I liked it...but would've been better as a drama

Not a great comedy movie, but certainly not as awful as many think IMO. The premise was "out there" for a comedy, but it had some great dramatic moments. I think if they made the movie as a drama rather than a comedy it would've been much better. Murphy certainly has the acting talent to have pulled this off as an introspective drama, but Hollywood and audiences being what they are, he's expected to just be a comedy star.
He proved himself as a dramatic actor in Dreamgirls...but it was a "musical" that even the Golden Globes lump into the comedy category, no matter how dramatic. I thought he showed great acting ability throughout, but especially the scenes with his mother and the cemetery scene.
If this film were done as a drama I think it would've been more successful...both ratings and box office. Unfortunately Murphy is sadly stuck in the movie-going conscience as a "comedy star". Even Jim Carrey, who has shown dramatic acting talent in Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine is still pigeonholed as a comedy actor due to the success of his comedy movies. It's a shame that actors who have been highly successful as comedy stars never really get taken seriously as dramatic actors and are hardly given the chance by the studios and the audiences.
My opinion and I'm sticking by it!