Down to Earth (2001)

Directors:

Chris Weitz
Paul Weitz

Writers (WGA):

Elaine May (1978 screenplay Heaven Can Wait) and
Warren Beatty (1978 screenplay Heaven Can Wait) ...

Release Date:

16 February 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Fantasy

Tagline:

A story of premature reincarnation.

Plot:

After dying before his time, an aspiring comic gets a second shot at life...by being reincarnated as a wealthy but un-likeable businessman.

Plot Keywords:

Heaven | Angel | Reincarnation | Butler | Black Man As White Man

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Chris Rock	...	Lance Barton
Regina King	...	Sontee Jenkins
Chazz Palminteri	...	King
Eugene Levy	...	Keyes
Frankie Faison	...	Whitney Daniels
Mark Addy	...	Cisco
Greg Germann	...	Sklar
Jennifer Coolidge	...	Mrs. Wellington
Wanda Sykes	...	Wanda
John Cho	...	Phil Quon
Mario Joyner	...	Apollo M.C.
Bryetta Calloway	...	Gospel Singer
Martha Chaves	...	Rosa
Brian Rhodes	...	Charles Wellington, III
Herb Lovelle	...	Trashman

Also Known As:

Einmal Himmel und zurück (Germany)
I Was Made to Love Her (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language, sexual humor and some drug references.

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA | Australia | Germany | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #38009) | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-11 | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Brazil:12 | Germany:6 | Netherlands:AL | Spain:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

3 Art Entertainment

Trivia:

Many of the comedy routines used in the movie were on Chris Rock's "Bigger and Blacker" album.

Goofs:

Plot holes: When Lance prematurely dies, Keyes admits that it wasn't rightfully his time allowing Lance's soul to go back to Earth. At this point Lance's body is no more, all that's left is his soul. After being stuck in limbo as Wellington, they find a new body for Lance. Right upon being placed in the new body, everything that was Lance's mind or life is gone again, defeating the purpose of him being "saved".

Quotes:

Lance Barton: I had a hard enough time trying to get this girl as a rich white man. Do you know how hard it's gonna be to try to get her as a broke black man?

Movie Connections:

References Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Glitches

No guts, no glory

To enjoy any fantasy comedy, the viewer must be able to suspend disbelief. It is impossible to suspend disbelief for Down to Earth.

Why do we see Chris Rock as Chris Rock, when everyone around him sees him as Charles Wellington, rich, fat white man? Why? Because the producers thought they could make more money showcasing Rock, than having us see Rock as Wellington. It ruins much of the movie's attempted humor. For example, when Rock (as Wellington) uses the "N" word, black folks who hear him become furious, and we have to remember that he is supposedly this rich, fat white man.

The film does have some funny moments, and Regina King is attractive as the love interest. It could have been really good, though.