Down to Earth ** (2001, Chris Rock, Mark Addy, Eugene Levy, Jennifer Coolidge) – Classic Movie Review 1562

Directors Chris and Paul Weitz’s 2001 comedy is a star vehicle for comedian Chris Rock, who stars as aspiring comic Lance Barton, whose life is cut short by an over-eager angel of mercy. But then he is granted another chance on Earth — by being reincarnated in the body of an unpopular, bigoted businessman.

There are some – though not perhaps enough – laughs in this pleasantly amiable but underwritten and slackly handled comedy. It’s also held back thanks to Rock overdoing it, as usual, and Britain’s Mark Addy being miscast and pretty feeble as the butler, Cisco.

With the good setup and the talent available here, this must count as a genial but lame remake of Warren Beatty and Elaine May’s much more amusing 1978 Heaven Can Wait. Rock co-writes the screenplay with three others and is co-executive producer.

Chris and Paul Weitz re-assemble their American Pie his turns Eugene Levy and Jennifer Coolidge, along with Regina King, Chazz Palminteri, Frankie Faison, Greg Germann, Wanda Sykes and John Cho.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1562

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