Head of State (2003)

Director:

Chris Rock

Writers (WGA):

Chris Rock (written by) &
Ali LeRoi (written by)

Release Date:

28 March 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The only thing white is the house.

Plot:

When a presidential candidate dies unexpectedly in the middle of the campaign, the Democratic party unexpectedly picks a Washington, D.C. alderman, Mays Gilliam (Rock) as his replacement .

Plot Keywords:

Party | Alderman | Washington D.C. | President | Homosexuality

Awards:

9 nominations

Cast

Chris Rock	...	Mays Gilliam
Bernie Mac	...	Mitch Gilliam
Dylan Baker	...	Martin Geller
Nick Searcy	...	Brian Lewis
Lynn Whitfield	...	Debra Lassiter
Robin Givens	...	Kim
Tamala Jones	...	Lisa Clark
James Rebhorn	...	Sen. Bill Arnot
Keith David	...	Bernard Cooper
Tracy Morgan	...	Meat Man
Stephanie March	...	Nikki
Robert Stanton	...	Advisor
Jude Ciccolella	...	Mr. Earl
Nate Dogg	...	Himself
Angie Mattson	...	Nate's girl

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Finland:K-7 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Germany:6 | Ireland:15 | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39659)

Filming Locations:

Annapolis, Maryland, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Rock got the idea for this story from the 1984 Walter Mondale/Geraldine A. Ferraro ticket, in which the democrats thought that since they had no chance of winning against Ronald Reagan/George Bush, they might as well make a historic first so they can win support for the next election. So they ran Ferraro as the first ever woman vice president candidate for their party (and lost).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Mays promises to drive Mr. Hawkins to work if the bus line gets shut down, the clock on the wall is stopped.

Quotes:

Mitch Gilliam: You gotta dress for the job you want, not the job you got.

Movie Connections:

Features "NWA: Total Nonstop Action" (2002)

Soundtrack:

The Next Episode

Written, directed and starring the Rock....Chris Rock

In this film, the Vice President, who's the front-runner candidate for office in a coming election, often dispenses with below campaign sound bite at whatever opportunity he gets:

"I have been the Vice President for 8 years. I am a war veteran. And I'm the cousin of Sharon Stone. God bless America...and no place else."

With lines like these, what's not to like about Head of State?

Here's the premise of the film. Both the the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate of a "losing" party died when their planes crashed into each other (don't ask). With the election just weeks away, the party decided to intentionally look for a "loser" replacement candidate; one who will lose at a pegged percentage (not too much, not too little), and yet is capable of winning some "leverage" points for the next round of election. And they found Chris Rock. Enough said.

Pardon the cliché, but Head of State has to be seen to be believed. Hell, just its opening credits alone are LOL already. If you asked me, I would think this flick's mixed bag of humour (from no-holds barred low brow to smart insightful attacks on American electoral politics) worked only because it has been delivered the only way someone as comic-attuned as Chris Rock knew how. The business of making people laugh is a tough one. And IMO, Chris Rock is one of the best in the business.

Can you imagine a fluffier, more convoluted Bulworth crossed with the crude but often logical sensibilities of South Park - The movie? If yes, proceed to imagine lines hurled at you that's as zingy as a Kevin Smith vehicle (both the good and the really bad ones) and blatant slapstick's as throwaway LOL as those Airplane/ Naked Gun movies? Ladies and germs, if you can imagine all that, congrats! Because that is Head of State for you, nutshell cracked wide open. But whether you will swallow the nuts or not (I always chew first, then swallow), will depend largely on your threshold and expectation already.

We need not reminders that we all live in ludicrous times now, do we? So why not accord some of that time laughing at it all, relishing in the enjoyment of a film as ludicrously conceived as this one? Personally, I look upon Head of State as a brilliant political comedy. Its charm actually lies in its greater interest in comedy than politics. I am delighted to see this film juggle sly political wish fulfilment with the conscious play-it-up for laughs. Sometimes, strictly for laughs. So yes, I am won over and willingly lap this flick up.

Make no mistake, Head of State is a hit and miss movie. But its hits far exceed its misses. In fact, its hit rate is almost comparable to (and arguably higher than) the raunch-assisted Scary Movie. Its (sporadic) intelligence however, far surpasses the entire Waymon Bros output combined.

Hmm....its plain to see that the manic sinnerman love this movie. I have not been this entertained in very long time. Hence I shall willingly dispense you all this flick recommendation. If one pop this title into a player at any random night, I do think it will provide willing folks with an antidote release from the blues of a hellish school/work day prior. So people, go hunt for the Head of State now (pun unintended).

My word is out. God bless America....and no place else!