This Eddie Murphy performance has been a long time coming, and you know what? It’s worth the wait. I’m a big fan of Craig Brewer too and this also feels like a return to form for him, here expanding on the underdog milieu of his early films. The sequences of Murphy’s Rudy Ray Moore perfecting his Dolemite persona and then recording his first comedy album in his apartment with nothing but blood, sweat, tears and enthusiasm immediately brings to mind Deejay and co. recording the first songs in Hustle & Flow. In short, this is Brewer doing what he does best. He has a real knack for depicting the thrill of the creative process. The 70s LA aesthetic, lived-in environments, strong ensemble and colourful dialogue really pop too, making this feel like a complimentary piece to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, only this fairy tale is actually true. Looking forward to seeing this again.

Watched on Netflix