User reviews

I am sooooo not in the audience for a Chris Rock film--or so I would have thought. I'm white, in my 60's, liberal but not urban or indeed hip in any sense, and the only five rap artists I could name are those who went on to acting careers.

And yet...this was a definitely movie for me. It's observational, mature, witty, good-hearted, mostly a rom-com but also about the battle between external expectations and inner desire, young adulthood and maturity.

The plot of the movie, which has everyone but a few good friends wanting poor Andre to keep doing his funny stuff, the talking bear movies, while he wants to do more significant work? That ends up perfectly predicting the audience reaction you see here via the reviews. "Where's the hysterical Chris Rock **** jokes?" people stuck in 1992 want to know.

There is some of that in here...and it's exactly the stuff I hated (Cedric and the whores; the tampon thing--ish, edit them both out) and that made me rate this a couple stars lower than I might have otherwise. So as I pity Andre in the film (omg, having "Hammy!" shouted at you 1000 times day!), I pity Rock even more for living out this life, even in the year since this movie's release, even right here on IMDb, with angry comments by old-school fans of his. Man, that's life imitating art imitating life.

I hope I see more like this from him.

I enjoy that I was able to like all these characters and sympathize with them. I liked the set up for the reveal about Chelsea. I liked how Silk was a stock character you thought you knew, until he wasn't in the final 1/4 of the film. I was tickled. I was moved. I was pressed to think.

(and I did sort of like the rap song running over the end credits, so one never knows, eh?)

Eight stars while Rosario Dawson's on screen, otherwise six. Chris Rock is Andre Allen, a successful standup comic who's arrived at his "Stardust Memories" moment—he's done a couple of dumb action comedies about a crime-fighting bear and wants to redeem himself with a serious film about Haitian slave rebels that nobody wants to see. Some of the plot mechanics are a little creaky, some of the comic set pieces are just distracting (especially the gross-out foursome with Cedric and the topheavy hookers), but the two leads have great chemistry, and the scenes with the two of them just "wandering around bullshitting" (as Ethan Hawke says in "Before Midnight") are totally engaging.

The comedy sideshow stuff is hit or miss. An extended sequence with Tracy Morgan, Leslie Jones et al. as Andre's old cronies from the 'hood—maybe meant to illustrate Chris Rock's claim that he was only the tenth funniest guy on his block—mostly hits; the shtick with J.B. Smoove coming on to every plus-size woman he meets mostly misses (except when Gabourey Sidibe tells him to knock it off...). Romcom convention dictates that the two leads have a falling out that keeps Rosario out of the picture for a while, which requires a nonsensical plot twist and results in a few flat scenes near the end, but all in all it's an entertaining film.

Maybe the example of Louis CK has encouraged Chris Rock to base his character more on his own life, instead of playing, e.g., a dweeby investment banker ("I Think I Love My Wife"); as with "Louie," the NYC locations are a big part of the story. He claims that this is the "blackest" film he's made so far, but I have to say that a standup guy from Bed-Stuy who remakes an Eric Rohmer classic ("My Wife"), costars with Julie Delpy ("Two Days in New York") in a film set in Tribeca and steals from Preston Sturgess and Woody Allen is my kind of postracial auteur.

Written and Directed by Chris Rock, 'Top Five' is a hilarious romantic-comedy, filled with whip-smart observations on people, fame, identity, alcoholism (and will power). Other than Anders Holm's clichéd closeted boyfriend character (but with unique and hilarious situations), the two lead characters, Andre and Chelsea, are written quite well; they're unique and interesting, and the spark between them is undeniable. Even the supporting characters have fascinating personalities and dialogues. So basically, it's Chris Rock's writing (which is as good as his stand-ups) which makes the movie fun to watch; the movie is semi-autobiographical, and is Rock's best role on screen.

The 'Planet of the Apes'-Martin Luther King Jr. assassination analogy was quite intriguing and hysterical. The entire scene in the hotel room with the two call girls and the other guy was really a well-written situation; quite rib-tickling. Guest appearances by Adam Sandler and Jerry Seinfeld were amusing, too.

