By John Corrado

In honour of the film’s 30th anniversary this year, Paramount Home Entertainment is releasing the hit 1992 Eddie Murphy romantic comedy Boomerang for the first time on Blu-ray this week.

Murphy stars in the film as Marcus Graham, a successful advertising executive and notorious womanizer in New York City with obscenely high standards for women, who falls for his new boss Jacqueline Broyer (Robin Givens), while also catching the attention of her colleague, Angela Lewis (Halle Berry).

Directed by Reginald Hudlin, from a screenplay by Saturday Night Live writers Barry W. Blaustein and David Sheffield (who also wrote Coming to America for Murphy four years earlier), Boomerang presented a more subdued role for the comic actor following successful action comedies like the 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop movies. This film very much fits the mould of a romantic comedy, and it allows Murphy to show a slightly different side of himself as a player being softened by love.

Murphy is backed up by an all-star ensemble cast that includes Martin Lawrence and David Alan Grier as Marcus’ buddies who struggle to get with the ladies; Chris Rock as the young mailroom clerk rooting for his romantic endeavours; as well as Eartha Kitt as Lady Eloise, the seductive owner of the cosmetics company that buys out his firm, and Grace Jones as the French model hired to represent the company’s new perfume line.

While Boomerang received somewhat mixed reviews from critics at the time of its release in the summer of 1992, the film (and its chart-topping soundtrack) did better with audiences, finding success at the box office and gaining a following over the years. It’s an example of a film that both feels like a product of its time (including some dated humour and gender politics), but also slightly ahead of the curve for the early ’90s with a large cast of racialized characters who are all successful in business.

The story is expectedly predictable, but Boomerang still serves as a mostly enjoyable rom-com that is fronted by a fine Eddie Murphy performance and a number of amusing supporting roles. While the Blu-ray doesn’t offer any new extras, fans of the film should be happy with the upgrade.

Bonus Features (Blu-ray):

The Blu-ray includes legacy bonus content, including a commentary track and a handful of deleted scenes. A code for a digital copy is also included in the package.

• Commentary by Director Reginald Hudlin

• Extended and Deleted Scenes With Optional Director’s Commentary (Play All – 4 minutes, 51 seconds)

• Thanksgiving at Marcus’ Place (1 minute, 14 seconds)

• Strangé’s Arrival at the Dinner (19 seconds)

• Bony T Asks Marcus About Sex with Jackie (26 seconds)

• First Dinner Between Jackie & Marcus (52 seconds)

• Dinner Between Gerard and Angela (1 minute, 59 seconds)

Boomerang is a Paramount Home Entertainment release. It’s 116 minutes and rated 14A.

Street Date: June 28th, 2022