We can't speak for everyone, but it's damn good to see Martin Lawrence back on the big screen. After an eight-year absence away from the limelight, Lawrence came back stronger than ever in the 2019 stoner-comedy The Beach Bum. Now, Martin has kickstarted the new decade with Bad Boys For Life, the number one box-office release and surprise hit of the week.
But for all the love Martin has earned from fans around the globe, it's pretty alarming to see how many of his movies have received poor reviews. Only five of Martin's movies have received 50% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes. Can you guess which ones? Here is Martin Lawrence's 10 best movies according Rotten Tomatoes!
Death At A Funeral (2010) - 42%
A tragedy of manners turns into a comedy of errors in Neil LaBute's Death at a Funeral, the 2010 remake of the 2007 film of the same name. This just in: death is no laughing matter!
In the film, Martin is a successful author who flies to his hometown to help his older brother (played by Chris Rock) take care of their father's funeral service. During the procession, everything that can go wrong does go wrong as the celebration of a lost life turns into a chaotic blame-game.
Bad Boys (1995) - 43%
We all know Michael Bay is a whipping boy for film critics, but who the heck knew Bad Boys was this bad?
With just a 43% approval rating, Bad Boys still cracks the top ten highest-rated Martin movies, according to RT. As you know by now, the film follows two cool Miami police detectives tasked with infiltrating a criminal syndicate in order to confiscate a shipment of drugs. They have only 72 hours to do so, paving way for ticking clock scenario of jam-packed action.
Boomerang (1992) - 44%
Boomerang is way better than the paltry 44% fresh-rating its received from RT, and Martin's role as Eddie Murphy's best friend Tyler is one of the chief reasons why.
In the film, Murphy plays Marcus, a suave ladies man and head of a fashion department. With true love right under his nose (in the form of Halle Berry), Marcus obsesses over the powerful Jacqueline (Robin Givens). The scenes between Eddie, Martin, and David Allen Grier are warm, honest, and deeply hilarious.
Open Season (2006) - 48%
Martin lent his unmistakable and hilarious voice to the 2006 animated comedy Open Season. Yeah, we don't remember it either!
Even so, Martin voices the lead character of Boog, a happy-go-lucky bear whose life is interrupted when he stumbles on a slick-talking mule deer named Elliot (Ashton Kutcher). When the odd couple is left stranded in the forest, they are forced to band together and fight for their survival. Along the way, they get the help of fellow animals to thwart an evil hunter.
Life (1999) - 50%
After working together in Boomerang, Martin and Eddie reunited for the contemplative and heartfelt prison comedy, Life.
The late great Ted Demme's film follows two friends who are wrongfully accused and arrested in 1932 Mississippi. Sentenced to life in jail, the two men form a lifelong bond of reflection, regret, grief, love, and even triumph. As Rayford (Eddie) and Claude (Martin) serve their sentence, they find a kind of inner peace and freedom despite being locked away.
You So Crazy (1994) - 50%
Martin turned in one of the all-time classic standup routines in the 1993 concert movie You So Crazy. Apparently 50% of those who saw it are bereft of a sense of humor!
As for the other 50%, they wholeheartedly embraced the anecdotal humor Martin shook the audience with during the film. Martin speaks candidly and hysterically about his childhood, hanging out with friends, girlfriends, coming of age in the comedy scene, getting his own sitcom, etc.
The Beach Bum (2019) - 56%
As alluded to above, Martin made his long-awaited return to the big screen in Harmony Korine's 2019 wacky stoner comedy The Beach Bum. All hail Captain Wack!
Centered on Matthew McConaughey's Dude-like character, Moondog, Martin spices things up when the titular bum meets Captain Wack (Martin), a free-wheeling boatman with a penchant for hard partying. As the two wastrels hit the high-seas with a high volume of alcohol in their bloodstream, perilous hilarity ensues.
Bad Boys For Life (2019) - 77%
Believe it or not, Martin's most recent release equates to the third-highest rated film of his career, according to RT. This just in: Martin's officially back! It's likely no coincidence that the best-reviewed Bad Boys movie is the one devoid of Michael Bay in the director's chair.
Instead, young directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah inject the film with raw energy and choreographed action that outdoes its predecessors by quite a bit. Also surprisingly, the new Bad Boys is a coming-of-age action movie where its two badass leads sincerely contemplate on their age and legacy. The chemistry between Martin and Will is stronger than ever, easily making for the best film of the franchise.
Do The Right Thing (1989) - 93%
Martin made his feature film debut in Spike Lee's seminal 1989 movie Do The Right Thing. Over 30 years later, it's still tied for the highest-rated film of Martin's career and it's easy to see why.
Standing out with his heavy lisp and childish sense of humor, Martin plays Cee in the film, one of the neighborhood kids in Brooklyn during a sweltering summer day. As racial tensions rise to a criminal climax, Cee sides with Mookie (Lee) and the other African-Americans who are almost always racially profiled by the Italian-American population.
House Party (1990) - 93%
House Party not only deserves its ranking as Martin's highest-rated film to date, but it's also responsible for turning Martin into one of the biggest TV stars of the 90s!
Indeed, right after stealing the show as "Dragon Breath" Bilal in House Party, he instantly landed the eponymous TV show, Martin. In addition, his House Party costar, Tisha Campbell, went on to star alongside Martin in the hit sitcom. Given the hilarious chemistry they showed in House Party, it's easy to see why producers paired the two together on the small screen.