Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Nutty Professor Blu-ray Movie Review

He who smelt it dealt it.

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 8, 2012

After the one-two-three punch of "The Distinguished Gentleman," "Beverly Hills Cop III," and "Vampire in Brooklyn," there was legitimate concern in 1996 that Eddie Murphy had lost his big screen mojo. After 15 years of solid entertainment, Murphy was low on creative gas, requiring material that would allow him to shine brightly in a brash manner audiences had grown accustomed to. Remaking Jerry Lewis's 1963 smash "The Nutty Professor" was the boost the comedy legend needed at the time, triggering enormous box office returns while renewing faith in Murphy's abilities to charm with comedic chaos. The movie restored his marquee value, though it did so by emphasizing a crude imagination and a fondness for bodily function humor, often caught playing all the way to the back row to keep the energy of the lukewarm update zooming along. There's bold work here from Murphy on grand scale of thespian commitment, yet the feature's sense of humor is more dreary than playful, killing the potential of the premise with a constant display of bad taste, almost afraid to escalate the central premise into an inspiring demonstration of slapstick creativity. Why take the time to write a joke when a wet fart requires less effort?

A professor at Wellman College, Sherman Klump (Eddie Murphy) is struggling with his obesity, trusting in diet fads and television weight loss gurus to inspire him, yet he can't drop the pounds. Experimenting with a formula that reconstructs DNA to assist in the pursuit of slimness, Sherman is close to success, a scientific revelation that pleases Dean Richmond (Larry Miller), who needs the ensuing sale to help fund the university. Taking an interest in graduate student Carla Purty (Jada Pinkett), Sherman inches toward love for the first time in his life. However, after a painful humiliation at the hands of comedian Reggie Warrington (Dave Chappelle), Sherman decides to test the weight loss serum on himself, transforming into Buddy Love (Murphy), a trim, handsome madman juiced with a surplus of testosterone, making him unstable and forward with the ladies, quickly turning his attention to Carla. Unable to control Buddy's damage when the love machine takes over, Sherman fights to maintain order and keep Carla's consideration, faced with further disgrace when his wild side ends up threatening his collegiate career.

To bring a fresh angle to the update of "The Nutty Professor," co-writer/director Tom Shadyac and his screenwriters have elected to investigate the beating heart of the overweight man, using Sherman's plight as an obese fellow to better define the difference between the educator and his nightmare creation. On the page, it looks fine, avoiding direct comparisons to Lewis's work while still toying with expected Buddy Love complications. On screen, "The Nutty Professor" comes across mean-spirited, having more fun making fun of Sherman's woes than building sympathy for the broken man. Considering it took four men to write this picture, the lack of a defined perspective is disappointing, moving erratically from melodramatic scenes of humiliation to broad fatty-eats-everything beats of gluttony, meant to make the viewer laugh at Sherman. If the film were more sincere, I'd be inclined to believe Shadyac's heart was in the right place. Instead, the effort is sloppy and tough on its hero, creating confusion where sympathies should lie.

Also of concern the picture's sense of humor, which largely does away with Lewis's genial goofballery to slop around in the muck. Even 16 years after its initial theatrical release, "The Nutty Professor" still manages to disturb with its reliance on fart humor, even creating an entire Klump family (played almost entirely by Murphy) with the express purpose of manufacturing a symphony of passed gas. It's amazingly lazy, especially when Murphy is capable of so much more, viewed in fragments here as Sherman deals with his shyness around Carla, or in the early scenes with Buddy Love, who relishes his manic need to enjoy his newly svelte body with spandex purchases and aerobic ogling. Chappelle's tiny role as a Def Jam comic with hack impulses teases an inspired direction for the humor, but nothing comes of it. Shadyac is too enraptured with the potential of the anus to pay attention to the elements of the movie that are actually working.

Concern is also raised with the character of Carla, who seems perfectly ready to ditch Sherman for Buddy's attention without questioning any of the curious developments that brought the crazed lothario to life. Despite her knowledge of Sherman's romantic intentions, Carla remains drawn to Love and his hyperactive behavior, souring the sweetness of the picture, while making the young woman look outstandingly heartless. The writing is just too simplistic to authentically motivate Carla into Buddy's arms with Sherman's endorsement.

The Nutty Professor Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The VC-1 encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation has been touched by some very mild filtering, taking out a good portion of the filmic grain of the cinematography, leaving a crisp, flat picture to study. Fine detail is satisfactory, keeping chemistry particulars and university decoration in view, while facial and costume textures look inviting and expressive (without overt smoothness), giving the production's comedic aspirations a pleasing life. Color palette is bright and bold, with deep, stable reds and blues, sustaining the cartoonish ambiance of the effort. Fabrics are especially vibrant. Softness is limited, along with ringing, finding much of the presentation consistent. Shadow detail is comfortable, able to preserve dense hairstyles and nighttime shenanigans. Print is in solid shape without any major damage.

The Nutty Professor Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix sustains a jubilant tone of screen comedy, with a satisfying frontal push for dialogue needs, providing full voices and a crisp detailing of Murphy's performance invention, finding the track holding emphasis in place. Scoring is supportive and balanced well with verbal activity, pumped up on occasion to accentuate the mischief at hand. Soundtrack selections range in quality, with a workout scene set to "I'm So Excited" sounding distant and thin, while the rest of tunes carry proper position and instrumentation. Low-end is employed well, finding a highlight in Sherman's "King Kong" nightmare sequence, with his huge, stomping body bringing a pleasing rumble. Surrounds are utilized well, with discrete activity for outdoor sequences, while party antics and classroom moments carry more of a circular feel.

The Nutty Professor Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "100 Years of Universal: The Lew Wasserman Era" (8:50, HD) details the story of the agent who built an empire, using his industry foresight to merge television and film into a single force of entertainment, also encouraging Universal Studio to develop studio tours and theme parks as a source of income. Interviews with historians and family members are included to celebrate the man, while a brief discussion of the "Jaws" phenomenon is recounted to reinforce his position as the godfather of the summer blockbuster.

• "100 Years of Universal: Unforgettable Characters" (8:18, HD) cracks open the vaults to highlight a range of iconic creations the studio has originated over the years. Talk of the Universal Monsters, Norman Bates, John "Bluto" Blutarsky, E.T., and Jeff "The Dude" Lebowksi (oddly labeled here as a "hero") are included, along with discussions of "Jaws," "Back to the Future," and "Double Indemnity."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:47, SD) is included.

The Nutty Professor Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Saving "The Nutty Professor" is Murphy's enthusiasm, fanned out over seven characters, brought to life through convincing make-up and era-appropriate visual effects. He's a pistol in this thing, always eager to please, while taking time in multiple fat suits seriously, injecting unique personalities into every character. There's even a few moments spent with Lance Perkins, a television weight loss guru modeled after Richard Simmons, permitting Murphy an additional avenue of frenzied behavior to explore. Murphy is divine, in dire need of writing that supports his vast imagination. In the care of Shadyac, "The Nutty Professor" only finds sporadic innovation and the occasional giggle, focused too intently on cheap laughs and false sentiment when there's so much more to Sherman's pickle than the musical potential of his rear end.