‘Nutty Professor 2’ Lacks Comedic Punch

Mon., Aug. 7, 2000

Tyler Wilson, Coeur D'Alene

Eddie Murphy wasn’t his best or even his funniest in the first “Nutty Professor” film. In fact, the only really funny scene came at dinner with the Klump family.

Fortunately, “Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps” (Rated PG-13) takes that idea a step further, but the movie still lacks much of what the first lacked: comedy.

It’s not that “The Klumps” doesn’t have funny moments. When the family gets together the dialogue is very funny, if not a little raunchy. The problems occur when Murphy’s characters are separated and must interact with someone other than another Murphy character. These scenes lack comedic punch and try to deliver drama, such as Sherman’s (aka Nutty Professor) feelings of insecurity about his relationship with Denise, played surprisingly well by Janet Jackson. These scenes are all well and good, but they’re not funny and seem out of place.

It’s a little too critical to complain about a film that tries to provide an audience with decent dramatic moments, but the laughs are too far apart to keep our interest. “The Klumps” is supposed to be a true comedy - not an ode to “American Beauty.”

Much of the film’s humor is rather disgusting, too, with far too many nasty images of a giant hamster.

Eddie Murphy is outstanding in each role and proves his versatility as an actor, but his film is comedically and dramatically uneven. “The Klumps” delivers a few memorable moments - for better or for worse - that are sure to stick in the mind more than many of this summer’s films.

Grade: C+

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