MovieChat Forums > Coming to America (1988) Discussion > Does Anyone Like Cleo McDowell?

Does Anyone Like Cleo McDowell?

posted 12 years ago by ronnieronb
12 replies | jump to latest

1) He's ripping off another company's hard work, like Vanilla Ice ripping off Bowie and Queen's "Under Pressure". Not the same thing? Bullsh!t.
2) Doesn't give his hard working employees any recognition. He tells Akeem and Semmi to keep their schedule open after the robbery only to have them valet cars in the snow.
3) He accepts Darryl's marriage proposal without consulting Lisa.
4) He's greedy.
5) He's a bootlicking toady.
6) He doesn't wash his hands before flipping burgers.
7) Ditches Darryl after finding out Akeem is a prince.
8) Shoos Semmi like a vagrant after Semmi gives drinks to the Jenkses. Totally disrespectful.
9) Hits Louie in the back and doesn't apologize. Totally inconsiderate.

They should have made him "persona non grata" in Zamunda.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rToPNSZ7T1U

[–] 249 11 years ago

1. whoever owns publishing rights to "under pressure" made a fortune from vanilla ice sampling the record so nt quite the same thing as what Cleo was doing.

his character. like the prejudiced boyfriend, are written to be laughed at...

on the low, the final scene hints that he and the queen may be getting together..behind the king's back

[–] transitfan 10 years ago

on the low, the final scene hints that he and the queen may be getting together..behind the king's back

I didn't get that from that scene. Rather, she found Cleo kind of crude and was just tolerating him since he was the father of the love of her son's life. But anything is possible.

[–] BoSoxRule 10 years ago

I love Cleo. Amos was hilarious.

I'm happiest...in the saddle.

[–] gabbyevs 10 years ago

hes a complete suck up but funny especialy when he falls up the step in his house

[–] plwblj 10 years ago

I like John Amos;

[–] nickthestick22 10 years ago

Honestly, John Amos' acting was amazing. He really didn't get enough credit for it. His facial expressions alone convey a lot!

Like when he's telling Lisa that Akeem is a prince, just watching his face and body language is amazing.

A lot of great comedic acting in this movie but John Amos' was one of the best.

[–] boxerrebellion 9 years ago

Mr. Amos is wonderful. I was lucky enough to meet him in the mid aughts (around '04) while he was on a USO tour. He was at a reception at our Base CO's house and I somehow was invited. When I asked him for his autograph I addressed him as 'Mr. Amos'; he told me to call him John. I stammered, 'oh, no sir, you're JJ's Dad' I was in my early 40s and was totally star-struck. He was a very nice gentleman. A couple of days later I took my daughter to a working dog demonstration and Mr. Amos was sitting in front of us. He greeted me and I introduced him to my (about) three year old daughter - he was QUITE gracious about getting his picture taken with a child who had no way of knowing who he was.

[–] RCeditor 10 years ago

Plenty of people who have $$ have done the same things he does in the movie. I thought his character was amusing-John Amos is so talented.

SINS NOIR
(Black movie sins):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfoxduzSJwi0yun_U4kt1RQ

[–] Hanz-Willhelm 10 years ago

Well, it was a comedy and I looked at all the things in the film with a "light heart" and with the attitude of wanting to see the silly things....the zany characters as things to laugh at and enjoy. You are coming at this of acting like this was a 100% real life scenario and that we are supposed to morally judge the faults of those in the film instead of laugh at them. I laughed at them because it was funny. I like that actor that plays him (Good Times, Beastmaster, Die Hard II) and I thought his character was funny.

Deutschland hat die Weltmeisterschaft zum vierten Mal gewonnen! 🇩🇪🇺🇸

[–] progun38 10 years ago

His character works...up until the king want to "compensate" Cleo for his "inconvenience" and he's says "There isn't enough money...". I usually add, "Oh, yes there is". I get that he was very poor growing up. I know that this is a comedy. I would accept Cleo's outrage if he had actually built his own business (Sorry Liz). Except that he didn't *quite* do that, He copied McDonald's.

[–] Cloudburst2000 9 years ago

What he meant was 'There isn't enough money..." to buy off hurting his daughter. Whateer faults he may have had, it's obvious that he does love his kids, and for Lisa it wasn't an 'inconvenience'. She was having her heart broken and it made her daddy angry. That's what he was expressing to the king.

[–] zee944 9 years ago

After thinking about it, I have to say you're right in (most of) your points. But it's a comedy. The characters are simplified, their characteristics are exaggerated on purpose. It's wrong to take it seriously. Cleo McDowell is meant to be a good person who does everything in the interest of his daughter.