Down to Earth (2001)
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20% of critics liked it
(96 reviews) -
44% of users liked it
(62,049 ratings)
Comic Chris Rock co-scripted and stars in this remake of 1941's Here Comes Mr. Jordan, which was also remade with Warren Beatty in 1978 as Heaven Can Wait. Comedian Lance Barton (Rock) is struggling to get his career off the ground when he dies in an untimely bus accident; arriving at the Pearly… More Comic Chris Rock co-scripted and stars in this remake of 1941's Here Comes Mr. Jordan, which was also remade with Warren Beatty in 1978 as Heaven Can Wait. Comedian Lance Barton (Rock) is struggling to get his career off the ground when he dies in an untimely bus accident; arriving at the Pearly Gates, he discovers that he's not supposed to have passed on for another 50 years. Barton is not happy with this turn of events, and eventually the Powers That Be send his spirit back to Earth, but for the time being he has to make do with the body of a middle-aged, closed-minded millionaire, Charles Wellington. Lance falls in love with a young community activist (Regina King), but he soon finds he has bigger problems at home: the millionaire's wife and her lover are both trying to kill him. The supporting cast includes Mark Addy as an actor passing himself off as an English manservant, Chazz Palminteri as Mr. King, Heaven's no-nonsense manager, and Eugene Levy as Mr. Keyes, the angel who accidentally ends Barton's life. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
- Written By
- Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Lance Crouther, Ali Leroi, Louis C. K.
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
PG-13,
- In Theaters
- Feb 16, 2001 Wide
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Joel Siegel, Good Morning America
A two-word review: Chris rocks.
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Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
When Rock finds his authentic swing as an actor as well as a comedian, he'll be, like, a movie god.
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Caleb Crain, Village Voice
Almost every minute of Down to Earth is entertaining. But not quite surprising.
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James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Offers a strangely muted and largely unfunny Rock.
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Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
A ham-handed fantasy that manages the damn near impossible feat of making Chris Rock unfunny.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Chris Rock
as Lance Barton
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Regina King
as Sontee
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Chazz Palminteri
as King
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Eugene Levy
as Keyes
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Frankie Faison
as Whitney Daniels
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Mark Addy
as Cisco
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Greg Germann
as Sklar
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Jennifer Coolidge
as Mrs. Wellington
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Wanda Sykes
as Wanda
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John Cho
as Phil Quon
- James Gandolfini
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Jernard Burks
as Man in Wheelchair
