Top Five (2014) Reviewed By Jay

United States, 04 April 2014

 

Jay´s Review

Here we have a show biz movie about show biz. A comedian...actually a stand-up comedian, tries to make it as a serious actor to please his fiancée who stars in a Reality series. Problem is, she wants to broadcast their wedding!

Written and directed by Chris Rock, who won a Hollywood Film Award for Best Comedy Film with this one, this R-rated comedy doesn't cut us any slack when it comes to language or sexual hijinks, but with two such appealing and capable stars, we were with them all the way.

The cast:

  • * Chris Rock ("Grown Ups") plays Andre, the (recently) clean and sober star of a serious movie that is tanking at the box office. He begins to doubt if he can be funny when he's sober.
  • * Rosario Dawson ("Cesar Chavez") Chelsea Brown is a top-rated reporter for the New Yorker magazine. She wants an interview but Andre has his doubts because her colleague has been trashing his work for years.
  • * Gabrielle Union ("Think Like a Man Too") This Reality star is famous for being famous. She is painfully aware that she has nothing else to recommend her. (Sound familiar?)
  • * Kevin Hart ("Ride Along") has a great monologue in an opening scene.
  • * Jerry Seinfeld ("Seinfeld") plays Jerry Seinfeld at Andre's bachelor party.
  • * Adam Sandler ("Men, Women and Children") plays Adam Sandler, also at that bachelor party.
  • * Whoopi Goldberg (Lots of TV) plays Whoopi Goldberg who brings her stand-up comedy chops to that bachelor party.

There are more familiar faces than we can count, but I was impressed by Rock and Dawson and their skillful "walk and talk" scenes on the streets of New York. They made everything look easy...except double-dutch jump rope. Dawson got in there and did the job, Rock just teased.

In my opinion, the AA recovery program and their commitment to it, is done with no snide undertones. It's clear that both characters understand the long-term importance of their behavior. Kudos!

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