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) ...
(more)

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 | Butler | Reincarnation | Angel | Unfaithful Wife

Awards:

3 nominations

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
Kedar Brown	...	Heckler (as Kedar)
Adam Dannheisser	...	Doorman (as Adam Dannheiser)
Malcolm Devine	...	Singer
Collette Wilson	...	Singer
Maiesha McQueen	...	Singer
Robin Montague	...	Woman in Balcony
Hollie Harper	...	Woman in Balcony
Scott Wickware	...	Bouncer
Jack Newman	...	Bob Krantz (the Middle-Aged Guy)
William Lynn	...	Elderly Man
Leah Miller	...	Tina Lovette (the Party Girl)
David Huband	...	Maitre'd - Serge
Woodrow W. Asai	...	Asian Man
Laz Alonso	...	BET Announcer
Dennis Pressey	...	M.C. at Comedy Shock
Arnold Pinnock	...	Joe Guy
David M. Rodriguez	...	Flower Delivery Man
Linda Kuriloff	...	Protester (as Linda Sithole)
Gwen Stewart	...	Protester
Chris Ausnit	...	Protester
Mary Burton	...	Reporter outside Hospital
Jernard Burks	...	Man in Wheelchair
Clem Moorman	...	Patient (as Clement Moorman)
Hollis Granville	...	Sick Person
Mung-Ling Tsui	...	Reporter inside Hospital
Paulette Sinclair	...	Blanche
Ali LeRoi	...	Crazy Hostile Dreadlock Guy
Reginald Footman	...	Dreadlock's Buddy
Michael Port	...	Mugger
Colin Fox	...	Director
Paul Hecht	...	Director
Jack Jessop	...	Director
Kenny Robinson	...	Club M.C.
Mary Kate Law	...	Fur Protester
Roger Kugler	...	Hit Man
Roma Torre	...	Herself
Harlin Kearsley	...	Mike Green
Dan Duran	...	Reporter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nicole Blythe	...	Woman in audience (uncredited)
Tisha Campbell-Martin	...	Woman in Audience (uncredited)
Jimmy DellaValle	...	Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
Brother Eden Douglas	...	Crutchey Crutch (uncredited)
Darryl Reuben Hall	...	Hospital Patient (uncredited)
Telma Hopkins	...	Woman in Audience (uncredited)
Mandy Lee Jones	...	Teenager in Heaven (uncredited)
Justin Peroff	...	(uncredited)
Mustafa Shakir	...	Doorman (uncredited)

Directed by
Chris Weitz
Paul Weitz

Writing credits (WGA)
Elaine May		(1978 screenplay Heaven Can Wait) and
Warren Beatty		(1978 screenplay Heaven Can Wait)
Chris Rock		(screenplay) &
Lance Crouther		(screenplay) &
Ali LeRoi		(screenplay) &
Louis C.K.		(screenplay)

Produced by
Barry M. Berg	....	executive producer
Sean Daniel	....	producer
James Jacks	....	producer
Ali LeRoi	....	associate producer
Priscilla Nedd-Friendly	....	associate producer
Chris Rock	....	executive producer
Michael Rotenberg	....	producer

Original Music by
Jamshied Sharifi

Cinematography by
Richard Crudo

Film Editing by
Priscilla Nedd-Friendly

Casting by
Joseph Middleton

Production Design by
Paul Peters

Art Direction by
Dennis Davenport
John Kasarda		(as John S. Kasarda)

Set Decoration by
Beth Kushnick
Gordon Sim

Costume Design by
Debrae Little

Makeup Department
Lisa Deveaux	....	makeup artist: Mr. Rock
Scott Julion	....	hair stylist: Mr. Rock
Michael Laudati	....	hair stylist: Mr. Palminteri
Michael Laudati	....	makeup artist: Mr. Palminteri
Marie Nardella	....	first assistant: makeup department head
Leslie Ann Sebert	....	key makeup artist (as Leslie Sebert)
Allan Cooke	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Richard Baratta	....	unit production manager
Barry M. Berg	....	unit production manager
Blair Breard	....	unit production manager: NY reshoots
Mathew Hart	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph Aspromonti	....	assistant director: New York (as Joey Aspromonti)
Chris Baillie	....	assistant director: Toronto
Stephen Booth	....	second second assistant director
Darrin Brown	....	assistant director: Toronto
Conrod Fiddler	....	assistant director: Toronto
Edny V. Hendrickson	....	assistant director: Toronto
Siegfried Kopp	....	assistant director: Toronto
Mark Anthony Little	....	first assistant director
Grant Lucibello	....	second assistant director
Mike Manzato	....	assistant director: Toronto (as Michael Manzato)
Julie O'Neill	....	assistant director: Toronto
Chris Petrou	....	assistant director: Toronto
Douglas Plasse	....	assistant director: New York
Dominick Scarola	....	dga trainee
Christopher Surgent	....	assistant director (as Chris Surgent)
Anthony Tedesco	....	assistant director: Toronto
Janet Zdyb	....	third assistant director

