Dolemite Is My Name

Name: Dolemite Is My Name
Genre: Biography, Drama, Comedy
Released: October 4, 2019
Duration: 118 min
Rating: 76
Cast: Barry Shabaka Henley, Chelsea Gilson, Chris Rock, Craig Robinson, Da'Vine Joy Randolph

2019

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Generally favorable reviews based on 39 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 146 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 146 Ratings

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Dolemite Is My Name

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Movie Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date: October 4, 2019 | R

Starring: Barry Shabaka Henley, Chelsea Gilson, Chris Rock, Craig Robinson, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, David M Sandoval Jr., Eddie Murphy, Jamaal Lewis, Keegan-Michael Key, Kodi Smit-McPhee, London Worthy, Mike Epps, Ron C. Jones, Snoop Dogg, T.I., Tituss Burgess, Wesley Snipes

Summary: Stung by a string of showbiz failures, floundering comedian Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) has an epiphany that turns him into a word-of-mouth sensation: step onstage as someone else. Borrowing from the street mythology of 1970s Los Angeles, Moore assumes the persona of Dolemite, a pimp with a cane and an arsenal of obscene fables. However,Stung by a string of showbiz failures, floundering comedian Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) has an epiphany that turns him into a word-of-mouth sensation: step onstage as someone else. Borrowing from the street mythology of 1970s Los Angeles, Moore assumes the persona of Dolemite, a pimp with a cane and an arsenal of obscene fables. However, his ambitions exceed selling bootleg records deemed too racy for mainstream radio stations to play. Moore convinces a social justice-minded dramatist (Keegan-Michael Key) to write his alter ego a film, incorporating kung fu, car chases, and Lady Reed (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), an ex-backup singer who becomes his unexpected comedic foil. Despite clashing with his pretentious director, D’Urville Martin (Wesley Snipes), and countless production hurdles at their studio in the dilapidated Dunbar Hotel, Moore’s Dolemite becomes a runaway box office smash and a defining movie of the Blaxploitation era.… Expand

Director: Craig Brewer

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 118 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Richard Roeper

Oct 10, 2019

In the flat-out hilarious 1970s period piece “Dolemite Is My Name,” Murphy is the funniest he’s been since we last saw Sherman Klump and family in the early 2000s — but he’s equally effective in the handful of relatively low-key, dramatic moments. It’s a fully realized performance. Read full review

Vince Mancini

Jan 2, 2020

Dolemite Is My Name is escapism, but it’s also not mindless escapism. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Odie Henderson

Sep 16, 2019

A typical biopic buoyed by its unrelenting hilarity, its affection for its subject and commitment to the time and place it is set. And yet, something still nags at me about its lead performance. Don’t get me wrong, Murphy is very, very good, and on the basis of this, I’d love to see him tackle Pryor next. I just buy him more as Rudy Ray Moore than I do as Dolemite. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Oct 3, 2019

As foul-mouthed and politically-incorrect (era appropriate) as Dolemite is My Name is, it is a classic Hollywood feel-good movie, a sentimental tale of an underdog overcoming obstacle after obstacle to follow his bliss. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Oct 28, 2019

It’s a strong performance of a character worthy of biopic treatment. Dolemite lives! Read full review

Peter Travers

Oct 3, 2019

Though the formulaic result comes up short as cinema, it’ll make you laugh you ass off. There are worse trade-offs. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Oct 22, 2019

Its main virtue is that it provides Murphy with a juicy role. Read full review

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User Reviews

aitken

Oct 29, 2019

Fans of comedy will love this priceless return to comedy of a comedic genius- Eddie Murphy! Welcome back! I laughed and smiled during the movie and many moments after as this film was infectious with it’s dazzling comedy!

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

ThatFilmGuy20

Oct 27, 2019

Eddie murphy is BACK baby, tell a friend, scream it from a rooftop, a comedy legend is gracing the big screen again, Dolemite doesn't skip a beat, laughs are guaranteed from start to finish, we got the great Murphy playing the larger than life character of Dolemite. He does it like nobodyEddie murphy is BACK baby, tell a friend, scream it from a rooftop, a comedy legend is gracing the big screen again, Dolemite doesn't skip a beat, laughs are guaranteed from start to finish, we got the great Murphy playing the larger than life character of Dolemite. He does it like nobody else, infused with his own signature comedy this film is too good to resist, having an amazingly funny cast doesn't hurt either.

This is exactly what was missing for the last couple of years in the comedy scene, A man of trade, Eddie Murphy is a comedy landmark, and this film just goes to prove it, Funny as hell.… Expand