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Head of State (Widescreen Edition)

Head of State (Widescreen Edition)

List Price: $14.99
Your Price: $13.49
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Full of laughs
Review: I've heard people say that Chris Rock can sometimes fall into a bad territory -- that is, HE'S funny, but his movies aren't. And there may be some relevance to that (Pootie Tang, anyone?). But one movie that doesn't fall into that category is Head of State.

Basically the movie is about Democratic President-elect Brian Lewis (Nick Searcy)'s biggest competitor unexpectedly dying in a plane crash, leaving the Democratic party needing someone to take his place at the last second -- but someone who is sure to be a sure loser. The Democrats choose as their prospect Washington D.C. alderman Mays Gilliam (Rock). Mays' advisors Martin Geller (Dylan Baker) and Debra Lassiter (Lynn Whitfield -- still sexy after all these years) intend to have everything planned so that the race will look legit to Mays but will still be seen as a losing proposition to everyone on Lewis' team. But things start to change when Mays decides that he wants more control over his own campaign, and especially when he brings in his brother Mitch (Bernie Mac).

This is overall a great movie, and it's especially impressive because I believe it was Chris Rock's directorial debut. I gave the movie four stars because the scenes with Mays' crazy (ex-)girlfriend Kim (Robin Givens), though funny, were a bit overdone. But basically, once you finish watching Head of State, you might just want to watch it again.

Anthony Rupert

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Funny but Brings Wrong Message
Review: I love Chris Rock and this film is very funny but may be the reason us black people won't ever be taken seriously when it comes to finding the first ( if ever ) black president in the future. This is funny but quite offensive when it comes to Rock's transformation into a presidential candidate. You get everything blacks try to run from in one movie: the pimp stereotype, the prostitute stereotype, the gangsta stereotype, the ignorant stereotype, the dancing stereotype...any stereotype you can name about blacks you will find it here. What went wrong? I'll tell you...someone tried to throw up a movie that could have been funnier if it hadn't relied on making fun of everything blacks continually try to get away from. Watch it for entertainment or Rock but don't wonder why you may walk away offended. And I thought Black Knight and National Security set blacks back 1,000 years. For Rock's sake I hope he makes better comedy choices in the future. I'd hate to see him go down the " Martin " road.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: well.... it was ok...
Review: this was a good movie. i liked it. however, i think it wasn't one of chris rock's best performances. it seems like he was holding back his humor and "funniness". i definatly think that he could've made it fit his "funniness" better. its defianatly a good movie, but, as i said, he's done better. i would recomend this, but if you wabnt the real funny chris rock, then i suggest "down to earth" its got its emoitional side 2 it, but its HILARIOUS!!!!!!!! dat movie had me rollin fa dayz!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Stupid comedy but funny
Review: This movie is stupid. From the beginning the viewer is barraged with an onslaught of exaggerated political humor. However, the movie is funny and has its moments. There were so many things in this movie that were just so unrealistic. I know that it's a comedy, but some of the stuff here is just too much.

Head of State is about an African-American man named Mays Gilliam who is alderman of the 9th ward in Washington, D.C. Not that part of D.C. that we all imagine-the idealistic, majestic buildings of Congress and the memorials-but the ghetto. Gilliam is basically a low-level politician. At the beginning of the movie we find him being a hero by saving a woman who is in a house that's going to be detonated. After that his fortune as politician fails and he's kicked out of his office and evicted, plus his fiance splits with him.

Meanwhile, deep in the bureacratic offices of Congress, there are some big political changes in the Democratic Party after their candidate dies in a crash. The head of the party looks for a scapegoat to run for president so that he could lose. Somehow, and in an act of sheer coincidence, they stumble upon Gilliam. They pick him to be president and the rest is the movie where Gilliam tries to win office.