The acting is commendable and suit the characters perfectly. Miss Dawson, with her looks and her personality, is incredible in her role. The Cinderella-element in the movie was interesting, and the climax was just perfect; you can't help but have a smile on your face.

I knew he could do it,

And what's cool is that he shows some depth I knew he was capable of, but never saw him do. I think CB4 was the last funny Chris Rock move, and that's saying something, cause it was not really that funny.

But finally, Chris Rock writes, directs, and producers his own star vehicle that fully lives up to the comedy spectacular that is Chris Rock.

He gets it right with a satire about being a funny man, turned actor who after finding success, fears going back to comedy because he's fears not being funny, but finds a spark in a Times writer who follows him around all day to get to know the man behind the fame.

Although, a lot of the movie is a cliché you seen plenty of times in the past, it's heighten by the fact that the filmmaker is Rock himself who's not afraid to share the comedy spotlight with his friends who make funny appearances. From the always funny Kevin Hart who held it down, to Cedric the Entertainer whose funny moment in the trailer was just a small part of his overall funny cameo, plus a few other hilarious cameos from his friends I would not want to spoil.

Overall, it was Rock's best moment on the big screen.

Clearly a personal project for writer/director/star Chris Rock, Top Five isn't quite a comedy and isn't quite a drama. It nestles snugly, firmly into the in-between, dispensing funny little slices of life alongside serious, self-searching notes about midlife insecurity and the desire to make something more of yourself. Rock basically plays himself, a longtime comedy superstar who worries that his silly wide-appeal earlier works have trapped him in a vicious cycle of self-loathing and alcoholism. His character is grounded and real, afraid to play anything for big laughs because the pressure to meet earlier comedy heights is so crippling. For the most part, it's the story of his swift rapport and burgeoning relationship with a tailing New York Times reporter (Rosario Dawson), which clicks on all cylinders. The two work so well together, it can be enjoyable just watching them interact over the inconsequential, and that's the real draw. Don't go in expecting riotous laughs; it's funny, but also sweet, and an effective stepping stone to broader subjects.

Top Five isn't the best comedy I've seen in recent years, and it is largely forgettable throughout, but it is definitely a breath of fresh air in a movie genre that has, in recent years, become flooded with loud, obnoxious, and expensive blockbusters that try much too hard at being funny and end up only genuinely being funny for enough scenes to fill up the time for its preview. Or even worse, they go on to turn the movie into sequels or trilogies only to repeat the same basic plot with a few new characters for the sole purpose of making money, instead of making a quality film.

Top Five is a relatively mature and intelligent comedy throughout, that ends leaving the viewer satisfied, and for some wanting more but still content with it being the conclusion to this particular story and set of characters. I don't normally review movies on IMDb, but due to the irony of some of the cruel and unnecessarily critical reviews of this movie given by a decent amount of users that I read, after watching a movie that spends time shining light on the effects words have on people, no matter how famous, rich, or happy they are/appear to be.

This movie is by no means Chris Rock's masterpiece, but it is an intelligently crafted, and entertaining film that doesn't deserve to be given any less than a 5 rating. The 7 rating I gave it is largely due to the fact that I enjoy Chris Rock's comedy and he showed me in this film that he hasn't lost a bit of talent since his first big break. It's not a movie I would go see in theaters, but if it pops up for streaming on Netflix, its worth a watch for sure.

Chris Rock, who wrote and directed this film, can be very funny. However, this movie wanders all over the place, and when it doesn't work it can be really awful.

Why throw in completely over-the-top, unfunny, and highly explicit sex scenes when they seem to come out of left field, and not really congruent with the rest of the story. I much preferred the chemistry between Rock and the superbly talented and beautiful Rosario Dawson, which, I thought, worked really well. Gabrielle Union, J. B. Smoove, and Leslie Jones also added well to the mix here.

All in all, as mentioned, the movie is way too choppy, with some really cringe inducing scenes, and overall a disappointment.

