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Features: DVD, Dolby, Dolby Digital (5.1), English, Spanish, French
If you want a real political party, there's only one man who's wild and funny enough to take it all the way to the White House. He's Chris Rock, and he's ready to roll!When Washington desperately needs a presidential candidate just weeks before the election, they need someone sure to lose. They pick Mays Gilliam (Chris Rock), an unknown local politician from a down-and-out D.C. neighborhood to be their puppet. But if Mays is going to run, he's going to have fun. He's bringing in his brother Mitch (Bernie Mac), a hardcore bail bondsman, as his running mate and turning his campaign into party central. Now, Gilliam is gaining in the polls and on his way to making history. Comedian Chris Rock writes, directs and stars in the hit comedy from Capitol Hill that proves an underdog can become top dog and that the real power in Washington is a lot of laughs.
"Chris Rock's new comedy...is evidence of the comedian's uncanny sense of timing" J. Hoberman, Village Voice
"Head of State could mark the debut of Rock as a significant filmmaker" Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
"...it's the jokes--and the political gut-punches--that get Head of State roiling. " Jeffrey Anderson, San Francisco Examiner
Editor's Note
Celebrated comedian-writer-actor-talk show host Chris Rock can now add film director to his resume. Cowritten by Rock and Ali LeRoi, HEAD OF STATE follows an unassuming Washington D.C. alderman, Mays Gilliam (Rock), as he finds himself embroiled in a presidential election. Just weeks before the nation is about to elect a new president, one of the top candidates is killed in a plane crash. Plotting a future run in 2008, Senator Bill Arnot (James Rebhorn) convinces his staff--Debra Lassiter (Lynn Whitfield) and Martin Geller (Dylan Baker)--to pick a replacement who has no chance of winning. But he gets more than he bargained for when he selects Mays. At first merely thankful to be in the spotlight, Mays plays the puppet, but eventually, he uses his power to actually say something meaningful. And when he selects his bail bondsman brother, Mitch (Bernie Mac), to be his running mate, everyone is shocked to discover that Mays is giving the people exactly what they want. Rock uses his natural ability to blend humor and substance as a director, resulting in an entertaining film that pushes buttons without leaving too deep a mark.
| Features | Audio: English DTS 5.1 Surround, English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Gallery | | Feature Commentary With Chris Rock | | Subtitles: English, French, Spanish | | Cast | | Filmmakers | | Production Notes | | Deleted Scenes | | The Making Of Head Of State | | Sneak Peeks |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Dreamworks (Universal) |
| Release Date: 2/13/2007 |
| Running Time: 95 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2003 | | Catalog ID: 90716 | | UPC: 00678149071627 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English | | Available Subtitles: English, French, Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 4:3 |
| Cast & Crew
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| | Professional Reviews | USA Today
"...There are some lively comic moments..." 03/28/2003 p.3EEntertainment Weekly
"...There's a lot of exuberant, nutty, try-it-and-move-on stuff spread around....Blithe and fearless in talking about race..." 04/04/2003 p.75-6 Chicago Sun-Times
"...Wickedly cynical about the American electoral system....Chris Rock is a smart, fast-talking comedian with an edge..." 03/28/2003 p.27 Box Office
"...Bernie Mac is consistently funny and adds a saucy edge to HEAD OF STATE..." 06/01/2003 p.62 James Berardinelli's ReelViews 7 of 10
It goes without saying that Head of State is a comedy. Even in his dramatically-oriented roles, which are few and far between, Rock is still something of a clown. Here, although the film lacks any instances of inspired hilarity, there are plenty of laughs to go around. The movie opens with arguably its most clever gag: fake opening credits that list, one after another, a who's who of politicians (Joe Lieberman, Bob Dole, Hilary Clinton...), before informing us that none of them are in the movie. Much of the humor in Head of State centers on the political arena. Despite one character's assertion that "this isn't a circus, it's a Presidential election," Rock clearly views election politics as three rings inside of a big-top. - James Berardinelli
Chicago Sun-Times 7 of 10
Chris Rock is a smart, fast-talking comedian with an edge; I keep wondering when the academy will figure out he could host the Oscars. Here he plays his usual persona, more or less, in a movie where some of the edges are rough and others are serrated. We keep getting these movie fantasies where political candidates say what they think, are not afraid to offend, cut through the crap and take stands. Must be wish-fulfillment. - Roger Ebert
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