Head Of State Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
The only thing white is the house.
Mays Gilliam, a Washington D.C. neighborhood Alderman, is about to be red-lined out of his job. But after the untimely death of the party frontrunner, Gilliam is plucked from obscurity, and thrust into the limelight as his party's nominee—for President of the United States. The players in Gilliam's life include: Mitch Gilliam, his unsophisticated older brother who becomes his running mate; Kim, his ex-girlfriend who had once dumped him, but who now has a sudden change of heart as she sees a chance at becoming First Lady; Martin Geller, his campaign manager; Lisa Clark, the woman who truly believes in Gilliam; and Debra Lassiter, the woman who doesn't have faith in his candidacy, and is serving as his reluctant advisor.
| Bernie Mac | Mitch Gilliam |
| Dylan Baker | Martin Geller |
| Nick Searcy | Brian Lewis |
| Lynn Whitfield | Debra Lassiter |
| Robin Givens | Kim |
| Tamala Jones | Lisa Clark |
| James Rebhorn | Sen. Bill Arnot |
| Keith David | Bernard Cooper |
| Tracy Morgan | Meat Man |
| Stephanie March | Nikki |
| Robert Stanton | Advisor |
| Jude Ciccolella | Mr. Earl |
| Nate Dogg | Himself |
| Angie Mattson | Nate's girl |
| Chris Rock |
5.00 out of 10 (4751 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Less funny than "Beverly Hills Ninja" (now that takes skill)
posted on 19 Jul 2009What exactly happened to this movie? Some one as funny as Chris Rock, who is one of comedy's greatest talents, should have been able to write something much better than this. Sure the movie has the typical Rock jokes that we all know and love, but the lack of story telling hurts this picture more than you could imagine.Within the first 15 minutes, the audience experiances Rock's character going from activist, to candidate, to accepting his position of a so called "politician." There is not one single moment where the movie or Rock slows down and asks, "What exactly am I doing running for office?" Everything is rushed and jokes are thrown at you as if you were too stupid to understand them if they were quitley set in.Sure, Bernie Mac is funny and sure Chris Rock is hilarious, but not in this film. The lack of a good script and prior experiance as a film director laid waste to any hope this film had of being a smart, funny comedy. Instead, once the film decides to slow down and examine the characters and situation, one gets the sense of utter boredom and begins to beg the picture to get back on the fast track.In conclusion, how many times can you run the same "white people act like this, while black people act this joke" joke and laugh, especially when it's done it a PG-13 environment? When you have someone with talent like Chris Rock, it's best to keep him in the HBO standup rutine because that's where he can go all out and truly make people laugh. This excuse for a high school marketed movie just really isn't as funny as Rock can truly be. At least when he did Pootie Tang, it was acceptable that the movie was supposed to be as silly as possible. This one is actually supposed to have somewhat of a story, which just ends up falling flat on it's face. By far, this has to be one of the worst comedies I've ever seen. 1 out of 10
Chris Rock has my vote!
posted on 03 Jul 2009In Chris Rock's "Head of State" the film shows what an African American would do if he were running for president of the United States, and to be honest with people, I would vote for Chris. The film's premise is about an alderman (Rock) who is fired from his job, lost his girlfriend (Robin Givens)and is being nominated for President of the United States after a fellow candidate died on a plane crash. The film's plot isn't important, because in the end Chris Rock wins; but what I found interesting about the film was the point of view that Chris Rock's character makes from taxes, education, violence, social security, etc. and what is great about the film is when Rock's character makes connections not only to the rich and middle class, but to lower income people and those that society rejects. I hope George W. Bush watches this movie, maybe he would learn a lesson and would actually care about the citizens who voted for him, instead of the rich.