The critically acclaimed but underrated audience film Top Five is genius. Not only is it a return to glory for Chris Rock, it's a really great dramatic film. IMDb doesn't list it as drama, but I think the dramatic moments of Top Five were even better than the inevitably hysterical moments. It tells the story of Andre Allen, a comedian and movie star who is struggling to reach the heights of his early career while simultaneously being interviewed by a journalist and preparing for his wedding.

Top Five caught me off guard. I figured with the cast it has and the premise that it presented, the film would be a goof ball comedy and a throwaway film. Instead, it felt like a mixture of a Richard Linklater and Woody Allen script, with tons of great Chris Rock comedy thrown in. It only takes place over the course of a night or two, and the screenplay is absolutely brilliant. Rock and Rosario Dawson share great chemistry together and light up each others lives, which are otherwise pretty depressing. The back and forth with them and the ability they had to change each other's world views, was reminiscent of Celine & Jesse in The Before Trilogy. I also tend to believe this was loosely based on how Chris Rock viewed himself in the industry and quite possibly several other celebrities. It sheds a light on what may be the many struggles celebrities and past-their-prime actors go through when they are trying to change their career.

Now I don't know how explicit the film needed to get. At times some of the goofy comedy and characters took me out of the film. I would have much rather the film stay closer to the contained humor that made the film work so well. Besides that, I was really impressed Top Five. The fact that a film involving Chris Rock walking around New York City for a full 2 hours was that interesting is a testament to the script and Rock's directing.

Hilarious

Dramatic moments hit even more

Felt like a Linklater/Woody Allen script

Potentially Rock's own story?

-Stay away from the silly comedy

8.5/10

There's a scene in this film, Chris Rock's latest as auteur and star, where he performs in a comedy club. It's the first time in years his character, Andre Allen, has performed and from a story point of view it seems rushed and contrived. How he gets to this point isn't exactly organic to what's been going on just before, and only makes sense in the sense that the script dictates it's here that he gets, for lack of a better phrase, his 'groove' back on stage. Nevermind that the character hasn't performed in so long - albeit some of the material, to be fair, ties back in with some troubles he's having with his fiancé, so that's fine - he kills and everyone loves it. Why do they love it really? Well, this is where it gets tricky, and why I recommend Top Five: it's funny. And Chris Rock's funny. He's a great stand up. He doesn't transcend his own problematic script, but he and the cast do much better than it could've been.

The basic premise has more than a touch of Stardust Memories - in case you can't tell, which is possible, Woody Allen is one of Rock's heroes - as Allen doesn't want to do funny movies anymore (he's been "Hammy the Bear" for three films, making this kind of a double-bill/companion piece for this year's Birdman), and has a new, serious work where he plays a Haitian white-man-killing revolutionary. He's spending this one day going around New York city, promoting the film, visiting his family, doing this and that, and he's tagged along by a journalist (Rosario Dawson, who is terrific here by the way), who wants a personal-profile scoop. He's not having it, at first, but over the course of a day and night and lots of memories of things gone wrong - he was/is an alcoholic, as she is, conveniently enough - he opens up.

Again, not a strong story entirely, though it has its moments. Really, it's actually the moments that Rock wins best at here: when he goes to visit his family (first his father, who seems to be kind of a bum but it's funny/sad seeing Allen have to haggle with him over money) and how they all rag on him, and he rags on them back, you can see the warmth and improvisation going on (how much is scripted is anyone's guess, but the tone is just right and the jokes all work in this piece). His set pieces, mostly in the flashbacks, keep bringing the comedy forward and he has many, many funny lines, but even funnier situations for his actors. Cedric the Entertainer especially steals his scenes, but the same can go for Kevin Hart, JB Smoove (to an extent, though he has really one shtick), and even Brian Regan in an uncredited cameo. And DMX... Jesus.

A lot of the film also hinges on Rock and Dawson, and despite a third act reveal (is it a twist?) that made me roll my eyes, their chemistry really sells much of the film. He has just great dialog for the two of them to play off one another, so that we can still buy *them* even if not always the story or situations that develop.

