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Richard Pryor, Lonette McKee, Margaret Avery, Morgan Woodward, Marilyn Coleman ... see more see more... , Bebe Drake , Gloria Edwards , Ernesto Hernandez , Diane Rodrigues , Daniel Valdez , DeWayne Jessie , Morgan Roberts , Dolph Sweet , Luis Valdez , Pat Ast , Marc Alaimo , Victor Argo , Kathy Cronkite , Ron Cummins , Evelyn Dutton , Carmen Filpi , Terrence Locke , Ted Markland , Ralph Montgomery , Harry Northrup , Korla Pandit , Clifford A. Pellow , Hank Robinson , Spo-De-Odee , Bob Terhune , Tim Thomerson , Joe Turkel , Hank Worden , Paul Mooney , George More O'Ferrall , Tanya Lynne Lee , Eddie Smith , Angela Wilson , Louise Johnson , Blair Burrows , Otis Day

This Americanized remake of Lina Wertmuller's The Seduction of Mimi offered audiences the novelty of seeing Richard Pryor performing three different roles in the same film. Which Way Is Up? tells the ... read more read more...tale of Leroy Jones (Pryor), a poor orange picker who gets fired from his job when he accidentally joins a worker's union during a demonstration. He is forced to travel to Los Angeles and abandon his family, which includes his wife, Annie Mae (Margaret Avery), and his perpetually randy father, Rufus (also Pryor). While there, he falls in love with labor organizer Vanetta (Lonette McKee), but is soon rehired by his former employers when they realize he is easily manipulated. Back home, Leroy discovers his new managerial role alienates him from his former friends as he tries to divide his time between Annie Mae and Vanetta. When he discovers Annie Mae has been impregnated by the Reverend Lennox Thomas (Pryor's 3rd role) during his absence, Leroy sets his sights on seducing Lennox's wife. The resulting film had ambition to spare, but was generally panned as an inferior remake by the critics and failed to find a mass audience. However, Which Way Is Up? gained a second lease on life via cable and home video and has become a cult favorite with Pryor's fans. ~ Donald Guarisco, Rovi

Flixster Users

82% liked it

2,059 ratings

Critics

20% liked it

10 critics

R, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Michael Schultz

Release Date: November 1, 1977

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DVD Release Date: May 21, 2002

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Stats: 126 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (126)

  • ajv2688
    January 5, 2011
    ajv2688
    This movie is hilarious, and the story outrageous, I really liked it, Pryor plays a bunch of characters which makes it even funnier.
  • rayman0071
    May 9, 2009
    rayman0071
    Hilarious as hell. A Richard Pryor classic mention to be seen.
  • williamt84
    April 20, 2009
    williamt84
    This movie showcased Pryors comedic acting prowess. He kept me rivited with the onslaught of funni"isms"

    The father was the show stealer
  • manly500usa
    February 10, 2008
    manly500usa
    Richard Pryor is playing three different roles here. The first being a poor orange picker named Leroy Jones who gets laid off when by mistake he joins the worker's union during one of their demonstrations. Afterwards he is forced to leave his wife and family behind which also inc... read moreludes Leroy's father (also played by Pryor) to go to Los Angeles. Leroy ends up working for the same company that fired him back home. He is a manager at the company but he is now distant from his former pals. He meets and falls in love with Vanetta who is a labor organizer which leaves him splitting time between his wife Annie Mae and Vanetta. When Leroy finds out that the Reverend Lenox Thomas (also played by Pryor) has got his wife pregnant while he was absent, he then make the moves on the reverend's wife.
  • str8chi
    October 17, 2007
    str8chi
    The Reverend is the funniest part of this movie but it's a classic. I guess I sometimes feel like him.
  • djskyler
    September 23, 2007
    djskyler
    The plotline of this Richard Pryor vehicle seems rather loose and unfocused, but it doesn't matter as the comedy sequences are absolutely hilarious.
  • tigg1003
    July 15, 2007
    tigg1003
    This is one of my all time favorites! Richard Pryor at his best! The Nutty Professor, Norbit, etc. would not have been a hit if it were not for this movie!

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Critic Reviews

Steve Crum
April 8, 2008
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Clunky 1977 Richard Pryor comedy really looks dated now.

Bob Bloom
August 13, 2002
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

Pryor should have stuck with concert films.

Marty Mapes
July 12, 2002
Marty Mapes, Movie Habit

Should have stayed in the vault. Full Review

Kevin N. Laforest
May 23, 2002
Kevin N. Laforest, Apollo Guide

As unfunny as it gets. Worse, it's misogynist and an embarrassment to the race. Full Review

Walter Chaw
May 20, 2002
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

An embarrassing Being There conceit married to blaxploitation and unionization. Full Review

Christopher Null
May 11, 2002
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

Tired Full Review

May 9, 2005
New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 31, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
March 27, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

No review available.

Jonathan R. Perry
August 17, 2003
Jonathan R. Perry, Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas)

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Which Way Is Up? Trivia

  • "Two young brothers are living with an abusive stepfather. The younger brother comes up with a way to escape his abuse at the end." Is a plotline from which film?  Answer »
  • Which movie has the tagline : " Long is the way, and hard, that out of hell leads up to light " ?  Answer »
  • from which famous film is this song from. somewhere over the rainbow way up high there's a land that i heard of once in a lullaby  Answer »
  • How many Character's does Richard Pryor play in the movie Which Way Is Up? (1977)?  Answer »
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