Down to Earth
| Year: | 2001 |
| Production Co: | 3 Art Entertainment |
| Studio: | Paramount |
| Director: | Chris Weitz/Paul Weitz |
| Writer: | Chris Rock |
| Cast: | Chris Rock, Regina King, Jennifer Coolidge, Chazz Palminteri, Eugene Levy, Wanda Sykes, John Cho |
A bizarre project for Chris Rock to be involved in, it's essentially a kid's movie premise with simplistic, kids movie sentimentalities and would have suited more cinema/family-friendly comics like Rob Schneider or Vince Vaughan.
The only sign you're watching Rock as he is (or wants to portray himself) is a few live stand-up performances elbowed into the narrative, ill-fitting and out of place.
To further muddy the waters, there are several gags of a decidedly racial bent that certainly don't belong in a such a juvenile premise, and the whole thing ends up a mess with a few laughs but little else.
Hit by a truck on his way home, aspiring (and not very good) comic Lance (Rock) is taken to heaven and told it was all a mistake, it wasn't his time. Angels Chazz Palminteri and Eugene Levy have to find another body for him to inhabit fast. They find it in a wealthy corporate raider that allows for as much fish out of water comedy as possible as Lance turns the old man's life and legacy around by listening to rap, becoming a generous philanthropist with the money of his evil, money grubbing company and falling for the activist who's opposed him at every step (King).
The expected happens and just when he has the opportunity to get out of the old man's body - what he wanted from the beginning - he realises he wants to stay there because he can do more good for the world and the girl.
Credited as being a remake of Warren Beatty vehicle Heaven Can Wait, and with about six credited screenwriters, it can't be good.
The only sign you're watching Rock as he is (or wants to portray himself) is a few live stand-up performances elbowed into the narrative, ill-fitting and out of place.
To further muddy the waters, there are several gags of a decidedly racial bent that certainly don't belong in a such a juvenile premise, and the whole thing ends up a mess with a few laughs but little else.
Hit by a truck on his way home, aspiring (and not very good) comic Lance (Rock) is taken to heaven and told it was all a mistake, it wasn't his time. Angels Chazz Palminteri and Eugene Levy have to find another body for him to inhabit fast. They find it in a wealthy corporate raider that allows for as much fish out of water comedy as possible as Lance turns the old man's life and legacy around by listening to rap, becoming a generous philanthropist with the money of his evil, money grubbing company and falling for the activist who's opposed him at every step (King).
The expected happens and just when he has the opportunity to get out of the old man's body - what he wanted from the beginning - he realises he wants to stay there because he can do more good for the world and the girl.
Credited as being a remake of Warren Beatty vehicle Heaven Can Wait, and with about six credited screenwriters, it can't be good.