And, again it must be stressed, the movie is funny. Sometimes it's very funny - I'd be remiss to forget that Seinfeld and Adam Sandler show up at a bachelor party and had me crying laughing - and that helps it make it just an unabashed crowd-pleaser first, cutting satire second, which I think was really Rock's goal here. Whether he was trying to also make a GREAT film, I don't know. At its very best, it does come closer than any Rock film to show the sorts of topics he does in his stand up brought to a dramatic context, like the whole marriage-TV-show sub-plot with Gabrielle Union (who is also fantastic here).

But hey, for a night out - as a date-night movie it's especially adept - it works, and it'll get you thinking about your own Top Five after a while. Or if you'd ever see Rock play a Bear-cop (obviously a play on Martin Lawrence more than himself, though ironically Rock wrote the script while on set for Grown-Ups 2, so it goes).

Andre Allen (Chris Rock) is a standup comedian who became famous for a movie franchise character Hammy The Bear. He wants to stop playing Hammy and do serious roles. He tries to promote his historical drama about a Haitian revolutionary but people only want to talk about Hammy or his impending reality-TV wedding with Erica Long (Gabrielle Union). He reluctantly does an interview with New York Times reporter Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) as she follows him for the day.

There are some funny moments but in general, the characters feel fake. Chris Rock never really stopped being Chris Rock except when he dives into the drinking. Rosario Dawson is lovely but I don't believe her romantic chemistry with him. I rather she be his sponsor than his girlfriend. After she reconnects with him, she needs to bring him to a meeting rather than a comedy store. When Seinfeld, Sandler and Whoopi show up, it feels like the movie is trying too hard and not terribly funny. Andre's family is funnier. There is an interesting movie here but it takes a couple of wrong steps.

This movie left me speechless, literally. It was that bad. I'd like to think of myself as a moderately unbiased movie watcher, as I try to go into every movie with an open mind. I didn't look at any reviews or ratings before going to see this movie. Afterwards it felt like I had just watched a complete mess. The movie is full of completely random, pointless scenes, scenes that drag on for too long, and jokes that just aren't funny. It tried to be one of those off-the-wall crazy comedies like Hangover or Superbad, but isn't even half as funny as either of those movies. I was absolutely baffled to see that critics were giving this movie 8 out of 10. I can't see how any right-minded person could rate this movie that high I unless they got paid to. This is one of the top five worst movies I've ever seen!

What a horrible movie, if you can call it that. It is just a bunch of scenes cut and pasted together. No blending, no transitions, nothing. Acting is horrible, feels like they are all reading from card sheets. Only watched it for Chris Rock, well that did not work or save it. I can't believe Chris has falling down this low. Once a upon a time he was tops in comedy, now he is not even an afterthought.

Story? What story? I don't even know where it was going! I want my bandwith back!

Avoid this trash piling up steaming feces as much as possible.

Another black comedy which falls flat on its face!

Top Five is a film that should have been ballsier, should have had a stronger voice, and should have delivered a heavier punch. The fact is we have seen this concept before, with the weak Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins and the mediocre Funny People. The entertainer-going-back-to-roots-rediscovery angle has been done a couple times within the past half-decade. So in order for Top Five to stand out, it needs sharper dialogue, more entertaining scenarios, more heart. And who better to do this then one of the best comics in the last 20 years? Yet despite the effort and the clearly talented cast, the movie never truly floats above mediocrity waters. Top Five does enough to slightly entertain, but you really wish that there could have been more.

Chris Rock's stand-up is undeniably one of the best in the history of the art form. He has the observational humor of Jerry Seinfeld mixed with the sharp delivery of Eddie Murphy. His cinematic career however lacks the bite that gives him the unique voice in comedy. When your best performance and best non-animated movie comes from a 20 year old Wesley Snipes film (well...maybe CB4), there is a major issue. And although this movie isn't autobiographical, it definitely has some nods to Rock's actual career. This time Rock is channeling his inner Woody Allen by writing, directing, and starring in a New York flick.

