this be strictly for pryor fan . just because he be a great and funny guy doesn not mean this be more than a b movie . the script be awful and it just meander around constantly ridicule crime and prisoner of war . it balance between comedy and melodrama and keep fall on it face do justice to neither . first there be 30 minute of rather unrealistic and uninspired vietnam prisoner of war time the guy be play basketball at one point . how more can you pander to your audience . that prison time be boring and unconvincing and already can easily put one to sleep . back in the u. s. the guy for no real reason at all be consider a war hero . yet he be of course quickly forget by the public and seem to be stumble into all kind of wacky mishap . or be they really . we will soon find out . yawn . there be annoy clichés represent his sick mother and his little daughter he never meet and a high end whore fall in love with the hero etc . it be very odd how this movie constantly switch from tragedy to slapstick in one instant . doesn not work at all . overall this in fact be just a bad comedy and do a disservice to prisoner of war . just because this guy be a great stand up comedian and play in a few good movie and die of m be no reason not to be annoy by this silly and unconvincing and unfunny comedy . but if you like richard pryor you will probably be thrill by him read 3 hour of dadaist poetry .