There’s Never Been a Better Time To Watch These 4 Eddie Murphy Classics

Eddie Murphy is one of the most prolific comedians of this generation, having parlayed his experience as a stand-up comedian into dozens of leading movie roles that have made him a bona fide Hollywood star. Many of these movies were released in the 1980s and 1990s, and four of them will be available to stream for free this month on Tubi. Sit back, relax, and enjoy some of Murphy’s best performances, playing everyone from an unruly detective to a jovial foreign prince to a down-on-his-luck dad who decides to run his own daycare.

‘Beverly Hills Cop’ Is an Eddie Murphy Classic

Paramount Pictures

Beverly Hills Cop is one of Murphy’s most well-known movie franchises. Its success has endured for decades, leading to the fourth movie in the franchise, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. It premiered in 2024, an incredible 40 years after the original. The first two movies in the franchise, 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop and 1987’s Beverly Hills Cop II, are both available to stream for free on Tubi this month. The films center around Axel Foley (Murphy), a Detroit police detective who is great at his job but also wreaks havoc in the process. This is largely because he refuses to do things by the book and listen to his superiors.

In the first movie, Axel is working an unauthorized sting operation when two uniformed police officers get involved. His superior reprimands him, Douglas Todd (Gilbert R. Hill), who tells him that he must change his ways or else. He tries to correct his behavior, but when an old friend from Axel’s dark past turns up having gotten involved in some risky business, and later winds up dead, Axel is determined to work on Mikey’s (James Russo) murder case.

This takes him to Beverly Hills, where he goes rogue to figure out what happened to his friend. While there, he goes undercover, gets arrested, and continues to thwart police while trying to do work on his own terms.

In the second movie of the franchise, set two years after the events of the first, Axel reunites with two detectives he previously worked with in Beverly Hills: Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton), to take down a criminal organization. The attack on the police department’s Captain Andrew Bogomil (Ronny Cox) draws Axel to California once again, where he investigates the incident, learns why it happened, and discovers who is behind it. He winds up being the subject of a hit, but Axel isn’t going down so easily.

Both movies show off Murphy’s tremendous comedic skills. The first was a smashing box-office success, becoming the highest-grossing movie of that year in the U.S. 40 years after it premiered, Beverly Hills Cop was named to the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

The second movie was just as massive a success, though it received mixed reviews. It even earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for “Shakedown” by Bob Seger. The franchise and character remain one of Murphy’s most iconic, his plainclothes signature jacket and jeans-wearing, plays-by-his-own-rules cop persona inspiring many shows and characters since. Beverly Hills Cop is streaming on Tubi.

Beverly Hills Cop

Release Date: November 30, 1984
Runtime: 105 minutes
Director: Martin Brest

‘Coming to America’ Is Some of Eddie Murphy’s Best Work

Prince Akeem and Semmi dressed regally while in New York in Coming to America.

Another Murphy hit that was brought back decades later for a sequel, Coming to America premiered in 1988 and starred Murphy alongside Arsenio Hall and the late James Earl Jones. He’s Prince Akeem Joffer from the fictional African nation of Zamunda, a pampered young man who wants more out of life than sitting upon the throne. When his parents arrange for him to be married, it’s the last straw. He yearns for true love, so Prince Akeem takes off to America to find an independent woman who loves him for who he is and not his wealth and status.

The story follows Prince Akeem as he tries to acclimate to life in New York City despite not fitting in. He has the help of his personal aide and best friend, Semmi (Hall), who helps him with the ruse of pretending to be a poor international student. He even gets a job at a local fast-food restaurant called McDowell’s, an obvious parody of McDonald’s.

There are many laughs in this movie, as Akeem doesn’t quite understand the surly, rude nature of stereotypical New Yorkers, instead choosing to spread love and positivity. Murphy doesn’t just play Akeem in the movie; he also portrays soul singer Randy Watson, Clarence, the owner of a local barbershop, and Jewish barbershop patron Saul in unrecognizable make-up.

While the sequel Coming 2 America received mixed reviews, it marks the final on-screen role for both James Earl Jones and Louie Anderson before their respective deaths. But even if you saw that movie and didn’t love it, the original Coming to America is absolutely hilarious. It’ll bring the same laughs it did 37 years ago, a timeless classic. Coming to America is streaming on Tubi.

‘Daddy Day Care’ Is a Playful Family Comedy

Two men behind a desk outside with a child in front of them in Daddy Day Care.

As Murphy’s career progressed, he starred in a string of family comedies, including 2003’s Daddy Day Care. He’s Charlie Hinton, a marketing executive who is unexpectedly laid off from his job right after he and his wife enroll their son in a prestigious preschool. His wife, Kim (Regina King), returns to work as a lawyer to ensure the family can still pay the bills, while Charlie heads out on a job search. But it isn’t going well.

Angry that his son has now been kicked out of school by the snobby Gwyneth (Anjelica Huston), Charlie decides to open a daycare called Daddy Day Care alongside his best friend Phil (Jeff Garlin). As expected, parents aren’t initially comfortable sending their kids to a daycare run by men, raising suspicions about the entire business practice. But since it’s a more affordable alternative, some of them are convinced to give it a try.

Naturally, chaos ensues, while Charlie also receives pushback from Gwyneth, who is upset that she’s losing business to his makeshift daycare. Daddy Day Care is a feel-good movie that explores the challenges of parenting, the importance of doing what’s right, and the profound impact dedicated educators and childcare providers can have on children.

Even though Daddy Day Care received mostly negative reviews, the movie was a box office success. Murphy’s tremendous performance is a large part of the reason, along with the fantastic supporting cast, which also includes Steve Zahn, Kevin Nealon, Lacey Chabert, and even a young Elle Fanning. Daddy Day Care is streaming now on Tubi.