In terms of acting, Chris Rock does not disappoint. His chemistry with the evocative and beautiful Rosario Dawson (sheer underrated talent) was the highlight of the film by far. They work off each other very well, which makes it all the more surprising that the rest of the cast had such limited material and didn't have their chance to truly mesh with Rock. Even Cedric the Entertainer and his amazing portrayal of a Houston freewheeler didn't contribute much. Chris Rock does indeed have the ability to run a movie, but boy did I wish more from Cedrick, J.B. Smoove, Sherri Shepherd, Gabrielle Union, among others.

All the small roles from talented people would be forgiven if the script had been stronger, and if the film had truly explored the harsh questions. Behind the microphone, Chris Rock is not afraid to take on touchy subjects. In Top Five, lots of concepts are lightly brought up but never explored. The reality star life angle, the difficult comedian life angle, the race angle, the returning-to-roots angle, and even the politics subject was slightly and very dimly brought up, but it never dwelled deeper. We could have had some serious post-viewing discussions on the whos, the whats, and the whys, but the film never ignited the fire.

Similar to About Last Night, another 2014 woulda, coulda, shoulda black ensemble film that didn't dip its feet into the discussion waters, Top Five explores a similar cinematic concept and stays afloat mainly because of lead character chemistry and a few cameos striking comedic gold. Unfortunately this movie lacks the bite of Chris Rock standup (despite the "R" rating giving you full permission to do so), instead meandering into similar territory that mixes Woody Allen with recent Judd Apatow. Dramatic but not dramatic enough, funny but not funny enough, provocative but not provocative enough, There are too many ingredients in the talent soup for the overall flavor to remain slightly lifeless.

I wanted more, anticipated more, and overall it just wasn't enough—despite this being Rock's best directorial and acting work.

Those that have reviewed this movie must be involved in receiving monies from it. I'm a regular movie goer and this had to be one of the worst I've seen in a long time. Very embarrassing for Chris Rock.

Rosario Dawson did her best to make this movie watchable and even believable but this was sad. Chris Rock has never been a good actor...so imagine combining bad acting with a terrible movie. Do such and you get Top Five.

There are many big names that make an appearance or two in this movie, yet it doesn't help. Cedric the Entertainer plays more of a role than most and has some funny parts. He is like a promoter, pimp, etc that will provide a few laughs but the movie is just awful.

This also taught me to not trust the reviews on here. Wow!!!

'TOP FIVE': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Chris Rock wrote, directed and stars in this comedy flick about a former stand-up comedian, and popular movie star, who tries to make it in serious film; while also marrying a reality TV star, on TV. It costars Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart, J.B. Smoove and many others. It also features cameos from celebrities like Tracy Morgan, Cedric the Entertainer, DMX, Whoopi Goldberg, Adam Sandler and Jerry Seinfeld. The film has gotten almost unanimously positive reviews from critics and has been nominated for multiple awards as well (and it's also won a couple). I think it's a well made and funny movie and it deserves all the praise and recognition it's been getting (too bad that doesn't result in big Box Office).

Rock plays a celebrity, somewhat similar to himself, named Andre Allen. Allen was an extremely successful stand-up comedian, who also starred in a blockbuster film franchise called 'Hammy The Bear'. He also had some alcohol problems and legal issues though, in his past, and is now a recovering alcoholic. Allen is now engaged to a popular reality TV star, named Erica Long (Union), that he's supposed to marry on TV. His first serious film, called 'Uprise' (a movie about the violent Haitian revolution), is also being released that weekend. Fans just want to see him do more comedy and 'Hammy The Bear' films though. Allen's also agreed to do a detailed interview, with a reporter named Chelsea Brown (Dawson), that same weekend too.