Art Department
John Bannister	....	key scenic artist
Kirk Cheney	....	construction coordinator
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter
David G. Fremlin	....	first assistant art director
Beth Gilinsky	....	art department coordinator
Vincent Guarriello	....	key construction grip
Nora Kasarda	....	art department coordinator: reshoots
Elis Lam	....	set designer (as Elis Y. Lam)
Aleksandra Marinkovich	....	third assistant art director
Richard Vilas Montesanto	....	charge scenic
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator
Mick Rossman	....	charge scenic: New York
Michael Saccio	....	property master
Aleta Shaffer	....	art department production assistant
Michael Shocrylas	....	set designer
Keith Sly	....	set decoration leadman
Alyson Wellins	....	art department coordinator: New York
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Justine Angus	....	sound editor
Matt Cluett	....	sound transferer
Tammy Fearing	....	adr editor
Christopher Flick	....	foley editor
Dana LeBlanc Frankley	....	adr assistant (as Dana LeBlanc)
Douglas Ganton	....	production sound mixer
Gary S. Gerlich	....	sound effects editor
William Hooper	....	sound effects editor
Gregory King	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andy Koyama	....	sound re-recording mixer
Susan Kurtz	....	dialog editor
Susan Kurtz	....	sound editor
Richard LeGrand Jr.	....	supervising sound editor
Bill Meadows	....	dubbing recordist
Ron Meredith	....	assistant sound editor
Ronnie Morgan	....	assistant sound editor
Kelly Neese	....	boom operator: New York
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
James J. Sabat Jr.	....	sound recordist
Louis Sabat	....	boom operator
Peter Schneider	....	additional sound mixer: New York
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer
Frank Smathers	....	dialogue editor
Ron Stermac	....	cable person
Samuel Webb	....	assistant sound editor
Kerry Dean Williams	....	supervising adr editor
Joe DeAngelis	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
David Yonson	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Peter Kunz	....	special effects
Mark Rice	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Mario Antognetti	....	visual effects coordinator
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects
Don Canfield	....	motion control operator
Tavia Charlton	....	visual effects coordinator: GVFX
John Gajdecki	....	visual effects supervisor
Daniel Leung	....	digital artist
Sarah Norton	....	digital compositor: GVFX
Linda Tremblay	....	digital compositor
Robert Waterworth	....	digital effects artist
Martin Wilk	....	visual effects

Stunts
Roy T. Anderson	....	stunt coordinator: New York
Lynna' Davis	....	stunt double
Elaine Ford	....	stunt coordinator (2002)
Amanda Foster	....	stunt double
Howard Green	....	stunt performer
Jalil Jay Lynch	....	stunt double: Chris Rock
Paul Marini	....	stunt driver
John Patrick McLaughlin	....	stunts
David Stevenson	....	key stuntman
David Stevenson	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Stuart Abramson	....	key grip
Nicole Blanchard	....	second assistant camera
Sam Bojin	....	best boy lighting
Craig Bulmer	....	electrician
Michael Burke	....	gaffer: New York
Bob Bushfield	....	electrician
Sergei Franklin	....	Steadicam operator
Candide Franklyn	....	Steadicam operator
Candide Franklyn	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Tom Houghton	....	additional photographer: New York City
Jacqui Howell	....	assistant camera
Jim Krauter	....	dolly grip: Toronto
Andy Niceberg	....	best boy electric
Davidson Tate	....	rigging gaffer: Toronto
William Trautvetter	....	cinematographer: second unit, New York City

Casting Department
Dena Berman	....	casting assistant
Robin D. Cook	....	casting: Canada
Aric Dupere	....	extras casting assistant
Donna Dupere	....	extras casting
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting: New York
Brad Gerstl	....	extras casting representative
Andrea Kool	....	casting assistant: Canada
Ali Merhi	....	extras casting assistant
Michelle Morris	....	casting associate
Richard Whobrey	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Patricia Cowmeadow	....	assistant set costume supervisor
Careen Fowles	....	wardrobe supervisor
Ann Henshaw	....	costume supervisor
Mirena Rada	....	costume illustrator
Amanda Sanders	....	costumer: Mr. Rock
Mia Sturup	....	assistant costume designer
Whitney Kyles	....	costume design assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
John Cameron	....	first assistant editor
Gregg London	....	associate editor
Danny Miller	....	first assistant editor
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Lee Michael Searles	....	print editor

Music Department
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
George Doering	....	musician
Charles Martin Inouye	....	supervising music editor
Stephen Krause	....	scoring mixer
Ken Kushnick	....	executive music producer
Bill Stephney	....	executive music producer
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn
Matt Walden	....	executive music producer

