This time of year, there are a lot of oscar-worthy dramas hitting the theaters, so a good comedy is a nice change of pace. Top Five stars Chris Rock (who also wrote and directed). He plays Andre, a mega star comedic actor and former stand up, who has tried to do more serious roles, only to end up with a string of box office busts. He is days away from marrying a reality show tv star, whose wedding on Bravo is the tv event of the year, and really the only thing keeping Andre in the news these days. The movie follows a single day, as he is being interviewed by Rosario Dawson’s character Chelsea, a reporter for the New York Times.
Everyone, including Chelsea, wants to know why Andre isn’t funny anymore. He has distanced himself from comedy films and his past, and hasn’t done stand up in years. Ostensibly he says it is because he’s tired of comedy and wants to do more, but Chelsea senses early on something else is up and needles him throughout the day to get truthful answers.
The movie is funny, at times hysterically so, but there is good heart in it as well. When Andre’s past demons (and Chelsea’s secrets too) come to light, it brings a lot of depth to the story. Viewer be warned, like Rock’s style the movie can be vulgar at times, but it is one of the better comedies this year and features a great cast (small parts featuring Cedric the Entertainer, Kevin Hart, Tracy Morgan, and many others, even Jerry Seinfeld!). Not a family film, but a solid adult comedy that will entertain.
Jons Movie Takes 