This movie is supposed to be a comedy, but most of the comedy is too obvious. Chris Rock is the main attraction in this movie, and he does have many funny quotes. The movie as a whole has lots of hilarious dialogue. The movie is basically a spoof and a satire of the political system today, and I think it does that job well. They poke fun at many of the recent political events. Chris Rock has many memorable phrases. When he runs for president he quickly becomes the most unconventional one. He ditches the prepared speeches and starts talking impromptu and from the heart, using some vulgar language while he's at it. This movie did have many funny moments, though, and it's good for a few laughs. Bernie Mac stars as the running mate with Chris Rock, and together they form a hilarious team. I think this movie is funny and worth seeing, but I wouldn't recommend buying it unless you're a serious Chris Rock and Bernie Mac fan, otherwise, just go rent it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Good Fun
Review: Ok, it is true that a presidential canidate wearing fubu and rapping is very strange. But this movie is a spoof, it is just supposed to be fun for the viewer. I liked this movie very much and I would recommend it to anyone.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Lame!
Review: The movie was a disappointment for me. The comedy about unknown black guy (Chris Rock) becoming a president could be very funny but unfortumately, it wasn't funny at all. The jokes are all based on 'black guys/white guys' cliches that have been already played many times. Chris Rock is a great stand-up comedian but I yet to see a movie with him that was worth watching. Not recommended, unless you are a die hard Chris Rock' fan.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Mindless Fun
Review: This is one of those park your brain and just enjoy it movies. The plot is pretty straightforward, guy in the projects of DC wants to make a difference, but everything is not going his way. Suddenly the Democratic presidential hopeful and his running mate die in a plane crash, leaving the Democrats without a hopeful.

Enter the guy from the projects (Rock), and later on his bail bondsman brother (Mac). Throw in two straight laced politicians to help shape Rock into their ideal candidate, and send everyone around the country to campaign for 10 weeks. When that gets old, throw in short snapshots of the now desperate ex who left Rock, and the Republican vice president who's Rock's opposition, or bring up the woman working two jobs to support herself, who's falling for Rock, and him for her.

The movie is cute, and overall not bad. I enjoyed it, and while I sometimes had questions I just parked them. I don't need to know why the Democratic hopeful crashed into his running mate, and I don't want to think about why they could suddenly plug someone in to run for president and get him on all the ballots, and I don't need to know why they kept plugging the jealous ex girlfriend in, or the meat man, or the superwhore. I just parked my brain.

I wouldn't say this is the best movie I've ever seen, but it's a nice change from toilet humor or stuff that's trying to be funny with little plot. My only complaint is that the DVD didn't have a trailer. I like having the trailers on the DVD, and this one didn't have it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Enjoyable political spoof
Review: In this tongue-in-cheek movie, Chris Rock stars as a man who is put up for President as a last-minute replacement for a candidate who dies. Those around him are dedicated to helping him lose the election so that a more "serious" candidate can run and win in 4 years. Rock follows the party line at first, but then, encouraged by his brother, played by Bernie Mac, he begins to speak for himself. Although definitely not "politically correct", Rock begins to win grass-roots support, and eventually he poses a real threat to his opponent. There are some sly digs towards politicians, racists, and others who take themselves too seriously, which makes for enjoyable viewing.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Kept Me Laughing
Review: OK, so this may not be a realistic thing in this country, but I still enjoyed the fact that Chris Rock could do a movie on it just the same. The part of his brother being his running mate and all, I had to think on that because he couldn't find NO ONE else to be his running mate. And check out the opponent's saying, "God Bless America and NO One Else" what in the world was that? Other than that, loved it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Mildly Entertaining
Review: Chris Rock can do so much better. I realize he had to somewhat "tone it down" to give the film some degree of believability, but his past work did a better job of ripping apart the establishment and criticizing society. This movie rather turns out to be a cheap imitation of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I was, however, amused by Bernie Mac and the other presidential candidate - Brian Lewis. Bernie Mac's rough-around-the-edges character provided a few chuckles and the other candidate provided a good satire of American politicians.

Worth renting if you have nothing else to rent.


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