‘Head of State’ is a doomed campaign
Stephen Saito is a graduate of Burbank High School and attends the
University of Texas at Austin as a junior.
Chris Rock may be one of the most intuitive comedians around, but
a filmmaker he isn’t. In “Head of State,” Rock’s first foray behind
the camera (in addition to acting, producing and co-writing the
film), he is downright inept at trying to piece together a coherent
story of a black presidential candidate selected by the Democratic
party as a sure-fire way to lose the 2004 election, which is already
considered a lost cause.
With no primary elections or any real issues in sight -- a
campaign that surely wouldn’t pass muster with my former Burbank High
School U.S. History teachers Mr. Thomson and Mr. Wasserman -- Rock
embarks on a haphazard run for the presidency that seems as ill-fated
as the film ultimately ends up being.
Working from a stale, defanged script of his and Ali LeRoi’s
creation, Rock has yet to find the energy and sharp wit on screen
that epitomizes his stand-up routine. Bernie Mac, who plays Rock’s
brother and running mate in the film, is the one bright spot,
injecting some much-needed crassness into the otherwise bland “Head
of State.”
“Head of State” is rated PG-13 for language, some sexuality and
drug references.
* If you would like to become a Reel Critic and see a movie on
the newspaper’s tab, call entertainment editor Joyce Rudolph at
637-3241.