"Top Five" Review
I canʼt remember the last film I saw that I didnʼt want to come to an end while watching it in the theater. Itʼs rare. “Top Five” is a hilarious ride that you donʼt want to get off of.
Chris Rock knocks the ball out of the park as his third time in the directorʼs chair. Heplays Andre Allen, a comedian who has lost his mojo, and is on the verge of marrying his reality TV star fiancee Erica (Gabrielle Union). Heʼs promoting his latest “serious” film, Uprize, and is making the press circuit. Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) is assigned at the last minute to spend the next couple of days interviewing him. They find commonality as recovering alcoholics, and ask for absolute honesty in an effort to keep the interview unique.
The film is a talkie piece reminiscent of Woody Allenʼs “Annie Hall” or “Stardust Memories”. Andre and Chelsea stay in motion with witty back and forth conversation as they duck into town cars, Sirius radioʼs office, and all the other promotional stops through the course of the day. Itʼs the A/B parallel of the duo slowly revealing their private life and business that comes in to the film and gives it heart. The two make stops at Chelseaʼs house, where Andre meets her mother and daughter. Andre stops through the “hood” and visits his own family in a hilarious scene where his father Carl (Ben Vereen), Tracy Morgan, Leslie Jordan, Sherri Shepherd, and Hassan Johnson totally rip into their “Hollywood” family member. You can totally see where Andre got his humor from, and itʼs an opportunity to let the former SNL stars shine. As Andre and Chelsea continue to talk, it’s clear that they share a chemistry that turns into one of the best romantic comedies of 2014.
Throughout the course of the film Rock infuses his comedic timing as Andre Allen. Sure, heʼs not the best actor, but heʼs playing a comedian which isnʼt a stretch. Itʼs like when Beyonce plays a singer, and we actually get a decent performance. Rosario Dawson is perfect in the role as the quick-witted journalist. Every supporting character and cameo is placed with thought and intention. They all deliver, but most importantly serve the film in such a way to advance the story.
The film is a great love story, and it’s as raw and on point as Rock’s stand up hitting on politics, hip hop, and pop culture issues. Be warned, there is a scene with Cedric the Entertainer in the hotel room in Houston that you can’t unsee. I’m still having nightmares. On the flip side, I think the cameo with Jerry Seinfeld and DMX will be talked about for a while. “Top Five” is one of those films that you would buy the DVD on the spot if they were on sell when you exited the theater. A great choice for the movies this weekend!
Rating: A
"Think Like A Man Too" Review
“Think Like A Man Too” throws out the playbook of its’ predecessor and replaces it with your typical black ensemble film cliches. It has beautiful people in silly situations, token white boy jokes, throwback music, a dash of melodramatic black love and a nice bow to wrap it all up in. That being said, fans of the first film and its’ stars will likely still eat it up!
At the film’s opening we find Michael (Terrence J) and Candace (Regina Hall) in Las Vegas to get married. Of course, their crew is along for the ride and shenanigans. Kevin Hart reprises his role as Cedric, the little man with a big mouth. Cedric is the narrating thread throughout the film’s barely there plot, which can easily be broken down like this: here’s what your favorite couples are up to and the issues they’re facing, let’s break up separately to party as the fellas and the ladies, then let’s come back together and solve all of our problems in the last twelve minutes of the film.
The sequel has no reference to the Steve Harvey book Act Like A Lady, Think Like a Man that inspired and drove the story of the first movie. It was the book that created a tug of war battle of the sexes in the game of love that really worked for the first film. Not that the book needed to be in the second film, but I think without it we’re left with too many characters with not much to do. Rather than an organic film that highlights all of its’ cast, it feels more like passing the baton at summer camp to make sure everyone gets a chance to speak.
At the end of the day, “Think Like A Man Too” will be a great time for its’ core fans. Kevin Hart’s physical and rapid fire comedy pushes the film forward with laughs along the way. There are plenty of cameos that got a rise out of the crowd I saw the film with, and a random music video sequence for BBD’s “Poison”. Although the movie is full of cliches like overbearing characters who don’t get “put in check” until the end of the film, the butler from B.A.P.S. (do those kind of jokes really still get laughs?), or the only white lead in the film saying “badonkadonk”, it is popcorn flick entertaining.
I wish this film would have been more, because I really enjoyed the first one. If you’re looking for a good laugh and a chance to relax from the week, this movie has what you need. If you’re looking for a classic black romantic comedy or even a movie you’ll remember in two weeks, think again!
Rating: D+