I was invited to attend a premiere of the new Chris Rock movie “Down to Earth”, which Rock co-wrote the screenplay for, and produced. The movie was followed by a live taping of the Oprah Winfrey show, which Rock would appeared on. This sounded a like a good idea when the offer was on the table, now that I look back on it ñ it wasn’t. It’s not that I have anything against Chris Rock, I don’t. I happen to think that he is one of the funniest, most innovative and aggressive comics in the world. Down to Earth was not one of his best ideas. It was the biggest waste of film since my Bar Mitzvah tape filmed by the neighborhood retarded kid.
Down to Earth opens Friday February 16 in theaters nation wide. Loosely based on the Warren Beatty film “Heaven Can’t Wait”, Rock stars as a bike messenger from Brooklyn who is taken to heaven 44 years too early. Rock is then reincarnated as a middle aged white millionaire and hilarity does not ensue. Using stale material from his 1995 stand up act, Rock looked like a first time comic, wet behind the ears. “Your momma’s armpits are so hairy, it looks like she has Buckwheat in a headlock” was actually used. Folks, Rock used this exact line in a Saturday Night Live sketch 6 years ago, called Nat X. Lame.
During the taping of the show, Oprah kept stressing that Rock had “everything” riding on this new movie. A movie that the whole family could go to, keeping the rating under a R. I hope, on behalf of all comedians that Chris Rock doesn’t have everything riding on this. Rock recently ended his Emmy award winning Chris Rock show, after a solid four year run. He should have staying power, but this piece of crap is nothing more than a playpen for pigs to roll around in. Down to Earth is lame, and no one should ever spend money on it.
Chris Rock will appear on the Oprah Winfrey show Thursday February 8, 2001.
Source: Jason Anfinsen
