The Nutty Professor

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The Nutty Professor

PG-13

In Theaters Sep 4

1h 35m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

44%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Brilliant and obese scientist Sherman Klump (Eddie Murphy) invents a miraculous weight-loss solution. After a date with chemistry student Carla Purty (Jada Pinkett) goes badly, a depressed Klump tries the solution on himself. Though he instantly loses 250 pounds, the side effects include a second personality: an obnoxiously self-assertive braggart who calls himself Buddy Love. Buddy proves to be more popular than Sherman, but his arrogance and bad behavior quickly spiral out of control.

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Critics Consensus

The Nutty Professor falls back on juvenile humor eagerly and often, but Eddie Murphy's consistently funny work in dual roles means more for audiences to love.

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Tom Shadyac

Director

Eddie Murphy

Professor Sherman Klump

Jada Pinkett Smith

Carla Purty

James Coburn

Harlan Hartley

Larry Miller

Dean Richmond

Dave Chappelle

Reggie Warrington

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Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

06/06/2009

[Murphy] is able to invest his Professor Klump with an endearing dignity, give his lounge lizard alter ego, Buddy Love, an alligator's bite and then go on from there to play Klump's grandma. Also his mother, father and brother.

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Variety Staff

Variety

03/26/2009

Murphy's most assured work in some time.

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Kevin McManus

Washington Post

08/20/2002

This is good, seamless comedy.

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Robert Denerstein

Scripps Howard News Service

Jun 29

3/4

It can be rude and crude, but there are plenty of laughs in Eddie Murphy's remake of Jerry Lewis' 1963 signature work.

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Gary Wolcott

Tri-City Herald

Jun 29

4/5

Murphy is definitely back. He stretches in this film, and the rework of the script is superb.

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

09/01/2022

B

This cruder, more sexualized update of the Jerry Lewis classic is also more consistently funny and imaginative.

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Musa A

@doodleflame Apr 25

I could not stop laughing - Eddie Murphy is a brilliant actor!!

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tommy J

@RT55566390 Nov 27

Pretty fun movie with some iconic scenes such as the farting at the dinner table.

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Kevin C.

@kc1988 Nov 5

A classic worth watching over and over

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Logan G.

@SequelsArentAlwaysBad12 Oct 24

Nutty Professor is hilarious and Eddie Murphy gives great performances.

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Ciaran S

@TrainMultifan26 Aug 19

The Nutty Professor is a solid good film with Eddie Murphy's decent performance yet, of i haven't forgotten the decent story and clever writing, great humor on top a decent all-star cast like Jada Pinkett-Smith, James Coburn, Larry Miller & surprisingly Dave Chappelle of all people, I'm also surprised to learn that this film actually won an Academy Award for "Best Makeup & Hairstyling" WOW. Even if this film is one of Eddie Murphy's timeless treasures there are still a few people like me who are unfamiliar with the original 1963 version.

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Miguel R

@RT33885345 07/09/2025

In my opinion, one of the best movies where Eddie was the main character, and David Newman had his power up.

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Synopsis

Brilliant and obese scientist Sherman Klump (Eddie Murphy) invents a miraculous weight-loss solution. After a date with chemistry student Carla Purty (Jada Pinkett) goes badly, a depressed Klump tries the solution on himself. Though he instantly loses 250 pounds, the side effects include a second personality: an obnoxiously self-assertive braggart who calls himself Buddy Love. Buddy proves to be more popular than Sherman, but his arrogance and bad behavior quickly spiral out of control.

Director: Tom Shadyac
Producer: Russell Simmons, Brian Grazer
Screenwriter: Jerry Lewis, Bill Richmond, David Sheffield, Barry W. Blaustein, Tom Shadyac, Steve Oedekerk
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 28, 1996, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Sep 4, 2026
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $128.8M
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo