Eddie Murphy Keeps His Guard Up in the Documentary ‘Being Eddie’

The film is “Being Eddie,” because it definitely couldn’t be called “Understanding Eddie.”

In a pleasant yet thin documentary, we spend some time with superstar Eddie Murphy. He putters about the house, speculating on past glories and future possibilities. He reflects on friends and favorite projects. He opines on the state of comedy and the realities of the entertainment business.

He rarely gives a glimpse into what seems to be a calculated, gentle exterior — and even when he does, it feels like an accident.

Or, perhaps, a feat of editing. Director Angus Wall made his name as an editor, including work with David Fincher on films including “The Social Network” and “Zodiac.” Knowing that Wall is an editor by trade makes an unusual juxtaposition feel loaded: At one moment, Murphy reminisc