The supporting cast includes Ned Beatty, R. Lee Ermey, Obba Babatundé, Bernie Mac, Anthony Anderson, Miguel A. Núñez Jr., Bokeem Woodbine, Guy Torry, Michael Taliferro and Barry Shabaka Henley.

The film is framed as a story being told by an elderly inmate about two of his friends, Ray (Murphy) and Claude (Lawrence), who are both wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

[2][3][4][5][6] In 1997, at the Mississippi State Penitentiary, elderly convict Willie Long tells two inmates his friends' life story at their burial.

Ray, wanting to enjoy the moment, loses his father's prized pocketwatch to card hustler Winston Hancock, and Claude lost his money after being solicited by one of the customers.

They immediately run afoul of the guards, Sergeant Dillard and Hoppin' Bob, and also meet fellow inmates Jangle Leg (who makes a pass at Claude), Willie Long, Biscuit (another homosexual inmate, involved with Jangle Leg), Radio, Goldmouth (a bully who picks a fight with Ray, but befriends him afterward), Cookie the chef, and Pokerface.

In 1944, twelve years later, Claude and Ray meet young, mute inmate "Can't-Get-Right", a talented baseball player who is sighted by a Negro league scout who offers a pardon to play.

Despite Ray’s sincere encouragement to resume life on the outside, Biscuit instead commits suicide by crossing the gun line, much to the shock and heartache of the other inmates.

While on a pheasant hunt one day, Ray notices that Pike has his father's watch and realizes he is the one who framed them 40 years prior.

He tells Wilkins that Pike framed him and Claude for murder, which the sheriff admits to with no remorse, saying that state of Mississippi had them as cheap labor for 40 years.

The inmates quickly realize the bodies they have buried are not Ray and Claude, who have gone back to New York immediately and are watching a Yankees game.

[11] Filming locations in the Los Angeles area included Downey[12] and Norwalk,[13] in addition to the Universal Pictures backlot.

As he evolves affectingly from a fast-talking hotshot into an old man with the growl and gait of a venerable blues singer, he seems to be reaching for a greater acting opportunity than this lightweight material can offer.

Since its release, the film has gained a strong cult following, with Elliot Smith of Entertainment Weekly classifying it as one of Murphy’s best: A surprisingly touching buddy comedy-drama that both lives up to and subverts audience expectations, Life has become a cult classic over the past 20-plus years, showing the artistic range of stars Murphy and Martin Lawrence.

The film is greatly aided by the steady hand of director Ted Demme, who gives his actors both freedom to shine while also reining in their overwrought impulses.