Dolemite is My Name

It’s an unalloyed pleasure to watch Eddie Murphy preen and riff as Rudy Ray Moore in this rags-to-riches, underdog biopic. A lot of this feels almost formula: the plucky gang of misfits, the cooperate naysayers, the supportive woman, the over-confident loser. Think Bowfinger. But as ginned up as the plot can be at times, Eddie’s performance is the gold standard. It’s purely entertaining and, believe it or not, heartwarming. Kudos to Netflix, who are on a winning streak making what USED to be considered safe bets but aren’t any more for some reason. So far, one of the best movies of the year.