Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Los Angeles in the 1970s is a terrible place to live if you're struggling, and aspiring show business professional Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) can't seem to break in. After years of working a dead-end job as a record store manager and grinding for stage time, Rudy creates a character inspired (or stolen, depending on how literal you want to get) by an unhoused man who wanders into his store. Armed with a new name, new vocabulary, and new wardrobe, Rudy as Dolemite starts taking over the comedy scene — but he's not content to stop there.
Determined to turn Dolemite into a blaxploitation karate film starring himself, Rudy cobbles together a screenwriter (Keegan-Michael Key), a celebrated character actor (Wesley Snipes), and a comedian (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), and decides to do it himself. Based on the true story of Rudy Ray Moore, a comedian, filmmaker, and godfather of rap, Dolemite Is My Name is a period biopic that perfectly balances jokes and heart. —I.G.
Where to watch Dolemite Is My Name: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Craig Brewer
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess