Down to Earth

Chris Rock is side-splittinglyfunny, and that's a darn good thing because--in this movie, at least--the man simply cannot act. And he's not alone, either. Under the sloppy, choppy, rushed and amateurish direction of Chris and Paul Weitz (American Pie), this Heaven Can Wait remake--about a dead standup comic sent back to Earth in the body of a fat, greedy, honky millionaire--plays like the actors are at their first table reading of the script. Everybody hams. Everybody sounds insincere, like they're not yet sure what their dialogue means. Still, the movie is so packed full of laughs that the bad acting can't quite deflate what is essentially a fast-food comedy. If you can forget continuity and plot and just have fun, consider this a strong optional purchase. (R. Blackwelder)