The Los Angeles Times wrote that Pryor's performance "is as good as anything he's done in a non-concert movie" but "it still somehow misfires". The South Florida Sun-Sentinel called it a "misguided semicomedy" and wrote, "Judging from this lamebrained film, Richard Pryor's crown as a screen comedy king is slipping off his head."
The Los Angeles Times stated that Pryor's performance "is as good as anything he's done in a non-concert movie" but "it still somehow misses the mark." The South Florida Sun-Sentinel labeled it a "misguided semi-comedy" and wrote, "Judging from this lackluster film, Richard Pryor's reputation as a screen comedy king is fading."