Head of State

Starring Chris Rock, Bernie Mac

Directed by Chris Rock… Head of State

Starring Chris Rock, Bernie Mac

Directed by Chris Rock

“Head of State” is a very outrageous, unrealistic and implausible comedy. Most of what happens in the movie will never happen in real life, nor does anyone want it to happen. The jokes are loud, repetitive, sometimes childish and slapstick. The characters are silly and somewhat strange.

But ultimately, the movie is really funny.

Over the top is what a Chris Rock movie should be and this one definitely qualifies. No one can pull off a black man running for president quite like he does.

The story centers on Mays Gilliam (Chris Rock), an Alderman for a poor neighborhood in Washington, D.C. There are only a few weeks before the election when Gilliam is asked to run for president in place of the first candidate, who died in a plane crash. No one expects him to win, but after a couple weeks of campaigning, Gilliam turns the election around, making himself a real contender for president.

Nate Dogg, the rapper, narrates the story while two women gyrate beside him. The opening credits declare that Al Sharpton, Bob Dole and Hilary Clinton, among others, are not in this movie. The humor starts right away and doesn’t stop throughout the whole film.

There are quite a few running gags, which have the tendency to get old after a while, but worked well for this movie. In fact, by the end, most of the audience was chanting along with one of them. The familiar stunts make the movie more interactive and easier to get into. Plus, the gags keep being funny.

Chris Rock makes a movie with his usual humor, but there’s quite a bit of relevant social commentary in the movie too. This doesn’t take away from the comedy of it all. Bernie Mac and Rock play two brothers and they really work well together. Some of the most amusing scenes belong to Mac, who should have been in the film more.

Music is another important aspect of the film. If you don’t like Jay-Z’s song “Bonnie and Clyde 03”, don’t bother going. But if you think it’s funny when a group of stuffy, upper class, old white people do the electric slide and raise the roof, make your way to the movie theater. If you’re not sure which one you prefer, check out the movie anyway.

“Head of State” is a movie that’s a lot of fun and pokes fun at many aspects of the presidential election and American life in general. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and the audience shouldn’t either. Still, it’s an enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half. If the real presidential election of 2004 turns out to be anything like this one, it’s guaranteed to be a very interesting race.