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Down to Earth 2001 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Chris and Paul Weitz
PG-13, 90 min. (language, crude humor) |
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Starring: Chris Rock, Regina King, Mark Addy, Eugene Levy, Frankie Faison, Greg Germann, J. Coolidge, Chazz Palminteri
Producers: Sean Daniel, James Jacks, Michael Rotenberg
Screenplay: Chris Rock, Lance Crouther, Ali LeRoi, Louis C.K.
Cinematography: Richard Crudo
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Released: 2.16.01 (Wide) |
Rating:
 (out of ) |
Chris Rock continues his surge into the acting arena with Down to Earth, a film that is basically a carbon-copy of 1978's
Heaven Can Wait, which starred Warren Beatty (who also gets a screenwriting credit in this film). Although the idea
is intriguing and can definitely produce a myriad of jokes, somehow this film fails to capture the heart of what it's trying to
do - make you laugh. Rock is very comfortable on stage in front of a live audience, but he looks a little misplaced when in
front of a movie camera - and that's a serious problem when he dominates just about every scene of the picture.
Rock plays Lance, a comedian who is struggling to make a name for himself (he has recently been booed off the stage at the
Apollo). He's hit by a truck when bicycling and finds himself in heaven - or something that resembles the film's interpretation
of heaven. The angel, Keyes (Eugene Levy), mistakingly allowed him die 40 years early, thereby forcing his boss,
Mr. King (Chazz Palminteri), to find him a temporary new body - that of an old, white millionaire named Charles Wellington, who has just
been knocked off by his young wife and her boyfriend. At first, Lance despises the body he's been given, searching for any
way to be given another one, to no avail. Gradually, he warms up to it because of a blossoming relationship with a nurse,
Suntee (Regina King), who is leading a campaign against Wellington for his business tactics concerning a local hospital. The
crisis comes when Mr. King has found the perfect replacement, but Lance wants to stay where he is now that he and Suntee are
an item.
The film's focal point is the idea that everyone sees Rock as Wellington, but the rest of the world doesn't - they see the old,
white man behaving like a younger black man. This attracts Suntee, who "sees something in his eyes" that reminds her
of the departed Lance. The movie has two choices: show Rock as Wellington, or have another actor play Wellington as the
world sees him. Obviously, the latter option is nixed because Rock is the star of the film, but looking back, it may have been
the smarter move.
Rock is a talented comedian, but he's just not as comfortable acting "ad-lib" without a rehearsed script in front of him. This is
very evident as he performs a few of his stand-up routines during the film - they are vintage Rock; he is comfortable and
believable. But as soon as he steps off the stage it's like he clams up into a tight ball, hoping not to be kicked too hard for
messing up one of his lines.
The biggest weakness of the film is in the romantic relationship between Rock and King - it's simply not believable that an older
white man could seduce a young black woman who previously hated him for what he stood for. The film is banking on the fact
that the audience sees Rock so much that it will be at least passable, but it doesn't work. Down to Earth has some funny
moments, but nowhere near enough backbone to stand up to the ever-increasing weight of dull and contrived scenes being
thrust onto its back.
© 2001 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
 | Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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