Chris Rock could -- and *should* -- do much better
posted on 25 Jun 2009Chris Rock has made an interesting name for himself. He's a black comedian who's been in almost 60 feature films; a writer and co-writer for movies and TV shows like Saturday Night Live; and is a man with strong political opinions. So, with all that talent and experience, you'd think that if he were to write and produce a political satire, it'd be a mix of biting comedy with a message.If only that were the case with `Head of State.' Instead of biting satire poking fun at the political system, there's a collection of gag jokes that, in themselves are funny, but neither politically pertinent or satirical in any way. What's more the romantic-comedy subplot is way too prominent, elbowing out the main theme of the film.Rock plays Mays Gilliam, a Washington, D.C. alderman, who's a man of the people. He not only does good things in his neighborhood, but even the drug dealers like him. When the existing democratic presidential candidates unexpectedly die, Gilliam finds himself selected by the party to replace them, all in the name of a politically ambitious underling who sets up Rock to lose in hopes of securing the nomination in the next election. Through a series of gags and mishaps, Gilliam not only gets elected, but gets the girl too.The film certainly has the gags, many of which are genuinely funny. In fact, if it were all gags, a la `Airplane' and `The Naked Gun', then Rock's film would have been surprisingly refreshing. But, the humor was diluted by attempts at a serious side – both on the political front and the romantic front – and the script fails to know when one ends and the other begins. What's more, the serous or romantic sides to the film, gags notwithstanding, were just plain silly.It's not that the formula doesn't work. It's been done many times before, such as `Dave', starring Kevin Klein, and Warren Beatty's `Bulworth'. In each case, the `candidate' was unlikely and over the edge, but their straight talk and unconventional approach to politics appealed to the people and resonated with movie audiences. In essence, using this theme as the platform for satirical poignancy was very effective (from an entertainment perspective, not necessarily as a valid social commentary). In the end, the reason these films worked is because it was clear where the gags end and the seriousness begins.On a separate note with respect to today's current events, I couldn't help but notice that it's because of reality that this movie is actually more disturbing than it should be. In fact, it harkens back to the good old days of Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Back then, people didn't take politics or world events seriously at all, as evidenced by the fact that we had actual, serious attempts at the presidency from people such as Donald Trump, Ross Perot, and yes, even Warren Beatty. You'd never see those names in mainstream press in today's environment. Perhaps `Head of State' should have been released during a time when society's perception of politics and the presidency wasn't so important. But today, it's just plain eerie and disturbing.
I wanted to like it
posted on 22 May 2009I'm a big Chris Rock fan and went in hoping for some good laughs. While there are a few laugh-out-loud moments, the majority of the movie was embarrassingly corny, over-the-top, and just simply bad. Bernie Mac ALMOST saved the movie but the writing was just so bad-- and I say that with all due respect to Chris Rock, who I think is one of the smartest and funniest guys around. It just didn't work. I wanted to enjoy it, wanted to laugh in all the right places, but it was a struggle and I found myself looking at my watch quite a few times, which is sad to say since it was only 90 minutes long. Maybe some will think this is a good movie and I must admit I've only seen Chris Rock in supporting roles, so maybe this is typical of a starring vehicle for him. I wish him better luck next time--I can't imagine this movie sustaining its #1 spot next weekend.
Amateur garbage!
posted on 16 May 2009I'm sorry to be so rude as in the topic, but sadly it is true. This film offers film making at a provocative low level. Chris Rock is a horrendous actor in this film, and you think you can't possibly see worse until you stumbles across Robin Givens, who gives it an extra edge of total over acting.Nothing in this film is positive, I have no idea what on earth Chris Rock was thinking. The plot is lame, predictable and ridicolous, but it's ok - it's still the best part of the film.. Several of the shots in this film are even done at a kindergarten level, any film maker will frown watching this, as did I..-10/10 - I'm offended for being presented to this piece of junk, stay away all costs!
are you kidding me?
posted on 06 Apr 2009I knew not to see this one in the theater, but I am pretty surprised at how bad it is. It seems forced and disjointed, and the only thing that kept me from shutting it off is that you never know when Rock or Mac will be funny for a scene. If Rock doesn't start taking better roles,if you have seen Down to Earth or that horrible flick with Hopkins you know what I mean, he is never going to be able to really get to the next level, which would be a shame. He reminds me of Eddie Murphy in the early eighties, getting off to a great start and then fizzling out(The Distinguished Gentelman? Talk about jumping the shark.) His character is bland and predictable, and it is hard to watch someone as funny as him play such a role. All of the supporting cast except for Mac is terrible, and the credits have more plot than the movie. The funniest parts,like him imagining himself getting shot after being elected, are just watered down parts from his standup,which is generally terrific. Bottom line, instead of catching this one, stare at the wall for an hour and forty. You'll be a better person for it.
I paid to see this?
posted on 21 Mar 2009Has got to be the worst film I ever paid money to go see. It was NOT at all funny. The acting was stilted (poor direction perhaps?), the storyline stale and the jokes silly. I wouldn't call it offensive, but the film does make generalizations about all races/religions/sexual orientation. It is hard to put a finger on what makes a bad film, and there are not-so-great films out there that are still watchable. This film is not one of those. From the moment the "acting" started, it had lost me.
Not completely straight-faced, but still a mediocre directorial debut from Chris Rock for the most part
posted on 11 Mar 2009This 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.
recycled formula
posted on 27 Feb 2009Back in the late 70's and through the early 80's, Richard Pryor made a string of formulaic type movies, the formula being a street-wise black man is unexpectedly placed in a position of great responsibility or privilege for which he is totally unprepared: (Silver Streak, Brewster's Millions, Critical Condition, Bustin Loose). Inevitably, the hero not only succeeds in his newfound role, but excels, all thanks to his streetwise background, which allowed him to confound the numerous white people in these movies who were either thick-headed or cruel mercenaries. This formula, not surprisingly, ran out of gas before Pryor's health started to go downhill, just like the Elvis movie formula did. It was all very unfortunate, because it repackaged Pryor, a true hardcore radical comedian into a middle of the road movie star palatable to a broad based audience. He never reclaimed what he had lost, and neither did Elvis. "Head of State" recycles the same Richard Pryor formula, only updating it to a hip-hop fed generation. Chris Rock plays the Richard Pryor -type character, a Washington DC alderman who catches the attention of Democratic party headquarters as an innovative replacement candidate for the nominee who dies in a plane crash only weeks before the general election. The overall effect is the same watered-down comedy that the RP movies left me with. The backroom cunning and maneuvering is all supposed to look very devious, and Chris Rock turns it all to his advantage, outsmarting the professional politicians at every turn.The attempted humor in this movie left me cold and annoyed. There were joking references to the assassination of Malcolm X and JonBenet Ramsey that I guess were supposed to make me laugh. They didn't, and nothing, absolutely nothing, in this movie did. The slapping, punching, and assault & battery incidents are continuous and an assault on the senses. Someone has been watching a lot of 3 Stooges. Robin Givens plays a disgruntled ex-girlfriend of the candidate who is repeatedly victimized. In light of her experiences with Mike Tyson, this seems to hit a new low in bad taste. Rock speechifies in his presidential debate scene on the benefits of knocking children in the head when they misbehave, and receives a standing ovation. Not funny.The problem with a watered-down movie is that it always hedges its bets, flip-flopping between earthy comedy and the serious tones. This movie, which actually has an interesting premise, would have been a lot better if it had gone way over the top, and not pandered to any sense of reality or decorum, like say for example, "Animal House." Put Chris Tucker or Ice-T in the candidate role, with no attempt to be loved by the audience. Bring the 'hood to the White House, and rename it the Black House. Load it with sex, drugs, rock & roll, and FUN!I couldn't help but feel cynical about the Hollywood establishment's political vendetta associated with this movie. Chris Rock's opponent has an identifiable Texas twang, is personally venemous and slow-witted. Sound familiar? This same establishment will also back liberal governors and senators with expensive haircuts, but has never seriously gotten behind a black presidential candidate. I guess if you produce a movie about it instead of making it happen, that excuses you.
Boring, Boring, boring
posted on 17 Feb 2009Chris Rock is usually very funny but not in this flick. Unfortunately for this movie the only funny parts were shown in the trailers for the film. He should have either stuck to just acting or directing but not both. I sat through this movie and the whole time I was thinking that if this was on regular television I would have changed the channel because it was so boring. I didn't think anything about it was unique or very funny, in fact I never laughed once! The story is a re-hash of all the other movies that have already been made about hometown boy makes good and then tries to fix up the old neighborhood he feels loyal to. Definitely NOT worth renting.
Liberal Commercial...I think so
posted on 05 Feb 2009This movie was one big liberal commercial. The idea of the movie was the belittle the conservatives in America and question their intelligence. I felt that the movie was also one that questioned the intelligence of white America. The movie was horrible, and Chris Rock should be banned from making anymore movies.
Amusing farce
posted on 11 Dec 2008Head of State (2003) C-95 min. D: Chris Rock. Chris Rock, Bernie Mac, Dylan Baker, Nick Searcy, Lynn Whitfield, Robin Givens, Tamala Jones, James Rebhorn, Keith David, Tracy Morgan, Stephanie March, Robert Stanton, Nate Dogg, Funkmaster Flex. Amusing farce as Rock, an alderman, picked to run for President of the United States after the original presidential candidate dies in a plane crash two months before the election. Obviously, he is being set up to lose, but (of course) begins winning over the people. Several laugh-out-loud moments and a funny performance by both Rock and Mac. However, Givens' stalker ex-girlfriend character is completely unnecessary and just plain sick as opposed to funny. RATING: 7 out of 10. Rated PG-13 for sexual innuendoes, profanity, adult themes, violence.
