Movie spotlight
Opportunity Knocks
Eddie and Lou are a couple of two-bit con men on the lam from a loan shark. They hide out in someone's house and they hear on the answering machine that (A) the owner of the house is out of the country for a month or two and (B) the housesitter supposed to watch the house for the absent owner won't be able to watch the house due to a new job in another part of the country. This provides for a pretty nifty arrangement for Eddie and Lou...until the relatives of the house owner drop by to visit. Eddie quickly adopts the guise of the person supposedly housesitting for the owner, and the shenanigans start from there.
Insights
Plot Summary
A charismatic con man, Eddie, orchestrates an elaborate scheme to impersonate a successful businessman. He infiltrates the life of a wealthy executive's family, aiming to steal their fortune. Along the way, he unexpectedly finds himself falling for the executive's daughter, adding a layer of genuine emotion to his otherwise fraudulent pursuit.
Critical Reception
Opportunity Knocks was met with largely negative reviews from critics, who found the plot predictable and the humor forced. While Eddie Murphy's performance was sometimes acknowledged, the film struggled to find an audience and is often considered one of his less successful ventures.
What Reviewers Say
Eddie Murphy's signature charisma is on full display, but it's not enough to salvage a weak script.
The plot relies heavily on predictable con-man tropes, offering little in the way of genuine surprise.
Humor often falls flat, with many jokes feeling tired and overused.
Google audience: Audiences found the film to be a mediocre comedy, with many enjoying Eddie Murphy's performance but criticizing the unoriginal storyline and lack of consistent laughs.
Fun Fact
The film was originally titled 'The Treasure of Jamaica' and was intended for a different lead actor before Eddie Murphy became involved and the script was reworked.
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