The Nutty Professor (1996)

Elevator Pitch: Professor Klump is a good natured but wildly overweight academic who seems to tolerate his situation until he meets the attractive Carla Purty and then sets to work to create a tonic which will change him from an amiable and charming tub, into what he hopes will be a slim charismatic lover. When he drinks the liquid he turns into “Buddy Love” a slim but overbearing and unpleasant man who is insulting to others, but charms the young woman who is attracted to him. As time passes the alternative personality beings to take over.

Content:  At one point Buddy takes three young women to his apartment, probably for sex. I thought I saw a flash of female nudity. When Sherman dines with his family (all parts played by Eddie Murphy) there is almost continuous farting. Some people will find this funny. When Sherman goes to a comedy store he is put down by the comic, but later gets his own back as Buddy. There is interaction between the two alternate characters and the principal of the college, who is trying to get money out of a donor. There is drama as Buddy attempts to take over permanently.

A View: I remember having enjoyed the first film starring Jerry Lewis in 1964, but they were different times. This one was just approved by the critics but one called it “the beginning of the end for Eddie Murphy”.  Certainly my abiding memory of the movie is Murphy’s teeth as he shouts at people. I don’t like shouting so Buddy gets a double zero from me, making the film difficult to watch. I don’t think this is a goer. You can hardly have it on and not watch, so give it a miss.

Additional Info: The producers were going to cut the Klump family scenes, but they turned out o be the bits the test audiences liked best. Says it all really.