Modern-day America is not known for championing people who rest on their laurels. We live in a “what have you done for me lately” type of society. However, there are some entertainers whose pioneer works are so vintage, so defining in their genre, that those laurels have molded into the most comfortable Craftmatic Adjustable memory foam Tempur-Pedic Sealy Simmons Beautyrest mattress in the world.
Sorry Mr. Murphy, it’s time for your wake-up call.
Eddie Murphy is easily one of the greatest comic actors of all time. He has performed in and even helped write a handful of iconic comedies. And even though Murphy has stayed relevant in Hollywood for over 30 years, and at age 50 looks like he’s 35, he has not churned out a memorable comedic picture since 1992’s The Distinguished Gentlemen or a great one since 1988’s Coming to America. Disappointingly, I will not need A Thousand Words to tell you this streak remains intact.
Jack McCall (Murphy) is a fast-talking, wheeling and dealing literary agent who only reads the first and last five pages of the books he gets published. His off-hands approach to being a new father is placing stress on his family as his first priority continues to be his career. When his overconfidence steers him into trying his patented deal-closing techniques on a new age religious guru to obtain the rights to represent his first book, he accidentally cuts his hand on a spiritual tree on the guru’s property. McCall then inexplicably finds the tree to literally pop up in his backyard. It becomes obvious that McCall and the tree are now connected as every word he speaks results in a single leaf falling from the branches. The guru explains to McCall that when there are no leaves left on the tree, that he will probably die. McCall’s is now consumed with figuring out exactly what he needs to change in his life to stop the leaves from falling while simultaneously tending to his daily obligations without his preeminent talent, speaking.
Instead of A Thousand Words, this film should have been titled “A Thousand Clichés,” because there might actually be that many in there. Murphy’s character of McCall as the fast-talking, slick agent, who can talk anyone into anything, is a prime example. Although if anyone is awarded a pass on driving that kind of character into the ground, it’s definitely Eddie Murphy as he is the architect of that brand of comedy. In fact, that’s exactly what Murphy’s fans have been clamoring for ever since the end of the 1980’s. Unfortunately though, like many of Murphy’s recent films, only teeny tiny morsels of his inner Axel Foley seem to shine through.
In the same ilk of films like Liar Liar, What Women Want, and any of the “body switch” movies, the protagonist has lost his focus on what’s really important in life, instead spending too much time at work and other selfish endeavors. Then, usually by accident, something supernatural happens to force the main character to change their perspective on the world. Once the character has learned the all-important lesson, things go back to normal.
This has become a very overplayed theme in movies but that’s not to say it’s inherently defective. There’s nothing wrong with following a steadfast formula, as long as the execution is exceptional. Regrettably, A Thousand Words just goes through the motions of this blueprint, without presenting any original wrinkles. The only saving grace of the film for unwavering Murphy fans is the “flash paper” moments when the “real” Eddie emerges.
Story: 5.5
Acting: 5.5
Writing: 6.0
Captivation: 6.0
Replay Value: 6.0
Total = 5.8 out of 10
