The Nutty Professor

1996

The Nutty Professor

Critics Consensus

The Nutty Professor falls back on juvenile humor eagerly and often, but Eddie Murphy's consistently funny work in dual roles means more for audiences to love.

64%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 55

44%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 601,969
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Movie Info

Comedian/actor Eddy Murphy makes a comeback in this at times hilarious remake of the 1963 Jerry Lewis classic. Whereas Lewis' professor was a scrawny nerd who wanted to be suave, well-muscled and cool, Murphy's Professor Sherman Klump is morbidly obese and shy. He dreams of being a thin, buffed ladies' man. Klump works in a university lab researching a new fat-burning formula. When lovely Carla Purty shows up as his new lab assistant, he falls head-over-heels and decides to accelerate the experiments and take a massive dose of the drug himself. Sure enough it works and what was once ponderously rotund Klump instantly becomes Buddy Love, Mr. Cool incarnate. Unfortunately, the drug's side-effect produces an enormous testosterone rush and Love soon proves to pugnacious, obnoxious and sexually insatiable. The drug also wears off at inopportune times so that Klump must take it constantly. It is as Buddy Love that he makes his play for Carla, but is that really what she wants, or is Carla a much deeper well? The movie's unquestionable highlight is the Klump family dinner scene in which Murphy plays all five enormous, people ranging from a hypersexual grandma to his dangerously gaseous father.

Cast

Eddie Murphy
as Sherman Klump/Buddy Love/Lance Perkins/Papa/Mama/Ernie
James Coburn
as Harlan Hartley
Jada Pinkett Smith
as Carla Purty
Larry Miller
as Dean Richmond
Dave Chappelle
as Reggie Warrington
John Ales
as Jason
Patricia Wilson
as Dean's Secretary
Jamal Mixon
as Ernie Clump Jr.
Nichole McAuley
as Fit Woman
Hamilton von Watts
as Health Instructor
Chao Li Chi
as Asian Man
Tony Carlin
as Host
Quinn Duffy
as Bartender
Doug Williams
as Band Leader
David Ramsey
as Student
Chaz Lamar Shepherd
as Student
Lisa Halpern
as Sad Fat Girl
Mark McPherson
as Doctor
John Prosky
as Doctor
Michael Rothhaar
as Doctor
Sara Ballantine
as Nurse
Greg Natale
as Cop
Roy Werner
as Guy in Crowd
Retha Jones
as Woman in Crowd
Steve Monroe
as Student
Joe V. Greco
as Security Guard
Nick Kokotakis
as Waiter
Stanley D. Petter III
as Fireman
Mohammad Mohsen
as Bodybuilder
Michael D. Starks
as Boxing Trainer
Julianne Christie
as Sporting Goods Clerk
Christie Blanchard-Power
as Woman Dignitary
Alexia Robinson
as Sexy Girl
Lisa Boyle
as Sexy Girl
Athena Massey
as Sexy Girl
Judith Woodbury
as Wellman College Alumna
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Critic Reviews for The Nutty Professor

All Critics (55) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (20)

View All Critic Reviews (55)

Audience Reviews for The Nutty Professor

  • Oct 31, 2011
    At the time of release, I found this movie to be very funny because it created the modern day genre of one actor playing multiple roles. Eddie Murphy killed as every role and set the stage for other films like it such as the Tyler Perry films, etc.
    Eric A Super Reviewer
  • Oct 28, 2011
    Murphy does a admirable job in updating Jerry Lewis's 60's classic and he shows his exceptional talents by playing his entire family. However, sterotypical jokes and excessive and out of control bathroom humor drag this down. Smith is great as his love interest and Murphy makes you love SHerman Klump but vulgar humor overshadows this.
    Christopher O Super Reviewer
  • Oct 16, 2011
    The Nutty Professor is along with Bowfinger, one of Eddie Murphy's last funny comedies. The idea is good, and I enjoyed the comedic elements of the film. Of all the films that Eddie Murphy has starred in, The Nutty Professor is one of his funniest. Sure the film isn't perfect, but there are plenty of good laughs here to entertain the audience. I'm not the biggest Eddie Murphy fan, but I enjoyed this film, and I thought it had some great moments where the film was very well done. The Nutty Professor is a good comedy, and somewhat underrated. However, if you enjoy Eddie Murphy, give this one a shot, The Nutty Professor is one of his last funny roles, and he really does bring on good laughs with his antics in this film. The Nutty Professor has a good cast starring opposite Murphy, and the film boasts another comedic talent, Dave Chappelle. The film works well enough to be an entertaining hour and a half and despite the fact that it's not a comedic masterpiece, the film still has plenty of laughs going for it, and is much better than the second. This is one of Eddie Murphy's last good film roles along with Bowfinger afterwards he really started to make unfunny films that just insulted the intelligence and were a waste of time. Luckily looking back at this film, you realize that Eddie Murphy was once very funny and capable at delivering something unique on-screen. Now, he's totally irrelevant and unfunny. The Nutty Professor may not be the best comedy, but it definitely is worth watching and is pretty funny for what it is.
    Alex r Super Reviewer
  • Oct 09, 2011
    funny movie.. i liked this
    Paul A Super Reviewer
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