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"WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2000-9 SCREENING ROOM ® ® 00 0 0 NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS | (¥¥) Directed by Peter Segal Eddie Murphy won the National Society of Film Critics Award for best actor in 1996 for his funny, moving performance as Sherman Klump/Buddy Love in the remake of The Nutty Professor, loosely based on the 1962 Jerry Lewis film of the same name. The National Society of Film Critics is without question the most prestigious organization of film critics in. North America, and their awards are often pre- cursors to the Academy Award nomina- tions. The society is fearless in honouring foreign language films and performances as the finest of the year, or eclectic perfor- mances as the year's best. In 1996, Geoffrey Rush would win the Academy Award for best actor for his fine performance in Shine (1996), but a more deserving winner might have been Tom Cruise for his strong work in Jerry Maguire (1996). There was much talk from the industry that Eddie Murphy would earn his -first By John Foote Oscar nomination for his performance in The Nutty Professor, but sadly, the nomi- nation never came to pass despite critical consensus the performance was the finest of Murphy's career, and among the finest comedic performances in recent memory. Murphy richly deserved a nomination for best actor for the first film, because he was simply brilliant. Not only did he por- tray obese, shy Sherman, but his alter ego, the vicious Buddy Love, and Sherman's entire 'adult family. We had Murphy as Mama Klump, Daddy Klump, Granny ~ Klump, and Uncle Ernie! This made for one of the most astound: ing, hilarious dinner scenes in the history of the movies, as Murphy brilliantly inter- acted with himself, courtesy of some remarkable make up and fine visual effects. However, be aware that the real achievement here was his absolute cre- ation of each individual character, giving each a personality all their own. Watching the film's dinner scene, one would swear five different actors were on screen. What gave The Nutty Professor its heart was the performance of Murphy as sad, gentle Sherman, who knows he is far too large, and hopes someone will see the equally large heart that beats beneath. His science experiments led to the appear- ance of Buddy Love, his alter ego, the com- plete opposite of Sherman, and more than a little dangerous to have around. In a clever performance, Murphy actual- ly portrayed Murphy of the eighties as Buddy, the fast-talking hipster who is a vir- tual sex machine. Of course, having Buddy around wreaks havoc on Sherman's per- sonal life, so he has to go. Essentially the message of the first film was not to judge a person by what they look like, and be happy with yourself. Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, is noth- ing more than an Eddie Murphy ego show. I had hoped Murphy was over such stunts after his strong comeback with The Nutty Professor in 1996. It was, after all, his ego that damaged his career in the eighties, leading him to box office duds such as The Golden Child, The Distinguished Gentleman, Boomerang, Harlem Nights, and Another 48 Hours. With the Nutty Professor he retumed with a vengeance, making it clear to critics he could indeed act, and followed that performance with equally strong work in the prison comedy, Life (1999), and the Steve Martin picture Bowfinger (1999), in which he again essayed two roles. In addi- tion, he was the voice of the mischievous dragon in Mulan (1998) for Disney, and was Oliver Stone's first choice to portray Martin Luther King in Stone's aborted biography -of the slain civil rights leader. | ~ With. Nutty Professor iI, we simply have way too much of Eddie. In the first film, the dual role of Sherman/Buddy works because it must, and the supporting work as the characters of his family worked beautifully because they were essentially cameo performances. Here, the Klumps are the film, and instead of rejoicing in the little moments Murphy provided in the first film, we are tortured by an actor flexing his ego and finding the talent that worked the first time is simply not there. Sherman is getting married, but still suf- fering from bouts of Buddy Love, whom he is trying to keep from ruining his life. You As usual, Eddie's ego messes up a good thing 'see Sherman's research has allowed him to stumble upon a youth serum that shaves decades off one's life, and Buddy wants it... now. Thinking it will be safe in the Klump house, Sherman hides there, only to have the serum found by is family...at which point all hell breaks loose. You can pretty much guess what hap- pens from there. Mama and Papa Klump re-discover their youth, Granny becomes a lascivious woman on the prowl! for Buddy Love, and Sherman...well, he is left to cope with the chaos. Now that is not much of a plot, but then this is not much of a film. You just know the advances of Granny towards Buddy will induce a laugh or two...once. The problem is, the flim makers find nothing else for her to do. The film becomes a series of Eddie Murphy sight gags with' Eddie acting with Eddie acting with Eddie... Are there no actors suitable for Murphy to act with out there? Is he the only talent deemed acceptable to work with the immense talent of Eddie Murphy? Seems like it. Dreadfully written, horribly directed, and acted with constant self-absorption, Nutty Professor II'is little more than artistic masturbation on the part of Eddie Murphy. The only one who is getting any enjoyment out of this is Eddie Murphy. 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