Absolute Garbage, totally NOT funny at all.
posted on 04 Sep 2008Why, oh why did I waste my precious, hard earned money on this crap for? I knew it wasn't going to be an academy award winner or anything, but there wasn't hardly any funny points to this movie, whatsoever. It had maybe about 3-4 different good laughs in it, the rest of the movie stunk to high heaven. Do yourself a favor, go see Bringing Down the House instead, with Steve Martin and Queen Latifah. Much funnier than this stuff.
Funny
posted on 04 Jun 2008This film is quite funny. The plot is simple, so it is a totally brain-off film. You can sit back and relax during the entire movie. The jokes are good, the hip-hop parodies are well done. However, one criticism is that there are too many songs in the film. I sometimes seems like I am watching a music video. Well in fact, the whole film seems to be an extended music video. Maybe the film is very heavily sponsored by record companies?
A Great Political Farce
posted on 29 May 2008This is one of the funniest political farces I have ever seen. For years, Chris Rock has shown that he is a great social commentator through his jokes and in this film he shows that once again. In this film he pretty much exposes politics for what it is, a game. Also, Lynn Whitfield is wonderful as the campaign manager who tries to mold him into what she wants but
The First Speech Says it All
posted on 23 Apr 2008Why is it that in the quotes list, no one has listed Mays' first big speech? YOu know, the one where he turns off the TelePrompter (somewhat expected, from a rebel candidate), and sets off into a Chris Rock standup routine that turns the whole campaign around? It's one of the funniest pieces of standup I've ever seen--even funnier than when he compared the war to 'coming $87 million short on your register at the Gap, and then leading them in a war against Banana Republic because they have 'toxic tank tops,' only to find out when the workforce at the Gap has been reduced by half that Banana Republic doesn't sell tank tops.' (See the 2005 Oscars.) Bernie Mac fits wonderfully as the older brother turned running mate, and the rest of the movie fits wonderfully. Especially when Mays takes the love interest on a tour of DC (while making fun of anybody and everybody who has a building--Abe Lincoln ('okay, I'll free the slaves, but first you've got to build me a huge statue' (paraphrased)) to Oprah ('There's the Treasury. If you look closely, you'll see Oprah inside counting all her money).
The ego machine rolls on ...
posted on 07 Apr 2008Sadly, 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" gets my vote!
posted on 26 Mar 2008Chris Rock, long time stand-up comedian, makes his directorial debut in `Head Of State.' This film was surprisingly impressive. Although it is predictable and not completely original, it is inspired. Rock brings along a comical sense that is all his own and makes `Head Of State' a winner. Besides the humor of Rock, Bernie Mac also stars as Rock's brother. Mac (`Ocean's Eleven') is hilarious in the role and with the likes of these two comedians, it ultimately leads `Head Of State' to be a better comedy than the other two major comedy releases of late: `Bringing Down The House,' and `Anger Management.' Rock stars as Mays Gilliam, an alderman in Washington D.C. area, who is chosen to run for President after the official candidate is killed in an accident. Gilliam brings along his own sense of reality in his campaign addressing issues such as violence, Medicare, and taxes by pawning the quote, `this s*** ain't right!' But when scandals arise, Gilliam has to find a way to let the truth be known about his past and ultimately get him elected to the highest position in the country. This is the most fun film that has been released in a long while. Although some of the jokes lack originality, one can't help but laugh out loud at its outlandish humor. One scene in particular was hysterical in which Gilliam attends a social party to raise money for his campaign. Gilliam breaks out the song `Hot In Herre' and gets even the most prim and proper of Washington's elite to dance to it. The scenes with Mac would make just about anyone snicker. My favorite parts of the film occurred when Mac goes on political talk shows to promote his brother's campaign. He's asked about what he thinks of N.A.F.T.A. and his response is, `Yeah, Nafta's a good guy.' He has no idea of what the organization is and leaves the host dumbfounded. Not to mention the funny way in which Rock and Mac greet each other-a good slug in the gut.Dylan Baker (`Fried Green Tomatoes,' `Cast Away') plays the other Presidential candidate, Martin Geller, who is also the current Vice President. Baker is quite comical as an arrogant candidate whose favorite line to feed to the mob is `God Bless America, and no else.'Rock did have some obvious technical difficulties in the filming of `Head Of State.' For example, in at least two scenes, the boom, or microphone could be seen at the top of the screen. I would normally cringe at such an editing mishap. However, this was film light-hearted and droll enough that I'm willing to let it go. Overall, `Head Of State' is a likable comedy that gets my vote. ***
