I was dragged to this movie by my fiance (I would have rather watched "Hannible" or "Saving Silverman" but it was Tuesday. Cheap night. It was a fairly original movie; and I've never seen a movie where the newly dead person gets other people's bodies because a mistake in Heaven was made.

Basic plot - Lance (played by Chris Rock) is about to start some new comedian material in hopes of landing an audition at the "Appollo," a comedy club that he always gets "boo-ed" off the stage. While he's riding his bike, he gets hit by a truck (and yes, he was holding the handle bars properly, unlike a woman in another movie... ah hem. Another story.) He gets hit by a truck, and finds himself in Heaven. After a brief conflict with "God's Manager" (also known as Mr.King) they all realize a mistake has been made, they agree to give Lance another shot, but it has to be in a different body. After checking out a few potential bodies, Lance choose an aging white male, because of a black woman whom the white male has been avoiding. "Mr. Wellington" has recently bought out the hospital in which she works. Her name is "Sontee." I personally think that Mr. Wellington shouldn't have been so old, because I kept thinking of his face whenever he and Sontee (a younger black woman) kissed.

Another problem around Lance/Wellington was, I feel, that they didn't show the real Wellington's body enough. Only a few very brief shots, and never his voice. It didn't convince me that Lance really looked like Wellington. And the new ebonics in Wellington's body should have received more eyebrow raising than it did. Sure, people were surprised at his new generosity, but seemingly never at his new "black" speech.

Anyway, Wellington's body time was running out, and before long, Wellington had to die. Lance had to find a new body. "God's Manager" chose to give him the body of a fellow black comedian, so his life could get back on track as it should have been. And of course, in the end, he gets the girl.

The Holes:

-- He's God. If a mistake had been made, surely he could fix the damage to the original body. And, in the end, Lance is made to not remember anything, so why couldn't God bring back his original body, and make everyone forget about the death, if he has that power?

-- The main hole: My fiance and I didn't discuss this hole during the movie. But, as soon as we walked out of the theatre, we both started talking rapidly. Basically:
"Wellington was already fated to die in the bath tub, but was revived by "God's Manager" because of Heaven's mistake. Lance should have been able to keep Wellington's body, but couldn't because "God's Manager" said fate had to take it's course. So, really, Mr. Wellington was murdered twice. It was wrong of the writer to say that, because fate had already taken Wellington. Fate had been disrupted because of Heaven's mistake, therefore, it was NOT FATE to have Wellington shot, and die twice.

Should you see this movie?
Yes! It's a good movie. Good plot, original, and all those other new-movie things. Try not to think of these holes, though, and just sit back and enjoy the jokes.





Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age