“Dolemite is my name, and f - - kin’ up motherf - - kers is my game!
Eddie Murphy portrays Blaxploitation legend Rudy Ray Moore, in Dolemite is My Name with a star-studded cast including Wesley Snipes, Mike Epps, and a few cameos from some recognizable faces.
EDDIE MURPHY IS BACK! It’s been a long time coming and “Dolemite Is My Name” is the perfect kick off to his return. We’ve seen Eddie in a variety of family friendly films from Shrek to Daddy Daycare, but this is the Eddie I remember. Although he is portraying a character, and one of his idols his acting is very reminiscent of his early stand up.
“Dolemite Is My Name” follows the life of struggling comedian Rudy Ray Moore, that hits it big as his alter ego, Dolemite. As he comes into his own traveling the chitlin circuit promoting his stand up comedy, he decides to risk it all to make a movie. We follow the journey as he creates a colorful suit wearing, slick talking, kung-fu fighting, ladies man who spoke to the culture of black people.
During the early 70’s to mid-70’s Black people were under represented on the big screen, and were subjected to the normal stereotypical roles. Blaxploitation films were created showing black men in a different light, they controlled the narrative. They were ghetto superheroes. The appeal of the roles did not show the black community in a flattering light since most were cast as pimps, whores, drug dealers, and other unsavory characters, but what it did was allowed black people to have a voice and make choices. The community wanted to see representation of themselves and what they saw in their own neighborhoods.
When Rudy decides to make a Dolemite movie, Murphy gathers his crew and gets to work. Tituss Burgess, Keegan-Michael Key, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Craig Robinson and above all the irreplaceable Wesley Snipes.
Snipes plays D’Urville Martin, an “accomplished” actor whose credits includes “Rosemary’s Baby” a number of blaxploitation titles. D’Urville, hired to direct as well as act, struggles as he watches this ametueur production take place. The crew is unsure if the film will make it to post production and they all just sit back and watch as one thing after another seems to go awry.
I enjoyed the biopic because I remember sneaking to listen to Rudy Ray Moore albums growing up. It’s reminds me of sneaking to listen to an NWA cassette knowing I didn’t have any business listening to it, but you couldn’t help but listen. The vibe, the language was everything that was happening in my neighborhood and I wanted a front row seat. “Dolemite is My Name” reminded me of that moment.