Eddie Murphy’s recent return to the screen in the Amazon Prime film The Pickup has generated a lot of buzz, but not all of it is positive. Despite surrounding himself with a talented cast, the movie has been met with harsh criticism for its uninspired script and a lacklustre performance from the comedy legend himself. Reviews, including a particularly biting one from The Guardian, have called it “worse than Norbit” and “the worst Eddie Murphy movie in recent memory,” suggesting a significant misstep in his latest project.
A Star-Studded Cast with No Spark
The film attempts to be a buddy heist comedy, pairing Murphy as a veteran armoured truck driver with Pete Davidson as his bumbling new partner. Their routine day takes a turn when they are ambushed by a criminal mastermind played by Keke Palmer. The supporting cast also includes talented actors like Eva Longoria and even NFL legend Marshawn Lynch. However, critics argue that the film fails to find any chemistry between the leads. One reviewer lamented that Murphy and Davidson have no connection, leaving the comedy flat and the plot unengaging. The script by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider is widely seen as the main problem, wasting the comedic talent of everyone involved.
A Misfire in a Career Comeback
While some recent projects like Dolemite Is My Name and Coming 2 America saw Murphy leaning into nostalgia and earning praise, The Pickup seems to miss the mark entirely. The film’s action sequences are described as unconvincing, and at times, Murphy’s performance appears uninspired. The film’s struggles highlight a key challenge for veteran actors: finding new material that both challenges them and plays to their strengths without feeling like a forced imitation of past glories. This particular film’s failure to deliver on either count makes it a disappointing entry in what has otherwise been a promising late career comeback for the comedy icon.
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