Contents


LIFE


Share It With Someone You Love

1999



Life (1999)
 
Directed by 
Ted Demme    
  
Writing credits 
Robert Ramsey (V)   & 
Matthew Stone (I)    
  
Cast (in credits order) 
Eddie Murphy ....  Rayford Gibson  
Martin Lawrence ....  Claude Banks  
Obba Babatundé ....  Willie Long  
Ned Beatty ....  Dexter Wilkins  
Bernie Mac ....  Jangle Leg  
Miguel A. Núñez Jr. ....  Biscuit  
Clarence Williams III ....  Winston Hancock  
Bokeem Woodbine ....  Can't Get Right  
Michael Taliferro ....  Goldmouth (as Michael 'Bear' Taliferro)  
Barry Shabaka Henley ....  Pokerface  
Brent Jennings ....  Hoppin' Bob  
Guy Torry ....  Radio  
Lisa Nicole Carson ....  Sylvia  
O'Neal Compton ....  Superintendant Abernathy  
Poppy Montgomery ....  Older Mae Rose  
Ned Vaughn ....  Young Sheriff Pike  
R. Lee Ermey ....  Older Sheriff Pike  
Nick Cassavetes ....  Sgt. Dillard  
Anthony Anderson ....  Cookie  
Noah Emmerich ....  Stan Blocker  
Rick James (II) ....  Spanky  
Sanaa Lathan ....  Daisy  
rest of cast listed alphabetically  
Todd Everett ....  Deputy  
Heavy D   
Jordan Lund ....  Prison Chaplin  
Bonz Malone ....  Leon  
Bridget Morrow ....  Cocktail Waitress  
Kenn Whitaker ....  Isaac  
  
Produced by 
James D. Brubaker   (executive)  
Tina L. Fortenberry   (associate)  
Brian Grazer    
Karen Kehela   (executive)  
Eddie Murphy    
James Whitaker   (co-producer)  
  
Original music by 
Wyclef Jean    
  
Cinematography by 
Geoffrey Simpson    
  
Film Editing by 
Jeffrey Wolf    
  
Casting 
Margery Simkin    
  
Production Design by 
Dan Bishop    
  
Art Direction 
Jeff Knipp    
  
Set Decoration 
John H. Anderson    
  
Costume Design by 
Lucy W. Corrigan    
  
Makeup Department 
Rick Baker ....  special makeup effects  
Will Huff ....  makeup artist  
  
Second Unit Director & Assistant Director 
Josh King ....  assistant director  
  
Sound Department 
Avram D. Gold ....  dialogue editor  
Steve Maslow ....  sound re-recording mixer  
Russell Williams II ....  production sound mixer  
  
Stunts 
Alan Oliney ....  stunt co-ordinator  
  
Other crew 
Bohnie Avanzino ....  title designer: New Wave Entertainment  
Maria L. Baker ....  set designer  
Francine Byrne ....  art deparment  
George Cawood ....  title designer: New Wave Entertainment  
Carmen Cuba ....  casting associate  
Jane Everett (III) ....  production co-ordinator  
Mary Finn ....  set designer  
Harry K. Garvin ....  steadicam operator  
Josh Lusby ....  set designer  
Dina Mande ....  title designer: New Wave Entertainment  
Peter Martorano ....  assistant location  
Stacy Parker ....  assistant production co-ordinator  
Margo Romano ....  assistant accountant  
Lori Rowbotham ....  set designer  
Nina Saxon ....  title designer: New Wave Entertainment  
Amanda Scheer-Demme ....  music supervisor  
Janet L. Wattles ....  production supervisor  
Toby Wilkins ....  title designer: New Wave Entertainment  
  
 

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LIFE
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1999 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****):  **

Although Ted Demme's LIFE makes you wait until the ending credits, it does eventually deliver on its promising casting. As shown in the outtakes, Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence can be quite funny together as they flub their lines and generally ham it up. They also show evidence of good chemistry together, something that the body of the movie has trouble demonstrating.

How's this for a questionable concept for a movie? A slice of life story about two prisoners in "for the long ride" -- life in prison. The uneventful script by Robert Ramsey and Matthew Stone contains little in the way of comedy or drama. And rather than pumping up this modest story, the director restrains his actors. The result is that the audience has to wait until the end for Murphy and Lawrence to show off their talent. Most of the movie has respectable actors delivering reverential performances in a film that lacks much-needed oomph.

Thanks to set designer Dan Bishop (LONE STAR), the picture does provide some impressive atmospherics. (The story takes place from 1932 until about 40 years later) The Southern, "coloreds only" prison is a ragtag collection of decaying buildings. Not seeing the need for barbed wire, the prison has a "gun line" instead. Step outside of it, and they bury you that afternoon.

The prison is not quite as bad a place as it sounds. The men get conjugal visits, and, for a nominal fee, temporary marriages can be instantly authorized. And for all of the white overseer's bluster, he's frequently more friend than foe.

Still, there's no way out for prisoners #4316 (Murphy) and #4317 (Lawrence), not that they don't try often enough. Their failed attempts, which are never with enough humor, are the story's on-going joke. About the only prisoner who looks like he might get himself an exit visa is a speechless guy named Can't Get Right (Bokeem Woodbine). He may be awarded an athletic scholarship of sorts since the one thing he can get right is swatting a baseball over the far distant trees.

The movie does contain some nice sections. Using 4 decades of archival footage of news events of the era, Demme sets the context of the times. The story's most poignant scene comes when a convincingly aged Lawrence looks for the first time in 30 years at a town full of people. Like Rip Van Winkle, his body freezes and his eyes glaze over as he looks at the changes in people's clothing and hairstyles.

Ending first with a nicely ambiguous twist, the movie then feels compelled to spell everything out for us. After unleashing our imaginations, why does the film have to treat us like little kids who have to know all the answers? Do they think we would demand our money back if the film left some doubt as to the story's precise resolution?

LIFE runs too long at 1:48. It is rated R for some profanity, violence and mature themes and would be fine for teenagers.

Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: www.InternetReviews.com




Have I seen this movie: Yes
And what did I think: Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. Just hearing these 2 names starring in a movie together makes you think of the hilarious outcome. While Life has lots of great banter between Murphy and Lawrence, its not a slapstick comedy. The idea of 2 men being sentenced to life because of a crime they did not commit isn't that funny at all. Rather, its a bittersweet comedy and makes you feel for these two men as you watch their lives past them by in jail. The film starts in present day as an old prisoner tells the story of Ray and Claude to 2 younger prisoners as they bury the bodies of them.... or is it them? In 1932 the two men are forced to do some bootlegging and from being at the wrong place at the wrong time, it looks like they killed a man, when in reality the sheriff did it. For the sheriff, its great because he has two black men he can pin the crime on. So they are sentenced to a work camp and spend their lives their trying to escape. Eventually they meet up with the real killer too. The makeup that is used to age the two men 60 years, is good, although I think Martin Lawrence looked a little more real then Eddie Murphy. If Murphy and Lawrence did not star in this movie, it probably wouldn't be much of a comedy and not worth watching, but because of the way they both love to ham it up and the ad-libbing they do, it's good fun. If you want a decent comedy and story to watch, its worth renting, but if you want a hilarious comedy, then perhaps try another movie.

I give Life 3 out of 5 stars.
Review written November 15, 1999.
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