Life

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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Critics Reviews

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Globe and Mail

Rated: 2/4

Mar 22, 2002

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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

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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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Audience Reviews

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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 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/23/24 Full Review Stephen A Great movie, Martin and Eddie deliver! Great laughs and quotables. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/18/24 Full Review Lefty L 52% is bullshit. this is a very endearing buddy movie with beautiful moments. eddie is always entertaining and lovable, so is martin. great ensemble. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/16/24 Full Review Audience Member Honestly this film can hit you on different levels of emotion, you'll cry with laughter as well as with sadness too! Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy make a great comedy duo along with other guest stars to keep you entertained for 1hr30mins! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/04/24 Full Review Carlos I Since this came out I've always been kinda disappointed by it, but I think it's just because it was always sold to me as a zany buddy comedy. It's not. It's got some much deeper stuff going on. Check this out to see what kind of bond two men, who are diametrically opposed can share after being attached at the hip for so very very long. It's more sombre, but still has its humor. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/07/24 Full Review Daniel D Every time I see this movie playing on TV, I have to stop and watch the rest of it. It's a fantastic movie. Not many scripts like this one being made these day with laughs, drama and genuine friendship. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/10/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

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

Life: Official Clip - The Real Killer