Transportation Department
Ron Annabelle	....	driver
Dave Staples	....	transportation coordinator
Mitchel Stewart	....	driver captain
George Andrews	....	unit driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Maria Arago	....	assistant: Mr. Palminteri
Josef Brandmaier	....	sale and leaseback finance
Adam Carroll	....	production assistant
Donald Colafranceschi	....	production assistant
Christopher Comrie	....	payroll accountant
Jan Cosby	....	second assistant accountant
Jan Cosby	....	third assistant accountant
Judi Embden	....	stand-in
Rich Fellegara	....	set medic
Aron Giannini	....	assistant: Mr. Rotenberg
Lori Greenberg	....	production coordinator
Melissa Hall	....	assistant production coordinator
Una Hill	....	assistant production coordinator
Dianne Irving	....	production secretary
Dianne Irving	....	production secretary: Toronto
Fred Kamping	....	location manager
Justin Kelly	....	assistant accountant
Scott Kordish	....	production coordinator
Kevin Landry	....	production accountant
Kendra Levenberg	....	craft service
Rose Lister	....	first assistant accountant
Kali Londono	....	executive assistant: Mr. Rock
David Ray Martin	....	assistant location manager
Andrew Miano	....	production executive: Weitz Brothers Productions
Louise Muskala	....	assistant: Mr. Hardesty
Greg Outcalt	....	production secretary
Chris Palmer	....	assistant: Sean Daniel
James Paul	....	accounting clerk
Karen Pidgurski	....	unit publicist
Jeffery Pong	....	assistant location manager
Devjani Raha	....	assistant: Mr. Berg
Patrick Riviere	....	stand-in
David M. Rodriguez	....	production accountant
Jonathan Roumie	....	location assistant
Andrew Saxe	....	location scout
Andrew Sehler	....	assistant accountant
Sharon Seto	....	epk director
John Shone	....	location production assistant/security
Michael Stricks	....	location manager
William Chad Strug	....	production assistant
Rose Viggiano	....	location manager
Michael L. Walker	....	production assistant
Ty Warren	....	production executive: Alphaville
Anthony Wright	....	production assistant
Elizabeth Zagrany	....	first assistant accountant: second unit
Daniel Villagomez	....	credits administrator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• 3 Art Entertainment
• Alphaville Films
• CHS Productions
• Made To Love Productions
• Munich Film Partners & Company (MFP) GHS Productions
• NPV Entertainment
• Paramount Pictures
• Village Roadshow Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (2001) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2003) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2003) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Finnkino (2002) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• Nelonen ((2006) (2007)) (Finland) (TV)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (Brazil) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2003) (Argentina) (all media)

Special Effects

• Gajdecki Visual Effects (GVFX)

Other Companies

• Bayerische HypoVereinsbank AG München  sale and leaseback financing provided by
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting
• Toronto Film Studios  movie studio
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

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:

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 | 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) | Sweden:7 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

3 Art Entertainment

Trivia:

In an early scene, Mrs. Wellington (Jennifer Coolidge) and Sklar (Greg Germann) are about to have sex on a pool table. In American Pie (1999), Coolidge's character played a married woman who had sex on a pool table with a younger man.

Goofs:

Continuity: During Wellington's speech to the board members, the glasses of the board member directly to his right jump back and forth between his hands and the table depending on the camera angle.

Quotes:

Lance Barton:From now on, we need to make a new slogan. If you get shot in the head, you get a bed. If your head is bloody, we're your buddy.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Nice

Rock rolls

Chris Rock stars in this remake of Warren Beatty's Heaven Can Wait (itself a remake of the 1941 film Here Comes Mr. Jordan), a comedy about a man who dies before his time, before he can realize his dreams, and his adventures in his new (albeit temporary) body. In the Beatty version, the protagonist was a backup quarterback for the then-Los Angeles Rams. In Rock's hipper version, our lead character is a struggling young - and decidedly low-talent - standup comedian.

It's very funny to see the razor-sharp Rock playing a bad comedian. It's kind of like seeing Tom Hanks play a bad actor. Lance Barton's dream is to play the legendary Apollo Theater on a non-amateur night. But every time he tries out his material, he's booed off the stage lustily - so much so that his nickname becomes "Booie." His jokes are lame, his delivery painful. In short, Lance is everything that the real Chris Rock isn't.

Lance is also a bike messenger, and he's riding the streets on his way to try out even more material when BAM! He's hit by a truck. Ok, so maybe he was taken from his body a tenth of a second early by a slightly incompetent angel (Eugene Levy), but hey, he was going to get hit anyway. No dice, it appears Lance isn't due in Heaven until 2044. So what to do? Mr. King (Chazz Palminteri), the "manager" of Heaven, reluctantly agrees to find a new body for the not-quite-dead Mr. Barton. Trouble is, the body they find is of a greedy, old white man. Turns out this fella (a Mr. Wellington) owns all kinds of things - he's the 15th richest man in the country! What luck! You can imagine how Lance will turn things around.

But of course, while in the body of the affluent Mr. Wellington, Lance falls for a gorgeous hospital worker (Regina King). We males know how tough it is to find a female given our own body, but try winning one over while you're an dumpy, old white guy! And it's even worse when she's not impressed by your money.

This is Rock's first shot at a lead role, and in my opinion he performs admirably. There's still a lot of the standup comedian in him - and, of course, if he ever wants to get diverse roles, he might have to stop incorporating standup routines into the script - but this isn't really a bad thing. Rock's personality - his drive, his delivery, his demeanor, and his passion - are what fuel this film. He's clearly having a lot of fun in the role, and he seems bent on making sure you have fun watching him.