30 Years Ago Today Boomerang debuted in theaters. Starring Eddie Murphy, Halle Berry, Robin Givens, Martin Lawrence, and David Alan Grier. The film is a romantic comedy about a player who gets played and doesn't realize it honestly. I first saw Boomerang as a kid probably all of 7 or 8 had no business watching it but as kids do I snuck and watched with my older cousins who were in their early teens, and had no business watching it either (shouts out to them though). Had no idea of the plot honestly, I just knew Martin and Eddie were in and it had some cuss words in it.
Fast forward to my early twenties when I watched it again and fully understood the title of the movie. Anyway in my opinion Boomerang is a classic, not only is the plot good and funny. As an adult now I realize Boomerang was one of the earliest examples of Black Excellence.
Marcus Graham was an executive for a cosmetics company. His company is acquired by a larger company founded by a Black woman in which she is still the face of the company. Marcus meets his match in a fellow executive Jacqueline Broyer.
Both characters dressed exceptionally well exuding confidence through their attire. Marcus had a spacious well maintained and furnished apartment, I'm assuming in Manhattan. And dinner scenes were frequently held at exquisite restaurants.
Boomerang was probably the earliest film I can recall that featured well off successful Black people across the board. That were not involved in any type of criminal activity. It even slightly addresses that in a scenescene where Marcus and crew are shopping.
Besides the core cast the Black Excellence was spread across the film. With legends like Grace Jones, Melvin Van Peebles, Eartha Kitt, Geoffrey Holder, Chris Rock, BeBe Drake, Tisha Campbell and John Witherspoon have parts in the film. John Witherspoon's Thanksgiving dinner scenescene is an all-time classic and probably the funniest scene in the movie.
Behind the camera there was just as much Black Excellence. The film was directed by Reginald Hudlin who directed House Party. And the film has a classic soundtrack primarily produced by Babyface with artist like Toni Braxton, Johnny Gill, TLC, A Tribe Called Quest, Charlie Wilson and Boyz II Men contributing.
I thank the cast and crew for displaying Black Excellence before it was a term and showing the world that Black People were very successful in the corporate world. Without many people even realizing it, the characters likely motivated many Black People to go out and tackle the world and unapologetically enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Boomerang is currently available to watch on HBO Max.
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