Down to Earth (2001)

20% of critics liked it
(95 reviews)
44% of users liked it
(61,330 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

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 27 min.
Directed By: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
Written By: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Lance Crouther, Ali Leroi, Louis C. K.
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Feb 16, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Jul 10, 2001
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

Joel Siegel, Good Morning America
A two-word review: Chris rocks.
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.
Caleb Crain, Village Voice
Almost every minute of Down to Earth is entertaining. But not quite surprising.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Offers a strangely muted and largely unfunny Rock.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
A ham-handed fantasy that manages the damn near impossible feat of making Chris Rock unfunny.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
For a comedy, there are precious few real laughs.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Likeable Chris Rock in a comedy about race.
Tony Macklin, Las Vegas CityLife
Down to Earth is worth seeing. Like mainstream brew, it doesnt have high potency, but it is a nice diversion.
Jordan Hiller, Bangitout.com
Rock saw the untapped goldmine of humor, found when a white person acts black.
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
Down to Earth" follows the plot of "Heaven Can Wait" the way a robot follows its programming.
Mark Dujsik, Mark Reviews Movies
To put it bluntly: this is a bad movie.
Ted Murphy, Baseline.Hollywood.com
"Down to Earth" crashes instead of alighting on angels' wings.
Jorge Avila Andrade, Moviola
Para Chris Rock, el estrellato que se pensaba podía adquirir con su primer estelar tendrá que esperar hasta una mejor oportunidad

Read all 13 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Spencer S

WAY better than Heaven Can Wait, with much more humor.
Tim S

Not a great movie.
Lenny M

Chris Rock movies really do drop the ball.
Candy R

Chris Rock's characher dies in an accident before his time. He comes back to earth as a white man.
danny d

funny, good flick
Jason S

A lackluster remake.
Burger S

Remake of a remake. "Every town has 2 kinds of malls, the mall that white people go to and the mall that white people USED to go to!" Hilarious.
Joseph E

This is a film inwhich you forget over the years, but when you remeber it, you remember why i you liked it in the first place.
Nay Nay B

Chris Rock almost felt like a sell out with this one.
Sunil J

Silly but funny enough to rent.
Miriam K

I have seen this plot too many times...
Leo L

Loved this movie!