Life

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Life

R

Released Apr 16, 1999

1h 48m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

58 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

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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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

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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

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Lawrence and Murphy make an entertaining team!

Jan 1, 2000

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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

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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

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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

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Belle P.

Really good and a bit sad

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/23/25

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Stephen C

Successful in 1 hour and 48 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DVD and Blu-Ray Disc releases include blooper reel!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $64,000,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In memory of actor and comedian Bernard Jeffrey McCullough (October 05th, 1957-August 09th, 2008)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

Full Review

Audience Member

I liked the movie, but story is truly saddening...

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

Full Review

Farah R

Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence are a superb comedic duo in this unique dramady about life and friendship. The film’s unique story is entertaining and goes beyond just a few laughs, as deeper themes are explored.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/08/25

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A R

Seriously one of my favorite movies of all time! Seen it 50 times and every time it's just a riot. Eddie and Martin are FANTASTIC. If you don't laugh at this movie you don't like comedies. Just get through the first 1/2 hour....which still isn't bad but the good stuff comes after. Watch it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/23/24

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Stephen A

Great movie, Martin and Eddie deliver! Great laughs and quotables.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/18/24

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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

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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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
Producer: Brian Grazer, Eddie Murphy
Screenwriter: Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone
Distributor: MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment
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
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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