Review of Eddie Murphy: Delirious (1983) by Matt H — 09 Apr 2008

At its best, the film is quite entertaining, but it remains a pale derivative of Richard Pryor's more innovative, daring, and vulnerable style.

So uproariously hilarious in high school, this early Eddie Murphy standup doesn't quite stand the test of time. The material is thoroughly raunchy, and not in a good way (Bill Cosby had a point...). A certain fatigue sets in when F-bombs are dropped about once every 18 seconds. Also, the film suffers from a homophobia that feels mean-spirited and unfunny. In retrospect, it is also sadly ironic. Revenge, thy name is Shalimar.