I liked Craig Brewer’s ‘Dolemite Is My Name’ a lot, and that surprised me, as I didn’t think it was my kind of film. I haven’t thought of Eddie Murphy in a while, and to be frank, he isn’t one of my favorites. I can’t say I have seen many of his films – perhaps just the Beverly Hills Cop series and of course, Dreamgirls – and even though I am not really terribly offended by his homophobic stand up routines of the past, they are on my mind as I watch him. But sure Murphy gives a great performance here, as Rudy Ray Moore, who I know next to nothing about before I saw this film. He is a comedian from 70s who had successful comedy records, and ventured into B-movies successfully. The screenplay, by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (they wrote ‘Ed Wood as well) gives us a sense of a real character. It is one of those instances wherein you get a glimpse of a real person, and understand what made Moore tick. Murphy gives a totally committed performance, and it feels authentic, whether or not it is, and I wouldn’t really know. I found myself rooting for Moore to succeed, and felt good when he finally achieved some at the end of he film. This is so full of profanity, though, and I am as far from a prude as one gets, but I shudder at the accessibility of this movie for minors. All in all, I think this is definitely worth a watch, and hope Murphy gets noticed for his fine work.