The Original Kings of Comedy (2000)

Critic Reviews

• Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader

  Footage shot from over their shoulders reveals a sea of faces out of which individuals quickly emerge, as the comedians -- especially emcee Harvey -- enthrall and provoke audience members.

• Scott Foundas, Variety

  A consistently hilarious assemblage of highlights from the hit concert tour of the same name.

• Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com

  Seeing the film in a crowded theater is a lot more fun than watching it on TV would be, and the crappy, grainy look does create a sort of you-are-there immediacy.

• Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

  This often hilarious quartet use the foul-ups, aggravations and muddles of everyday life to produce more laughs than most movies you'll see this year.

• Jay Carr, Boston Globe

  Time and again, we're transported by the outpouring of liberating humor from four men who know the territory.

• Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

  Under Spike Lee's direction it's one of the liveliest concert films in years.

• Mark Halverson, Sacramento News & Review

  Some segments are marred by poor sound quality. Others produce monster laughs.

• Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion

  Easily the funniest movie of the summer.

• Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

  The film offers more than just yuks, however. As in Lee's best work, the film intelligently discusses race and race relations, though this time through the guise of humor.

• , Time Out

  This is comedy with a sense of showmanship, and Lee cuts shrewdly to the rhythm of the jokes.

• Susannah Breslin, Film Threat

  It is Bernie Mac who is the true King of Comedy here, following in the footsteps of Pryor and Murphy before him as he crosses from church-raised testifying, to furious black cultural theorizing, to barely controlled comedic genius.

• Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

  I laughed myself into a headache. I laughed so hard I was hoping they'd get bad for awhile so I could relax a minute, wipe the tears out of my eyes.

• Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

  Apesar de praticamente se limitar a registrar o show dos quatro comediantes, sem jamais se preocupar com o lado humano destes, o filme se destaca graças ao humor cáustico e sem barreiras de seus protagonistas.

• Eugene Novikov, Film Blather

  Are they funny? Most of the time. But the humor, passing itself off as insightful social commentary, rarely rises above simple stereotypes.

• Susan Tavernetti, Palo Alto Weekly

  Watching Spike Lee's concert movie is the next best thing to having been in the house when the Kings of Comedy caused a laugh riot in Charlotte, N. C. last February.

• John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online

  It is during these intimate scenes where Lee's style is more clearly evident, using settings such as a basketball court or a poker game, along with inventive camera angles and editing to give a spontanaeous feel.

• Matthew Turner, ViewLondon

  Frequently hilarious comedy concert film, directed by Spike Lee.

• Candice Y. Rigon, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

  Bernie Mac is the best way to close out the show. He lunges straight into the audience's face, politically incorrect and proud of it.

• James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette

  like most stand-up shows, has plenty of peaks and valleys... could easily have been trimmed by at least half an hour without any major losses.

• Michael Thomson, BBC

  It is a simple, straight forward record of four hugely talented African-American comedians, Steve Harvey, DL Hughley, Cedric The Entertainer and Bernie Mac, as they bring the house down in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Read all 21 critic reviews