Boomerang

"Boomerang" was supposed to be the turnaround movie for Eddie Murphy, the film that would establish him as a romantic leading man as well as provide his first comic vehicle in some time without blasts of gunfire all around him.

Instead, however, it is a witless, sexist, offensive mishmash that is surprisingly inept, considering all the high-power talent involved. Even more surprising is how unfunny it all is.

Murphy, who is credited with the story idea, stars as a merchandising executive for a major cosmetics firm that is on the verge of being taken over by another company. His reputation in the industry is preceded only by his reputation with the ladies — he's a stereotypical love-'em-and-leave-'em type, romancing any beautiful woman he encounters, then slipping away in the middle of the night, after checking out their feet.

Murphy also lunches daily with two friends, gentle, sweet-natured David Alan Grier and foul-mouthed big-talker Martin Lawrence, where they discuss Murphy's sexual adventures.

But the tables are turned when the takeover is in place. His new boss is sexy, confident Robin Givens, whom he is, naturally, intent on getting into bed. The boys in the mailroom (represented by "Saturday Night Live's" Chris Rock) are giving odds on how long it will take him, but Givens strings Murphy along until she's good and ready to seduce him.

Meanwhile, a romance is set up between Givens' best friend, played by Halle Berry, and Grier, but early on it proves to be merely a distracting plot device.

Eventually, Murphy and Givens do go to bed, after which Murphy becomes convinced he's in love for the first time. Then the film implies in a conversation between Berry and Givens that Givens is also in love — a major misstep, since it tends to undercut the comic and romantic potential of what follows. And in the end, Givens doesn't seem to deserve what happens to her.

Though this is a major misstep, it's only one of many in this woeful misfire.

The script, by Barry W. Blaustein & David Sheffield ("Coming to America," "Saturday Night Live") and directed by Reginald Hudlin ("House Party"), is one off-color joke after another, which ultimately scrapes the bottom of the barrel when Grace Jones, as a zany, wild-eyed (not to be confused with funny) supermodel, propositions Murphy at a posh restaurant in the most specific manner possible.

It is also rather racist, with the only two white characters in the

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film being treated as stupid comic foils. This element is brought out through the comic paranoia of Lawrence, which is funny until the lunchtime trio goes to a clothing store and the white salesman they run into proves to be even more paranoid.

The most appealing performances come from Berry and Grier, but like everyone else in this film, their characters are horribly underwritten. They just come off a little less like caricatures, due entirely to their own acting talent.

Throughout most of the film, Murphy comes off as merely smug. He does manage to get a few chuckles here and there, mostly in what appear to be improvised moments (his brief analysis of "Star Trek" is amusing), but for the most part he's as awful as everyone else here.

Every Eddie Murphy movie is a big hit initially, but "Boomerang" will really test the loyalty of his fans. If they stick with him through this one, they'll stick with him through anything.

"Boomerang" is rated R for a steady stream of vulgarity and profanity, along with sex, nudity and mild violence.