Life

In another era, I could have said this is a “prison picture” and left it at that. Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence are two New Yorkers, a pickpocket and a bank teller, who are sent on a liquor run to Mississippi (the movie starts during prohibition). The job turns foul and the two are sentenced to life in a rural work prison in Ole Miss. The two argue, bicker, and love like a married couple as they grow old together. The film is extremely lightweight, and it’s enjoyable to see Murphy and Lawrence do their thing. Unlike recent Murphy movies, the jokes never sinks very low, making this film smoother and easier to swallow than Dr. Dolittle, Metro, or even his recent TV series, “The Pjs.” Clearly second fiddle, Lawrence was dignified in his restraint, particularly compared to his role on his sitcom.