Dolemite is My Name Review

By Bill Friedell

Based on a true story, Dolemite is My Name (Craig Brewer, 2019) tells the story of aspiring entertainer Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) as he breaks his way into standup comedy and attempts to make a movie based around his comedic alter ego, Dolemite. It brings to life the story of a figure in filmmaking that perseveres through a system that doesn’t believe in him, showcasing the rise of one of blaxploitation’s strangest stars.
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Everyone in the cast gives wonderful performances. While Eddy Murphy doesn’t meticulously approximate Moore, he infuses his own essence with Moore’s to create a fun, earnest, and likeable character to root for while being true to the real life Rudy Ray Moore. Wesley Snipes also stands out as real life actor/director D'Urville Martin. His mix of frustration, ego, and begrudging respect for Moore is brought to life with Snipes specific energy and demeanor. Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Lady Reid also stands out, bringing warmth, humor, vulnerability and strength as she adopts Moore’s style of comedy and even makes it her own. 

The real life Rudy Ray Moore in Dolemite (D'Urville Martin, 1975)

Eddie Murphy as Dolemite

Dolemite is My Name was written by Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander (the writers of  Tim Burton’s Ed Wood (1995). Ed Wood follows the story of real life cult film director Edward Wood Jr. as he begins his film career to making his most infamous film.The film feels distinct and not simply a retread of Ed Wood. Rudy Ray Moore has an entirely different trajectory and approach to his craft that allows for the story to feel like its own distinct work. Even the people surrounding Rudy Ray Moore are distinct from Ed Wood’s film crew. From white film students, friends with no film experience, a professional writer (Kegan Michael Key) and a Hollywood actor left directing a project he doesn’t even believe in, highlighting  Moore’s perseverance as he figured out how to make a film along with everyone else. The focus on the struggle of making movies is very much on the mind of both Dolemite is My Name and Ed Wood. While Ed Wood was limited by his own capabilities, Moore’s content and general image was what held him back, with few people showing any faith in him, spurring Moore to work even harder to achieve stardom.

One of the film’s biggest strengths is the humor in the camaraderie between the cast. The combination of Eddie Murphy’s performance and the character of Rudy Ray Moore allows for playful personality clashes with the ensemble. Each relationship Moore has, whether it by Lady Reed, his manager (Titus Burgess), or with D’Urville Martin oozes with chemistry while also enforcing the idea of the struggle these people went through to make it in entertainment.  Everyone bounces off one another really well, which allows the audience to invest and care about their success and struggle. 
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The overall style of the film complements this with a warm and inviting color palette alongside the set and costume design wonderfully painting the vision of the 1970s. While the film isn ‘t heavily stylized, neither were Rudy Ray Moore’s films. It’s efficient and to the point. 

The overall color palette in this photo is emblematic of the whole film, giving a warm, 70s feel. From left to right Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy), Jerry (Keegan-Michael Key), D'Urville Martin (Wesley Snipes).

Dolemite is My Name is a fun romp that tells a story of perseverance in the midst of adversity. All the actors give their all, especially Eddie Murphy. Even if you know little to nothing about Rudy Ray Moore and the blaxploitation genre, it remains engaging, funny, and heartwarming. It’s absolutely worth checking out as it is available right now on Netflix.
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Works Cited
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“Dolemite.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 26 Apr. 1975, www.imdb.com/title/tt0072895/?ref_=nv_sr_2%3Fref_.
“Dolemite Is My Name.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 11 Oct. 2019, www.imdb.com/title/tt8526872/?ref_=nv_sr_1%3Fref_.
“Ed Wood.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 7 Oct. 1994, www.imdb.com/title/tt0109707/?ref_=nv_sr_1%3Fref_.