Down to Earth (2001): Dir: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz / Cast: Chris Rock, Regina King, Chazz Palminteri, Eugene Levy, Mark Addy: Lifeless comedy about bringing down to reality one's standards of living. If one's standards of living regarded viewing this film then living standards went down. Remake of Heaven Can Wait, Chris Rock plays a struggling comedian who dreams of presenting an act at the Apollo nightclub. Upon being hit by a truck he is sent to Heaven but informed that he was taken ahead of his time. They send him back in the body of a white rich man who is not very well liked. He learns that there are plans to murder him. He also falls in love with Regina King who is struggling to keep a hospital opened. Directors Chris and Paul Weitz previously made the much funnier American Pie but this garbage is a major step down and adds none of intelligence of their sexual high school romp. Their handling of the black man white man image of the hero is poorly portrayed. We are given glimpses of the white guy but he is never well established as a character. Rock is reciting his comedy act right from the standard setup right up to his eventual relationship with King. Her function is to be the love interest and nothing more. Chazz Palminteri and Eugene Levy are wasted in flat roles. Heavenly aspects fail because God doesn't make mistakes. No, the mistakes are made by the filmmakers. Score: 2 / 10
Review of Down to Earth
