Life Reviews

1999

Rated:
70
from 3607 members

Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence team up for a prison comedy underlined by serious social commentary. Rayford Gibson (Murphy), an opportunistic con man, and Claude Banks (Lawrence), an ambitious bank teller, are complete opposites who cross paths in 1930s Harlem. In order to pay off their debts to a local crime lord, the .. Read more

Starring	Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Obba Babatunde, Ned Beatty
Director	Ted Demme
Genres	Comedy

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Critics' reviews (5) of Life
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It's sad to see Eddie Murphy so completely unfunny in this cross between The Shawshank Redemption and The Odd Couple. Street-smart Eddie and bank clerk Martin Lawrence are framed by a Deep South sheriff for murder, and sent to a Mississippi jail for life. Initially racist and brutal, the regime lightens up when warden Ned Beatty takes over and makes the pair his house servants. The necessary chemistry between chalk-and-cheese Murphy and Lawrence is absent, so their banter is simply unpleasant rather than hilarious, while the prison comes across as a holiday camp housing whimsical toughies. It's a situation that's strangely lacking in tension and, indeed, regimentation. And, like the film, it's certainly without humour.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
Amiable prison variation on The Odd Couple, which gets by on the interplay between its two stars, though reality never intrudes.
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006
Starting as a 1930s gangster caper, this quickly turns into a broad prison comedy about two chalk 'n' cheese black men... read more on Time Out
- Time Out
- Posted 04 Nov 2008
Most helpful members' reviews (3) of Life
View all
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

Eddie on form

I saw this a few years back and thought it was disappointing for a Murphy/Lawrence flick. Just seen it again and enjoyed it. It was not an all out comedy which made it more watchable but still very funny.
- - Simon from Kent
  - Posted 13 Mar 2004 08:28
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

LIFE

I REMEMBER WATCHING THIS FILM A FEW YEARS AGO AND RECALLED HOW GOOD IT WAS, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW GOOD 'ONE LINERS' IN IT, WELL WORTH A WATCH, MURPHY AND LAWRENCE BOTH PLAY EXCELLENT PARTS AND ITS VERY WELL MADE.
- - peter rumsey from ENGLAND
  - Posted 24 Feb 2005 04:57
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

not one of eddie murphys best but still is quite amuseing, good little plot and a good cast of charecters.
- - mandy#3 from BODMIN
  - Posted 13 Feb 2004 08:40
Most recent members' reviews (2) of Life
View all
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

Eddie on form

I saw this a few years back and thought it was disappointing for a Murphy/Lawrence flick. Just seen it again and enjoyed it. It was not an all out comedy which made it more watchable but still very funny.
- - Simon from Kent
  - Posted 13 Mar 2004 08:28
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

LIFE

I REMEMBER WATCHING THIS FILM A FEW YEARS AGO AND RECALLED HOW GOOD IT WAS, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW GOOD 'ONE LINERS' IN IT, WELL WORTH A WATCH, MURPHY AND LAWRENCE BOTH PLAY EXCELLENT PARTS AND ITS VERY WELL MADE.
- - peter rumsey from ENGLAND
  - Posted 24 Feb 2005 04:57

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

Eddie on form

I saw this a few years back and thought it was disappointing for a Murphy/Lawrence flick. Just seen it again and enjoyed it. It was not an all out comedy which made it more watchable but still very funny.
- - Simon from Kent
  - Posted 13 Mar 2004 08:28
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

LIFE

I REMEMBER WATCHING THIS FILM A FEW YEARS AGO AND RECALLED HOW GOOD IT WAS, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW GOOD 'ONE LINERS' IN IT, WELL WORTH A WATCH, MURPHY AND LAWRENCE BOTH PLAY EXCELLENT PARTS AND ITS VERY WELL MADE.
- - peter rumsey from ENGLAND
  - Posted 24 Feb 2005 04:57
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

not one of eddie murphys best but still is quite amuseing, good little plot and a good cast of charecters.
- - mandy#3 from BODMIN
  - Posted 13 Feb 2004 08:40
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

MUST SEE FILM

One of the best films I have ever seen tells the story of two friends life stories in jail. Starts as they run into each other in a club and are both in big trouble with local gangster and he makes them a deal that if they do a trip for him they'll be alright if only it was as simple as that.

Both of them end up growing old in jail and this film has some of the greatest characters ever "Jinalingjinaling".

MUST SEE MOVIE.
- - BILLY86 from tyne and wear
  - Posted 28 May 2005 12:37
EDDIE MURPHY & MARTIN LAWRENCE need i say more......

This film is to my mind eddie murphys best film since beverly hills cop. He is a revelation as ray a street wise pick pocket in the 1920s and martin lawrence is his usual moaning best as his opposite. FANTASTIC!
- - A customer from Risca,South Wales
  - Posted 03 Mar 2005 18:51
GREAT FUN

ONE TRUE COMEDY, BRILLIANT FILM
- - A customer from HEYSHAM, LANCS
  - Posted 12 Jul 2005 21:11
Very Funny

Excellent performance from Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy...you can not go wrong here....
- - Giampi from Brighton
  - Posted 07 Mar 2005 17:11
acquired taste

this film was not to my taste but my boyfriend really like it. it is funny but not all out funny.
- - A customer from kent
  - Posted 09 May 2006 13:59
Eddie

Eddie Murphy wasnt as good in this DVD but rent it anyway
- - A customer from Uk
  - Posted 26 Jun 2006 18:34
Just Brilliant!

It describes a story about two bitter old men who are locked in prison for life. They have been together in prison for 40 years and develope a beautifull lasting friendship in there.

Over all this movie is funny and has a bueatifull story line.
- - Jamila Keenadiid from England
  - Posted 08 Aug 2006 09:49

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Critics' reviews (5)
It's sad to see Eddie Murphy so completely unfunny in this cross between The Shawshank Redemption and The Odd Couple. Street-smart Eddie and bank clerk Martin Lawrence are framed by a Deep South sheriff for murder, and sent to a Mississippi jail for life. Initially racist and brutal, the regime lightens up when warden Ned Beatty takes over and makes the pair his house servants. The necessary chemistry between chalk-and-cheese Murphy and Lawrence is absent, so their banter is simply unpleasant rather than hilarious, while the prison comes across as a holiday camp housing whimsical toughies. It's a situation that's strangely lacking in tension and, indeed, regimentation. And, like the film, it's certainly without humour.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
Amiable prison variation on The Odd Couple, which gets by on the interplay between its two stars, though reality never intrudes.
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006
Starting as a 1930s gangster caper, this quickly turns into a broad prison comedy about two chalk 'n' cheese black men... read more on Time Out
- Time Out
- Posted 04 Nov 2008
"...[The stars'] rapport is the very soul of LIFE....It may be Lawrence's [best film]..."
- Entertainment Weekly
- Posted 11 Mar 2005
"...Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Murphy are an entertaining team..."
- New York Times
- Posted 11 Mar 2005