Compelling new drama
Strong performances and large scope that encompasses multiple eras in this country
The very different lives of three Ma¯ori women play out non-linearly in this impactful adaptation of Patricia Grace’s 1992 novel. Jumping around between multiple time periods, with three actors portraying each character, Cousins tells the story of Makareta, Mata and Missy.
Makareta (played in contemporary scenes by Briar GraceSmith, who co-directed the film alongside Ainsley Gardner, heretofore best known for producing Taika Waititi’s early films) describes herself at one point as “the spoiled one” but has led a life of selfdetermination and activism following a childhood as the princess of the family.
Facing the twilight of her days, Makareta is trying to track down lost cousin Mata (Tanea Heke, who made a strong impression in 2017’s Waru), who is now homeless on the streets of Wellington after a life marked by tragedy and (unspecified) mental illness. Orphaned in the years following World War II, Mata spends one memorable holiday with her cousins as a child, but grows up in a group home where the matron selfishly prevents her from going back to her wha¯nau. Then there’s the feisty Missy (played as an adult by national treasure Rachel House), who has remained on the family farm as its guardian and is fighting off government encroachment.
The fact alone that Cousins represents an all too rare instance of wa¯hine telling their own stories makes it a worthy and unique cinematic experience, but it’s also a film dense with emotion thanks to strong performances and a large scope that encompasses multiple eras in this country.
As rich as it is, I wanted to see even more of the life stories being told. It’s not often that a film feels too brief, but some more time spent with the younger versions of these characters would’ve been appreciated. Still, this remains powerful stuff.
About halfway through Coming 2 America two characters discuss a popular, yet deceitful, sales technique. “It’s called a ‘bait and switch’. The customer thinks they’re buying something at half off, so they come flocking, waving their wallets, just hungry to buy something,” the streetwise Lavelle explains to the African princess, Meeka.
“But when they get there you sell them the upgrade at double the price.”
In a movie filled with silly one-liners, over-the-top character comedy and saccharine romance this is the line that’s proved the most memorable. Not because it’s funny or that I wasn’t previously aware of this underhanded way to sell product. No.
It’s because it perfectly summed up how I was feeling at that exact moment. I’d bought into a sequel to Eddie Murphy’s popular 1988 romcom Coming to America and had instead found myself spending a large chunk of time watching people that were not Eddie Murphy fall in love after leaving America.
The bait, friends, had been switched.
The original movie was a classic fish-out-of-water story flip-flopping all over a traditional rom-com. It saw Murphy’s sheltered and idealistic African prince Akeem leaving the fictional nation of Zamunda and travelling to the rough and ready district of Queens, New York, to find a woman to fall in love with and marry. Aiding him on his love quest was best friend and confidant Semmi, played by motormouth comedian Arsenio Hall. Murphy and Hall were at the top of their game when Coming to America came out and while it was always a vehicle for Murphy, it’s their comedic chemistry that was the driving force of the film. Their effortless riffing being draped over the multiple roles they each took on under layers of heavy prosthetic make-up and outlandish costumes.
While not regarded as an instant classic the film was nevertheless largely met with warm fuzzies. In the decades since the (mostly) familyfriendly romance tale has seen audiences continue to fall in love with
it. So much so that a sequel set more than 30 years later doesn’t seem like the craziest of ideas. It’s now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Akeem is now the newly crowned king of Zamunda but finds his rule threatened by General Izzi, the warmonger leader of neighbouring Nextdoria. To prevent an assassination attempt that would leave the crown vacant and open for Izzi to usurp, Akeem must travel back to Queens to find his illegitimate son and convince him to become heir to the throne.
With great haste — and, it must be said, some incredibly great fanfare filled with crowd-pleasing cameos, impressive dance numbers and an absolute banger of a 90s R&B mashup — the movie sets everything up and gets flying. It’s not long before Akeem and Semmi have touched down in Queens and are once again getting verbally roasted by the four wise-cracking older gents — played with cackling joy by Murphy and Hall — in the My-T-Sharp barbershop.
This, I thought, was the beginning of a hilarious, mishap filled romp through New York City as the hapless duo searched high and low for
Akeem’s son. Nope. The barbers told them exactly where to find his son and they go right there and get him. Almost immediately after coming to America the pair were leaving America.
Back in Zamunda the story shifts focus to son Lavelle, his adjustment to royal life and a love story that echoes Akeem’s from the first movie. This is when the film’s at its weakest. There’s long stretches — or maybe they just felt long — where Murphy’s nowhere to be seen and we’re left following Lavelle’s obvious and predictable rom-com journey. Jermaine Fowler’s fine in the role but he ain’t no Eddie Murphy. And in an Eddie Murphy film I just want to watch Eddie Murphy.
Obviously things pick back up whenever he’s onscreen and especially when he’s paired with Hall. Although, Wesley Snipes’ comedic turn as the gleefully evil, always bopping General Izzi certainly gives them a run for their money.
While the movie’s bright, colourful, African costume design is truly stunning, the comedy doesn’t shine quite as bright. It’s a humorous film but not what I’d describe as a crackup.
“Are my clothes not on fleek?”
Murphy beams with that famous grin of his, only to be informed by his youngest daughter that “fleek” is now out. “Oh,” he says, devastated. “I rather enjoyed being on fleek.”
It’s all very gentle but is obviously a labour of love for all concerned. And with notably less f-bombs than the original, a strict adherence to romcom tropes and its many big spectacle dance numbers and celeb cameos Coming 2 America is squarely aiming at a family audience. On that level it succeeds. But with its emphasis on romance over comedy and its split focus, long-term Eddie Murphy fans may find less to fall in love with.