Coming to America (1988)
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A pampered African prince travels to the United States to find a woman who loves him for himself rather than his royal status.
The story
Akeem Joffer, the crown prince of the fictional African nation of Zamunda, grows weary of his pampered lifestyle and seeks independence. On his 21st birthday, he is presented with an arranged bride but convinces his parents to give him 40 days to explore the outside world. Accompanied by his friend and personal aide, Semmi, Akeem travels to the New York City borough of Queens. They pose as poor foreign students while searching for a woman who can think for herself and love him for who he is, not for his social status. They eventually find work at a local restaurant, where Akeem encounters Lisa McDowell, a woman who possesses the qualities he is looking for.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Akeem Joffer, the crown prince of Zamunda, travels to Queens, New York, with his aide Semmi to find a woman who loves him for himself. They pose as poor students and work at a restaurant owned by Cleo McDowell. Akeem falls for Cleo's daughter, Lisa, and they begin dating despite her having a boyfriend, Darryl. Akeem's identity remains a secret until his parents arrive in New York to find him. When his royal status is revealed, Lisa is initially angry at his deception. However, after a series of events including a royal ball and a misunderstanding regarding their wealth, Akeem's identity is exposed to the public. At the altar of his arranged marriage to Imani, Akeem finds Lisa in the wedding dress instead of his intended bride. Lisa chooses to accept a new life in Zamunda, and the two ride off together in a carriage.
- First release year
- 1988
- Runtime (minutes)
- 117
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Landis
- Writers
- David Sheffield · screenplay; Barry W. Blaustein · screenplay; Eddie Murphy · story
- Cast and characters
- Eddie Murphy · Prince Akeem Joffer; Arsenio Hall · Semmi; James Earl Jones · King Jaffe Joffer; John Amos · Cleo McDowell; Madge Sinclair · Queen Aoleon Joffer; Shari Headley · Lisa McDowell
- Genres
- romantic comedy; comedy
- Themes
- identity; social status; romance
- Tone and mood
- romantic; comedic; fairytale
- Premise and plot tags
- fish out of water; royal; cross-cultural
- Source material / true-story basis
- story originally created by Eddie Murphy
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was a box-office success.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 47 · scale: 100 · review count: 16; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Awards · Best Costume Design · 61st · Nominated; Academy Awards · Best Makeup · 61st · Nominated; NAACP Image Award · Outstanding Motion Picture · Won; NAACP Image Award · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture · Won
- Production trivia
- The film features a character named Randy Watson, a soul singer.; A sequel was released in 2021.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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