The movie is funny but what I'm most impressed with, about the film, is Rock's skills as a director and film writer. I already knew he was funny, and could write and deliver a lot of good jokes, but I didn't know he was this talented of a filmmaker. Although some of the humor is pretty silly, it still feels like you're watching real people in real situations. Rock's commentary on the film business, stand-up comedy and reality TV seems pretty spot-on too. He's good in the lead and the supporting cast is almost equally as impressive; Dawson is always beautiful and likable to watch and Union is stunning and gorgeous too. The cameos are also to die for. It's just a really good film!

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"I just saw @jessicaalba. If this was 2007, I'd be really excited," writes Twitter user @sexydeucedeuce. This tweet, vicious as it is, isn't just spam Jessica Alba sifted through on an especially boring Sunday afternoon. She is reading it aloud, notably on national television, as part of one of Jimmy Kimmel's viral specials — Celebrities Read Mean Tweets. Alba puts on that mock hurt face that audiences love — I doubt she's much insecure, with her good looks, beautiful family, and low-key but successful career (I know, I'm sounding like a Women's Health journalist doing a cover story) — but what if she were insecure; what if she wants to, and has tried to, do something better than 2007, but can't quite get audiences or critics to come along on the ride with her?

Chris Rock and Alba don't have much in common, he being a rich comedian, she a likable but limitedly talented actress. But one thing is certain — in the public eye, their best days are behind them. Rock has become synonymous with the Madagascar and Grown Ups films these days, and Alba would prefer to travel through various Robert Rodriguez projects and weird little indie miniseries'. You can hardly blame them for seeking out safety nets as they get older, but one can wonder if they're satisfied looking back on their glory days while the future holds money and not much else.

If it's any indication, though, Rock just isn't the kind of comedian or actor to sit back and become a legend who hasn't had a hit in years. He doesn't want to merely rise up as a result of an out-of-the-blue, better- than-usual vehicle; he wants to bathe in the salts of self-deprecation first and then make us change our minds. So we get Top Five, a winning, dramatic (but funny), semi-autobiographical tale that goes for Woody Allen and James L. Brooks and smashes expectations. It highlights Rock's many talents (he writes, stars, and directs the thing, for crying out loud), potentially redefining his career. He is no longer a supporting player to Adam Sandler, Kevin James, David Spade and company — he becomes the shining screen personality we've been wanting to meet all these years. It gives him a role finally worthy of his time. And he had to write it himself. So before naysayers can rip his head off in a furious Kill Bill sashay, they must pause for 101 minutes and watch Top Five — only then can they decide what to do next (they'll probably end up apologizing for chewing on Rock's self-confidence all these years).

Rock is Andre Allen, a 50-ish comedian who is nearing, or in the midst of, the stickiness of a heavy midlife crisis. His version of Alba's 2007 is 2005, when he hit his stride as a standup comedian and silver screen star and was announced as the funniest man in America by Time magazine. Nearly a decade later, he has quit standup, is a recovering alcoholic, is marrying a Kim Kardashian-esque reality star (Gabrielle Union), and is sick and tired of people referring to him as "Hammy", a stupid character he played in a stupid series of stupid comedy movies. He wants to be taken seriously — he is directing and starring in Uprize, the story of a Haitian slave revolution — but he is as apprehensive about his middling career as the public is. Will they accept their old favorite comedy star in something that isn't pumped full of forgettable laughs?

He is as troubled as a combination of an angsty teen and a bitter divorcée, and when he is asked to be the face of a cover story by The New York Times, he hesitantly accepts (especially considering their chief movie critic absolutely trashed him in a recent review). The journalist assigned to pick his psyche is Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson), who not only asks Andre the expected hard-hitting questions but also provides him with some seriously needed conversation (you know, with a level-headed person). In the process, he rethinks his entire life, wondering if he really wants to get married to a diva or if offensive projects focusing on brutal Haitian slave revolutions are the right way to go on the rocky trail headed towards The Land of Being Taken Seriously.

