Colossal Incision
A Review By Ben Hunter
4½ Out Of 5 Stars
GET TO THE POINT
BEN!
Chris Rock is NOT an
actor, the core needs more light, but even still, I had such an AMAZING
experience!
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New York City present day, Andre Allen (Chris Rock) is an
all star celebrity known for his stand up comedy. Naturally, he becomes involved with other
venues of entertainment that celebrities do such as movies. His comedy film series, Hammy the Bear, a set of commercial, cheesy, action flicks out to
make a quick dollar, have taken off. But
Andre wants to be taken serious as a real and true artist (obviously Rock
pulled from personal experiences to write and direct this film). So Andre stars in a new serious film about
the Haitian Revolution, Uprize. But the film is just not connecting with
critics and our story takes place on its debut.
This is in the midst of his reality-televised engagement with fiancé
Erica Long (Gabrielle Union) who feels this is her only chance at stardom
because she also feels talentless. So
she pressures him to do what she feels he should, thus inspiring the
disarray. But she helped Andre get clean
from drugs and alcohol. So he feels
obliged not to leave her and stay in an unhappy relationship.
Oh, and now, the day of the film’s release, a reporter for
the New York Times Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) wants to interview Andre and
do a story on him. This is something he
doesn’t want obviously in the midst of all the stress provided by his career
and marriage, but as Chelsea normally pushes, in addition to other encouraging
factors, against his will, Andre goes along with the interview hoping this will
help his new film get the press it needs, relieve some of the weight from his
wedding, and hopefully bring him a little closer to happiness.
Top Five is Chris
Rock’s official colossal incision at becoming a respected artist. Just like his character Andre in the film,
this is his stance at being taken serious and not just be seen as “the funny
guy”. This is what’s taking place in my
book, as we follow Andre & Chelsea around New York for the day as Andre
goes about his errands of his new film’s release and all the running around
needed for a wedding on the very near horizon.
Well, I thought it was funny, extremely funny. I know Chris Rock wouldn’t really want to
hear that as my main take away. But this
was a funny story that I enjoyed following along with. Chris Rock is not an actor. Let me say that again, CHRIS ROCK IS NOT
AN ACTOR! Quite terrible I might
add, and why I believe he felt compelled to create Top Five. This is after we
all came to grasps with the fact of his acting ability with his work with Julie
Delpy (one of my girls) in 2 Days In New
York (2012). So I don’t blame him for wanting to make this
film. It was a huge hit at The Toronto
International Film Festival, so much so that it caused an all out war with the
studios who all fought for it. I loved
this film, and the message Chris Rock made with it in regards to race in
Hollywood behind the scenes (see his interview with The Hollywood Reporter), his
work as an artist not just of a comedic nature, but in filmmaking and such …
he’s just not an actor. That’s all I
mean by that.
I do cringe a little when I see celebrities from other
industries take a stab in this one as I feel a little of the “cutting in line”
aspect. But Chris Rock has had film
ambitions for a while now, as this is his 3rd time in the director’s
chair. He’s received full directing and
writing credits for this film; he’s been trying to respectfully break into film
for awhile. So this is not as bad as
when I see The Rock, or Beyoncé, and the like.
But that’s another post for another day.
I wish I could’ve felt more of the human relations to life
lessons that we can take away and better ourselves with as a result. There were a lot of funny everyday situations
and the story properly segued from part to plot, etc. But is it about love and never giving up for
love? Is it about dealing with life’s
mess and how there will always be mess and it’s about being content with mess
to realize it’s not mess? Is it about your top five favorite rappers (which, in case you wondering: Eminem, Jay-Z, André 3000, The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop)? What’s that
one major thing? The core of this story
needs to be revealed just a little bit more.
But I could feel myself genuinely engaging with this story
as Chris Rock had me truly laughing from that place at the bottom of your
stomach to know “this is real humor”.
Some of the comedy was quite sophisticated as I could hear I was the
only one laughing at some of it and not just the obvious quirks. So I know this is from a neighborhood of
“quality”, that place of artistry that Chris Rock is desperately trying to find
his home within and not of just “commercial success”.
He’s almost there.
And I’m happy for him!
Top Five
Comedy, 102 Minutes, R
Written & Directed by: Chris Rock
Cast: Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, J.B. Smoove, Gabrielle Union, Romany
Malco, Anders Holm, & Cedric The Entertainer
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