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Trailer

Coming to America

1988Movie1 h 57 minR

ComedyRomance
66
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.1Metacritic477.4Rotten Tomatoes71%85%

A nostalgic, romantic comedy movie about everyday modern life and pop culture.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for scares, brutality or tears.

Movies with

Story

This summer, Prince Akeem discovers America.

An African prince decides it’s time for him to find a princess... and his mission leads him and his most loyal friend to Queens, New York. In disguise as an impoverished immigrant, the pampered prince quickly finds himself a new job, new friends, new digs, new enemies and lots of trouble.

Feels like

  • Classic Fish-out-of-Water Comedy
  • Eddie Murphy Star Vehicle
  • Satire of Class Privilege
  • Romantic Comedy with Heart
  • 80s Pop Culture Icon
  • Feel-Good Comfort Watch
  • Cultural Clash Humor
  • Ensemble Cast Chemistry

Cast

24 of 37

Crew

Directed by
John Landis
Written by
Eddie Murphy, Barry W. Blaustein, David Sheffield
Produced by
George Folsey Jr., Robert D. Wachs
Music by
Nile Rodgers

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

June 29, 1988 · 1 h 57 min · R

Released
June 29, 1988
Runtime
1 h 57 min
Age rating
R
Content
Strong Language, Sexual Content
Genres
Comedy, Romance
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$30 million
Box office
$289 million
Available in
113 countries

Tropes

Napoleon Delusion, Metaphorgotten, I Know You Know I Know +9

  • Napoleon Delusion
  • Metaphorgotten
  • I Know You Know I Know
  • "Oh, Crap!" Smile
  • Forgot I Could Change the Rules
  • Animal Reaction Shot
  • Punny Name
  • Screw the Rules, I Make Them!
  • Exact Words
  • Scenery Porn
  • Kiss of Distraction
  • Take That!

12 of 107 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream Coming to America?"

Questions about Coming to America

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Coming to America?

NetflixPhiloYouTube TV

In the United States, Coming to America streams on Netflix, Philo, and YouTube TV. You can rent or buy it from JustWatch TV Store, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 47 other countries.

Is Coming to America worth watching?

66
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 66 (IMDb 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes 71%, and Metacritic 47). Audiences rate it higher (77 out of 100) than critics (59).

Is there a sequel to Coming to America?

  1. Coming to America (1988)
  2. Coming 2 America (2021)

Yes: it's movie 1 of 2 in its series, followed by Coming 2 America (2021).

Is Coming to America okay for kids?

RStrong languageSexual content

Yes: it's rated R in the United States for strong language and sexual content, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

Is Coming to America good for date night?

and 6 moreDate NightPartner WatchAdultsFamily Movie NightFriends Night

Yes: romance is 8 of 10, and the viewing guide lists it for date night.

Will Coming to America make me laugh?

Funny

Yes: the humor is mostly situational comedy (9 of 10) and slapstick (7 of 10).

Was Coming to America a box office hit?

Budget$30 million
Box office$289 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $30 million to make and earned $289 million worldwide, 9.6 times its budget.