Top Five is a Stardust Memories in an era of far too many dumbed down sequels and cash grabbers — where can one find comedies with intellectual, emotional humor these days? It's not a gagfest, instead a life can be funny (and disappointing) kicker with sparkling dialogue and performances from Rock and Dawson that mimic Allen and Keaton, Chase and Hawn. The balance of drama and comedy scratches us in a soothing spot; it is essentially a movie where characters talk and talk and talk and talk, and we find ourselves looking at all kinds of conversations. Rock writes them as if he were recording the dialogues of his life and copying down the gems.

When Top Five takes a break from being fun, though, it asks the hard questions, and that's why it is such a successful film. Rock set out to make something personal, and the film is as personal as a film can get, no matter if life is really imitating art. It's a wise, soulful film, and you won't think about Rock the same way again.

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This movie is like watching your favorite team lose the World Series and then finding out that they were paid by gamblers to lose on purpose! Chris Rock has been my hero ever since I saw him in the 1991 drug movie NEW JACK CITY. He was hardly more than a teenager at the time, with no acting training at all, and he played the most devastatingly real crack addict ever put on film. He did more acting in that one role, in that one film, than his "Breakfast Club" costar Judd Nelson did in his whole shabby career.

But of course, there are reasons why Chris Rock could never have the mainstream appeal that a scintillating talent like Judd Nelson had.

Now I had heard that this movie was Chris Rock's masterpiece. I heard it was incisive, outspoken, that he revealed all the entertainment industry's buried secrets and its shameful double standards.

Actually, no. In this movie, Chris Rock is not even trying. He walks around Manhattan with a pretty girl on his arm, making vaguely amusing remarks on random unimportant topics. And I kept watching and thinking, is this it? Is this all? "Did you know that Charlie Chaplin was a genius?" Yes, thank you. I already knew that.

Say it ain't so, Chris. Say it ain't so!

What is refreshing about this film is that it's not yet another glossy all-politically correct Hollywood piece of garbage for pure mindless entertainment. And that is why this film divides moviegoers into two such extreme camps.

The key theme and idea is fairly basic at its core - a stand-up comedian who struggles to redefine himself as e serious artist after quitting substance abuse. But the way the story is told and how the unravels is very engaging. It doesn't spoon-feed the key message to you, and you have to work just a little bit as a receptive viewer to pick up on some of the subtleties.

Throughout it is packed with smart and understated humour and satire, which is probably the key reason why it doesn't hit a chord with a lot of people. But well worth it. It's raw, funny, at times crass and it all works because none of it far fetched at all! The best kind of comedy is one that is interwoven into a drama, which is exactly what this film does.

On top of all that, the entire cast is pretty superb, and the acting is great. Whether Chris Rock can act or not is probably beside the point - cos he is just playing himself more or less. You can relate to and at least on some level identify with all the characters, who do a tremendous job of keeping the movie smart and witty.

America, this is how movies get made elsewhere in the world!

Definitely not for kids don't bother seeing it in a language other than English. But highly recommended viewing for anyone with an appreciation for good film making.

Probably one of the worst movies I've seen in a while. I don't understand why people are entranced by seeing actors and personalities they can identify with. The humor was lackluster. The movie lacks any substance at all. They could have shortened it and made a SNL skit out of this movie rather than an entire movie.

The whole premise of this movie is to throw a bunch of known comedians and actors into a movie to grab and lure in an audience and generate money.

The storyline is terrible.. The acting is alright.. Rosario Dawson did okay. The rest lacked anything..

It was more or less a terrible romance movie between Rosario Dawson and Chris Rock than a comedy.. It made no sense.

The only good part about this movie is the cameo appearances by DMX and Seinfeld.

Still while Stand Up comedians have a tough time translating onto the big screen, this is a pretty decent effort. Helped by the ever beautiful and talented Rosario Dawson. The fact that Chris Rock kind of plays himself helps too. Why they chose the title is explained during the running time of the movie, though you'd still expect this to have a different title than what characters ask themselves (list wise).

The jokes keep coming and the viewer is like a spectator of "reality TV show". That's how it feels, but in a good sense. As in "a day in the life of ...". And he even does a short stand up routine. There's bonus material of that in the extras of the Disc. Not the best comedy there is, but more than a decent effort