Chris Rock and Rosario Dawson have made a romantic comedy in the style of “Before Sunrise”

Chris Rock is undoubtedly one of the bravest, most original and just plain funniest stand-up comedians of the 21st century, which makes it all the more disappointing that his on-camera career has been a bit of a disappointment. Compared to the surprisingly nuanced and thought-provoking material of his comedy routines, it’s disappointing to see Rock’s talents wasted in thankless cameo roles, as well as a recurring singing performance in the Madagascar Series. Rock’s directorial work Head of State And I think I love my wifealthough conceptually daring, he lacked the self-confidence that had made him so engaging as a screen character. Although he risked slipping into a period of insignificance, Rock eventually directed and starred in a great film when He was joined by Rosario Dawson for the romantic comedy Top five.

Top five strongly reminiscent of the 1995 Richard Linklater Movie Before sunrisewhich is often referred to as one of the greatest love films of all time. The first part of Linklater’s Before Trilogy about the American writer Jesse (Ethan Hawke), when he spends a day with the Frenchwoman Céline (Julie Delpy) in Paris, where they have a wide-ranging conversation about life, meaninglessness, art and love. It may seem like a strange source of inspiration for someone like Rock, who has avoided sentimentality like the plague throughout his career. Nevertheless, Top five is an in-depth look at celebrity culture and modern relationships This speaks to Rock’s maturation as an artist.

Top five

A comedian tries to make it as a serious actor when his fiancée, a reality TV star, convinces him to broadcast their wedding on her television show.

Release date

12 December 2014

Duration

101

Main genre

comedy

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What is “Top Five” about?

Top five follows a comedy icon who tries to be taken “seriously” by the industry as he prepares to shoot a new historical epic which is intended to be a serious contender for the awards season. While Andre Allen (Chris Rock) is looking forward to the next chapter of his career, he finds it difficult to be respected by the skeptical media, as he is still primarily known for his performances in the Hammy the Bear Action comedy franchise. Andre is initially not interested when he hears about the New York Times Reporter Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) considers whether to conduct an in-depth interview, but his arrogant agent Charles (Kevin Hart) convinces him to go ahead with it. Being serious with a reporter he doesn’t even know is the last thing on Andre’s mind as he plans to attend a live wedding ceremony with his fiancée Erica Long (Gabrielle Union).

It’s hard not to draw comparisons between Andre and Rock’s own careerespecially when Top five addresses the subject directly in the opening moments. Andre, speaking to Chelsea, suggests that his upcoming project is “just a movie,” though that is quickly proven false. This theme ultimately reflects something interesting about Rock’s own career – it’s difficult to admit your mistakes, and it can be even harder to pretend that something that took years of dedication doesn’t even matter. In the context of Top fiveAndre wants to be taken seriously so he can finally be proud of himself. Ironically, the fact that Rock made a film that feels so personal suggests that he wasn’t trying to please critics who weren’t interested in him to begin with.

The format of Top five points out that Rock has developed significantly as a filmmakeras the film doesn’t take the easy route by putting in cutscenes. Most of the humor comes from simply listening to Chelsea and Andre talk, as they both have very strong personalities and are trying to change each other’s minds. Rock uses some clever non-linear flashbacks to explain the background of Chelsea and Andre’s love lives. These add some great “gross” gags, including an unforgettable hotel room scene with Cedric the EntertainerThe more serious scenes, which deal with Andre’s shattered family life, are fortunately played with a serious expression.

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“Top Five” examines modern relationships

One of the most attractive aspects of Rock’s stand-up career is that he is always open to changes in media and communication. Top five is the perfect romantic comedy for the internet ageas it offers some surprising insights into the danger of falling in love with an online personality. Andre is so obsessed with being seen as lovable in public that he feels like he is constantly performing; this initially leads to conflict with Chelsea, who accuses him of not being sincere. A twist involving one of Chelsea’s various online personas only further underscores how hard it is to trust anyone in the digital landscape. Andre is constantly forced to question his values ​​ahead of his wedding as he wonders if what he really wants will ever align with what his career needs.

Despite some moments of exaggerated slapstick humor, Top five is a very accurate representation of the modern comedy landscape. Rock’s familiarity with the stand-up scene ensures that the cameos of Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler, And Whoopi Goldberg seem essential to the narrative, rather than just a reason to bring in some of Rock’s famous friends. It’s fitting that at the end of the film, Andre returns to his roots, performing at a small New York club, because that’s exactly how Rock’s own career began.

“Before Sunrise” has become a generational classic

Rock’s film differs radically from Linklater’s in terms of tone and intent, but Before sunrise has inspired many great films based solely on conversations between two interesting characters. Before sunrise was refreshing because it stripped away all the baggage that often comes with romantic dramas to reveal something real about the characters. Top five is a far more ambitious project, dealing with race relations, celebrity culture, and addiction, but its dialogue and structure succeed for the same reasons.

Top five can be streamed on Prime Video in the US

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