Really, it’s a surprise it’s taken Chris Rock so long to share his inner miserablist. Of course, his movie projects have never really done his talents justice. So it’s a pleasure to see him finally dig deep and show us the man behind the comic. Here, Rock writes, directs and plays a thinly-veiled version of himself.
The resulting movie is a fascinating exploration of ego, fame and an artist’s constant need for validation. Most timely of all in view of events in Baltimore, Top Five is an examination of what it means to be black and successful in America.
Rock is Andre Allen, a comedian who worries sobriety has caused his jokes to dry up. He’s also an unashamed sell-out, with a string of terrible low-brow comedies to his name. Seeking redemption, he stars in a painfully worthy historical drama called Uprize – but is also planning a spectacular wedding to a gold-digging socialite (Gabrielle Union) and trying to convince his working class family that he hasn’t changed.
An interview with gutsy journalist Chelsea (Rosario Dawson) provides Andrew with a wake-up call, causing him to suspect that he’s a creative failure and total hypocrite. This is a jump-off for a fascinating exploration of misogyny, vanity, and “blackness” in pop culture. Rock isn’t merely flagellating himself, though – he also takes aim at movie critics, tabloid journalism and the entire apparatus of Hollywood. Frankly, it’s a movie he should have made years ago.