Movie Review: Down to Earth @ UGC Cinemas After the laugh-a-second teen comedy that was American Pie, directorial team Chris and Paul Weitz return, with stand-up maestro Chris Rock, for a body-swapping romantic comedy. Will this threaten your sides to split? Or will they remain intact? We found out.  Down to Earth @ UGC Cinema, Ipswich
STARRING: Chris Rock, Regina King, Chazz Palminteri, Eugene Levy, Frankie Falson, Mark Addy, Greg Germann, Jennifer Coolidge CERTIFICATE:  LINE ON THE POSTER: A story of premature reincarnation.  WHAT HAPPENS: Funny guy Lance Barton (Rock) can't make it as a Stand-up comedian, he freezes as soon as he gets on stage, which is bad news but it gets worse. He's just been plucked from the Earth by angel Keyes (Levy) 43 years before he should go to heaven, Lance finds himself without a body just after he's seen the girl of his dreams and was heading for the big audition that could kick-start his career. Realising their mistake Keyes and heaven's guardian, King (Palminteri), strike a deal with Lance, they will put him in a temporary body until they can find a new permanent one for him. So once back on earth Lance goes about trying to win the audition, the stand up competition and the girl of his dreams. However there's one small problem hip, twenty-something back comedian Lance is now in the body of ageing white multi-millionaire Charles Wellington the 3rd, who's money-grabbing wife, personal assistant and business partners are out to kill him!
 ANY GOOD?:
For the first hour, bar a good opening ten minutes, Down to Earth was about as entertaining and as side-splitting as revising for your Maths exams. The only laughs came from Rock's sporadic stand-up slots or when he really broke lose with a barrage of hilarious lines, but these were few and far between, leaving just a very hollow plotted and thought out movie. This is Rock's first lead starring role and he thoroughly deserves it, teaming up with the creators of American Pie could surely be only a good thing  but somehow the combination never quite gels and that's definitely a disappointment. However unlike most movies, which seem to have good ideas, fail to realise them and then quickly degenerate into unwatchable trash, Down to Earth managed to hold it together and provide and enjoyable, humorous and touching end to a distinctly average film. The last half-hour just about makes this worth a watch but better money could be spent on tracking down some Chris Rock stand-up stuff.  BEST BIT: Undoubtedly Chris Rock's stand up routines, when he's firing on full cylinders the laughs don't stop coming but unfortunately they're aren't many and there's even fewer laughs when he stops.
INTERESTING FACT: This is actually based on the 1978 film, Heaven Can Wait, directed by and starring Warren Beatty with Julie Christie and James Mason. LIKED IT, TRY: It's A Wonderful Life, The Man With Two Brains, Being John Malkovich or Trading Places RATING:
by ChrisM
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