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This was the movie I saw when I first discovered Richard Pryor so many years ago. It was hilarious then and it's hilarious now; time has done nothing to diminish it. I actually insisted on getting a VHS copy so I could rewind it to certain scenes and watch them over again. (I'm still doing this even after 30 years!) Richard plays a farm worker who 'falls' into his role as an advocate for other farm workers, until he's seduced into life as a corporate sell out. He takes on this new life and even acquires a new 'wife' played by the lovely Lonette McKee (this movie is where I first discovered her as well and I've been happy to see her in other roles over the years, like the ones she played in 'The Women of Brewster Place,' 'Malcom X' and 'Jungle Fever.') Here she plays a young woman who is committed to 'the cause' (viva la causa!) who falls for Richard's character when she starts to believe he's committed as well. Meanwhile, with Richard off romancing Lonettes character, his real wife, Annie Mae, played by Margaret Avery (later Oscar nominated for playing Suge in 'The Color Purple'), discovers herself and embarks on a brand new life as a party girl. In what has to be one of the funniest scenes on film she tries to kill Richard's character with her bare hands when she finds out that he cheated on her and he has another wife and baby across town. He tries hard to fend her off using a stream iron. The only scene that might be funnier (or as funny) is the one where Annie Mae's friend delivers the news to Richard's character that Annie Mae is pregnant by the local preacher (also played by Richard.) She says more by rolling her eyes than most other actors could say in three pages of dialogue. The whole scene is hysterical! Richard rounds out a bizarre trio of characters by also playing his own daddy, an old geezer who is consumed with finding out who ate the fried chicken he put in the refrigerator the night before. This is one of my all-time favorite films. I don't usually like comedies very much; it takes a lot to make me appreciate the humor in most of them but Richard had me laughing out loud here. I'll probably keep playing my copy of this movie until it fades or falls apart, then I'll just get a new one. Richard was a true comic genius and I really do miss him.Read full review
Talk about multi-tasking...Richard Pryor plays a few different roles and has affairs with a few different women while working a few different jobs. It is a wild chaotic mess. With that said, it is funny. It is sad in parts and wild action in other parts. Some of the movie is about migrant workers and the theme gets lost in the profanity and outrageous situations.
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