybe that’s intentional. It’s almost like he’s an artist who refuses to be just a celebrity, or maybe all that early fame built up walls around him that are hard to break down. Both Dave Chappelle and Jerry Seinfeld have talked about how remarkably grounded he is, considering how huge he became. He says himself it comes down to figuring out who you are and what you want early on. He puts it simply: “I love myself.” And it’s striking – unlike a lot of stars, he never got into drugs or alcohol. It really seems like self-awareness and staying true to himself were key.
John Landis, who cast Eddie Murphy in Trading Places after Richard Pryor suffered a severe accident related to drug use, describes Murphy as someone who couldn’t bring himself to fully commit to a destructive role. Murphy also appears unwilling to show weakness, perhaps believing it would be self-defeating. Because of this, he may never fully embody the character of Eddie in a way that resonates with audiences. And that might be perfectly acceptable.
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2025-11-12 11:02