Chris Rock, essayist in comedy
posted on 08 Mar 2008Chris Rock is one of the best comedians ever. Refusing restrictions placed by drugs (not being a user), race or social climate, he freely wields statements that have long needed to be said. Having said that, Head of State is just a continuation of what he always talks about: stupidity in politics and Hip Hop. Using tactics reminiscent of the movie 'Airplane!', he criticizes a Bush-esque politician (and all the rest of the bottom-feeders, as well) and pokes fun at widely held beliefs among the country's ethnic groups, as well as the relentless assembly-line play lists that rotate the same two or three songs ALL... DAMN... DAY. He even uses the main characters to make a few points: 1) You can't go around dressing like you're at home when you want to get a real job, and 2) Rappers look silly. From the commercials, you'd think that the movie runs along the lines of Bringing Down the House; however, it's more than the simple "Black people meet White people/hot wings in the White House" routine. While, it's not necessary that you be a minority to understand where Rock is coming from with this movie--especially if you're already attuned to his type of comedy, but if you are a minority, it's that much funnier.
Rock should stop writing his own movies
posted on 12 Aug 2009Now, it's no doubt that Chris Rock is one of our most talented and funniest comedians. But stand-up comedy and motion pictures are two totally different realms. In stand-up, you purposely break the fourth wall, whereas in movies you do whatever you can not to break that wall, making the audience forget they're watching a movie and that they're really in this "world." Rock didn't only co-write the script, but he also directed. Mel Brooks, he is not. His amateurish direction is quite obvious in his use of extreme close-ups of actors mugging into the camera. Any good comedy director knows that comedy is best played in wide shots or in as few shots as possible. Otherwise, it's like you're shoving the punchline in the audience's face.One problem with Rock and his selection of movies (for the most part) is that his humor becomes marred by PG-13 ratings. Let's face it, he's a naturally vulgar comedian and we love him for that. We loved Eddie Murphy for being that way, back in his "Raw" and "Beverly Hills Cop" days. Just like how we're forced to see Murphy in corny, watered-down, PC flicks like "The Haunted Mansion" and "Showtime," we're forced to see Rock in flicks like "Down to Earth" (also written by him) and "Head of State." However, one movie where he was funny was "Nurse Betty," an R-rated film. Unfortunately, he was only given a supporting role.Back to Rock as a writer/director, he may know a lot about comedy, but he knows little about story structure and how to find the balance between comedy and drama. There are way too moments where the movie takes serious turns that dampen the film's broad comic tone (as was the problem, in bigger doses, with "Down to Earth"). But being that we're now in a sugar-coated, PC society, we can't even make a comedy without tacking on bundles of unnecessary sentiment.Now, onto the main problem with the film. The filmmakers took a brilliant premise that could've been transformed into a razor-sharp satire, and instead settled for a dull, predictable farce. If you were Mr. Magoo, you can see the punchlines for at least 80 percent of the gags coming a mile away. There's even a debate scene where Rock uses the Pee Wee Herman "I know you are, but what am I" line. High brow comedy, huh? The gag that I feared, in watching the film's many trailers and TV spots, is probably one of the funnier scenes--which is of course not saying a whole lot. I'm talking about the White House party scene that involves uptight white people dancing and singing along to Nelly's "Hot in Here." The jokes that do poke fun at today's political climate are treated with way too heavy of a hand. Just watch the gag where women are trained to be whores for the president, like they were doing basic training for the army. A joke that probably sounds funny on paper, but on screen it just comes off as silly.On a minor note, Bernie Mac plays a supporting role, and his talents are also completely wasted. Mac is another talented comedian who hasn't yet gotten the break he deserved in the movies. So far, he's starred in two consecutive duds: "Mr. 3000" and "Guess Who." If you purchase or rent the DVD for "Head of State," I must admit that Rock's commentary is pretty amusing. But that's the only positive thing I can say.