Head of State (2003)

This piece of political satire, starring comedian Chris Rock, who also co-wrote it and made his directorial debut with it, was released in 2003, but I didn't see it, nor did I even hear of it, until a couple years ago, when it came on TV and I watched it. I'm not sure if I even really knew exactly what it was about before I saw it, or what I was in for, but it turned out that what I was in for was a political spoof filled with mediocre gags, with only occasional funny moments. I watched it a for the second time last night, and it didn't seem to really improve, so I see no point in watching it a third time.Mays Gilliam is a neighbourhood alderman in Washington D.C. Unfortunately, he ends up losing his girlfriend and being fired from his job, so things aren't looking up for him, but it's about to change. A presidential candidate, running against vice president Brian Lewis, has died in a plane crash, and Gilliam is soon selected to replace him! As the election draws near, Gilliam faces a number of challenges, trying to rise significantly in the polls (he starts out very low). It helps when his brother, Mitch, becomes his running mate, but it doesn't help that Mays doesn't know the real reason why he was chosen to run (because they were sure he would lose, and increase the chances of somebody else in their party winning the next election), nor does it help that Lewis is going to great extremes to discredit Gilliam with his campaign ads! One example of an attempt at humour that fails is the scenes involving Gilliam's girlfriend (or ex-girlfriend), Kim, played by Robin Givens. She first appears just before she leaves Gilliam, with her tirade about how terrible he is, which is supposed to be funny, but I found it, well, maybe not quite annoying, but close. I would say the same goes for most of the other scenes involving the character (the film shows her trying to win back Gilliam after she hears about him running for president), but she's only a small part of the film. Bernie Mac, who amused me a lot when I watched "The Bernie Mac Show" a few years ago, plays Mitch Gilliam in this movie, and some moments involving him are amusing, such as how the two Gilliam brothers greet each other by socking one another in the stomach. (Since Mac died just last month, I guess now is an appropriate time for me to say R.I.P.) However, the humour, no matter which actors/characters are involved, rarely rises above mediocrity, and since the laughs are supposed to be a big part of "Head of State", that's not a good thing.As I pointed out, and as you may have already known before, Chris Rock made his directorial debut with this 2003 comedy. Since then, he has directed another comedy movie, 2007's "I Think I Love My Wife", which he also co-wrote, like he did with this film. I haven't seen that second full-length directorial project from Rock, but it doesn't appear to be much more popular than this first one of his, so I might end up seeing it, but I'm in no hurry. As for "Head of State", which I have now seen twice but still can't write a very positive review of, I've seen MUCH worse comedies from this decade, the worst probably being "Epic Movie" (probably the worst excuse for a comedy I've ever seen), and the humour in this film is high above the disgustingly puerile "humour" you'll find in films like that, but this comedy still doesn't quite cut it. Due to the lack of laughs, I can see why it has never received very much attention.

Sadly, what started as a fairly reasonable idea soon collapsed into the usual Chris 'I'm The Man' Rock ego trip. Written and directed by Rock, the normally intelligent citizens of North America are forced to digest a Presidential campaign, fronted by a soon-to-be red lined neighborhood alderman. As more and more characters are introduced into the plot, the film turns into a black-on-white power trip. Despite a reasonable monologue delivered during the Presidential debate, Rock would have us believe that by using street-slang and 'the black attitude' towards guns, violence and unemployment, it got him elected to the highest seat in the land.Sorry, Chris, no.Nice try but your ego got there first.

Head of State is an excellent, well-made movie. There is barely one minute where you aren't laughing. Several parts had no relevance whatsoever:--The scandal woman-- --"Massages"--In my opinion, the funniest parts were:--"Klansman: Hi, I'm a Klansman. I hate n*****s, Jews, and fags, but I love Bryan Lewis! {Cuts To Video Tape Of Osama Bin Laden} Osama Bin Laden: Yo yo wassup. I'm Osama Bin Laden. I hate America but I love Bryan Lewis."-- --"'the f*** you think I voted for?"-- --"Mays: SECURITY!"--

In this film, the Vice President, who's the front-runner candidate for office in a coming election, often dispenses with below campaign sound bite at whatever opportunity he gets: "I have been the Vice President for 8 years. I am a war veteran. And I'm the cousin of Sharon Stone. God bless America...and no place else." With lines like these, what's not to like about Head of State? Here's the premise of the film. Both the the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate of a "losing" party died when their planes crashed into each other (don't ask). With the election just weeks away, the party decided to intentionally look for a "loser" replacement candidate; one who will lose at a pegged percentage (not too much, not too little), and yet is capable of winning some "leverage" points for the next round of election. And they found Chris Rock. Enough said. Pardon the cliché, but Head of State has to be seen to be believed. Hell, just its opening credits alone are LOL already. If you asked me, I would think this flick's mixed bag of humour (from no-holds barred low brow to smart insightful attacks on American electoral politics) worked only because it has been delivered the only way someone as comic-attuned as Chris Rock knew how. The business of making people laugh is a tough one. And IMO, Chris Rock is one of the best in the business. Can you imagine a fluffier, more convoluted Bulworth crossed with the crude but often logical sensibilities of South Park - The movie? If yes, proceed to imagine lines hurled at you that's as zingy as a Kevin Smith vehicle (both the good and the really bad ones) and blatant slapstick's as throwaway LOL as those Airplane/ Naked Gun movies? Ladies and germs, if you can imagine all that, congrats! Because that is Head of State for you, nutshell cracked wide open. But whether you will swallow the nuts or not (I always chew first, then swallow), will depend largely on your threshold and expectation already. We need not reminders that we all live in ludicrous times now, do we? So why not accord some of that time laughing at it all, relishing in the enjoyment of a film as ludicrously conceived as this one? Personally, I look upon Head of State as a brilliant political comedy. Its charm actually lies in its greater interest in comedy than politics. I am delighted to see this film juggle sly political wish fulfilment with the conscious play-it-up for laughs. Sometimes, strictly for laughs. So yes, I am won over and willingly lap this flick up. Make no mistake, Head of State is a hit and miss movie. But its hits far exceed its misses. In fact, its hit rate is almost comparable to (and arguably higher than) the raunch-assisted Scary Movie. Its (sporadic) intelligence however, far surpasses the entire Waymon Bros output combined. Hmm....its plain to see that the manic sinnerman love this movie. I have not been this entertained in very long time. Hence I shall willingly dispense you all this flick recommendation. If one pop this title into a player at any random night, I do think it will provide willing folks with an antidote release from the blues of a hellish school/work day prior. So people, go hunt for the Head of State now (pun unintended). My word is out. God bless America....and no place else!