Life

R

Released Apr 16, 1999

1 hr. 48 min.

Comedy

Drama

List

52%

58 Reviews

Tomatometer

77%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

During Prohibition, loudmouth Harlem grifter Ray (Eddie Murphy) and the no-nonsense Claude (Martin Lawrence) team up on a bootlegging mission to Mississippi that could bring them big bucks. But they run into trouble when a crooked lawman hits them with a phony murder charge. Ray and Claude are given life sentences and shipped off to jail, where they must think of a way to prove their innocence and avoid the brutal guards while battling their biggest enemies -- their opposing personalities.

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Critics Consensus

Entertaining if not over-the-top humor from a solid comic duo provides plenty of laughs.

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Audience Member

Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Sanna Lathan, and the late Bernie Mac taking place in 1932 New Orleans 2 inmates Claude Banks and Ray Gibson embark on a journey of friendship after being imprisoned after being accused of murder now they have to stick together in order to survive their life sentence Murphy and Lawrence are a dime a dozen The movie is full of laughs but also some tender moments considering these two are stuck with each other Maybe some aren’t meant to be free but live more freely being locked up If you have to rot in imprisonment it might as well be with someone you love/hate Like the movie or not these two comedians make it fun even though prison is hell for most

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/16/24

Full Review

kirktheruler

The old reviews of this movie are wild to read. It's a '90s blockbuster at this point. Solid 7.0/10. The production of this movie is also solid; I mean, look at the scene props. Cult classic !

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/08/23

Full Review

Tabitha B

Absolutely hilarious

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/11/23

Full Review

Alissa H

Probably one of the funniest movies I've ever seen

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/20/23

Full Review

Kyle J

WOW! ODD! How to bridge total historical race tragedy with fast talking and contrasting super comedy of two best comedians ever. It's odd. And you have to separate the extremes and think on both. Ultimately the upbeat genius says something. Thanks! I get it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/10/23

Full Review

K A

Very funny and entertaining!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/08/23

Full Review

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Ted Demme

Director

Eddie Murphy

Rayford Gibson

Martin Lawrence

Claude Banks

Obba Babatundé

Willie Long

Ned Beatty

Dexter Wilkins

Bernie Mac

Jangle Leg

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Life: Official Clip - The Real Killer

2:48

Life: Official Clip - Never Said It Didn't Work

2:02

Life: Official Clip - I'm the Baby's Daddy

2:28

Life: Official Clip - Claude's Plan

2:30

Life: Official Clip - Ray's Boom Boom Room

3:00

Life: Official Clip - The Night Escape

2:48

Life: Official Clip - The Cornbread Fight

2:45

Life: Official Clip - Standing on Bottles

3:02

Life: Official Clip - The Decades Pass

1:58

Life: Official Clip - Biscuit's Release Papers

2:57

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Globe and Mail

Rated: 2/4

Mar 22, 2002

Full Review

Rod Dreher

New York Post

This prison dramedy's muddled, episodic script seems to have gone on a hunger strike for humor!

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Life desperately wants to let Murphy and Lawrence be actors, but it can't imagine them as anything more than rowdy showmen.

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Cory Woodroof

615 Film

Y’know, this was pretty solid. Kind of a funnier riff on The Shawshank Redemption, if not … well … as good.

Feb 2, 2023

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...receives plenty of mileage out of the charming, engaging efforts of its two stars...

Rated: 3/4

Jun 26, 2022

Full Review

Anderson Jones

The Advocate

Life's base, easy laughs diminish an otherwise sweet fable about two guys who spend the rest of their lives together.

Apr 19, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

During Prohibition, loudmouth Harlem grifter Ray (Eddie Murphy) and the no-nonsense Claude (Martin Lawrence) team up on a bootlegging mission to Mississippi that could bring them big bucks. But they run into trouble when a crooked lawman hits them with a phony murder charge. Ray and Claude are given life sentences and shipped off to jail, where they must think of a way to prove their innocence and avoid the brutal guards while battling their biggest enemies -- their opposing personalities.

Director: Ted Demme
Screenwriter: Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone
Distributor: MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
Production Co: Imagine Entertainment, Universal Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 16, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $64.0M
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround

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