Life (1999) **

Directed by Ted Demme. With Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence and Ned Beatty. It's often very funny, but Murphy's latest isn't really a comedy, but a serious drama clearly inspired by "The Shawshank Redemption" (though unfortunately not nearly as good). Underneath the humor hides a profound condemnation of the racial persecution of Blacks in America in the 20th century. Many scenes are quite moving.