Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2005)

What makes it different from others?

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Am I Missing Something?

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Dave Chappelle is a comedy genius. There is no doubt about that. He went from being just another comic in the 90's to creating "Chappelle Show" (2002-2005), one of the best comedy shows of the last decade. It's common knowledge that Chappelle himself pulled the plug on his show for reasons that are still not well known, and may not be for years. However, it only elevated his status as a legend, and probably did not hurt the popularity of this movie."Block Party" (also known as "Dave Chappelle's Block Party") is a really good documentary detailing Chappelle putting together . . . well . . . a block party in the Bed Stuy section of Brooklyn. This isn't just any block party, though. It is a concert featuring the best hip-hop and R&B acts, many of whom were featured previously on "Chappelle Show".Because the concert took place on September 18, 2004, there are a handful of stars that were not as famous during filming, but whose fame greatly increased by the time of this film's release. For instance, Kayne West was the opening act (today, he would be the headliner), and John Legend and Keyshia Cole were background singers.What's even more amazing though is that all the performers (presumably hand-picked by Chappelle himself) were not just the most popular artists of the time. Chappelle could have gotten more mainstream rap and hip-hop artists such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, or Lil Wayne at the drop of a hat. Instead, he assembled The Roots, Mos Def, Talib Queli, Dead Prez, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu. These artists' songs are not necessarily better than the aforementioned more popular artists, but they are (in my opinion) less dated. It's noteworthy that all the artists have real musicians backing them up. There is also a DJ, but the music that corresponds with the rap lyrics (and singing in Scott's and Badu's cases) is not all prerecorded and re-sampled. There's nothing wrong with using samples, but live instruments make for a more intimate setting, and makes the overall music feel more real. People watching this film 20 years from now will probably agree.So suffice it to say that the music is great, and the concert footage is well-shot. The film cuts back and forth between concert footage, Chappelle himself giving free tickets away to residents in Ohio, and Chappelle interviewing everyone from bystanders to the artists. For a guy who the tabloids suspected canceled his own show because he went crazy, he seems very at ease with anyone and everyone he interviews. He is also very funny in these situations, and anyone who doesn't like rap music will still laugh at Chappelle's antics.Michael Gondry, who directed many music videos and is best known for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004) and "The Science of Sleep" (2006), directed this picture. He is a filmmaker who is best known for dazzling visual effects, and disappointingly, the only visual effects he has here are the creative letters that come out of Chappelle's bullhorn in the very beginning of the film. I was a little let down when Gondry limited his visual effects to that scene, but then again, this movie does well without bells and whistles.Also, great documentaries tell a story, and this one didn't really seem to. Even "Woodstock" and "Gimme Shelter" (both 1970) told stories. This film just jumps back and forth between interview and concert footage without any real rhyme or reason. In fact, the scene where the woman who owns the Bed Stuy building where the concert will be played in front of reveals her opinion about rap music is repeated once, presumably by accident.The motive for putting on such an epic concert would have aided the story greatly. If Chappelle gave any reason for holding this free concert, he didn't extrapolate on it well enough in the film. If he just felt like bringing some hip-hop acts together, that's okay. He just had to say that. The fact that the reunited Fugees served as the secret headliner may have influenced his decision to hold the concert, but again, he just had to give a reason. The fact that he did not specify a motive didn't ruin my enjoyment of the film, but it still would have been nice to know.Otherwise, though, true fans of hip-hop will love this movie. Dave Chappelle fans will find this movie funny too. Moviegoers who are not fans of either may find themselves converted by the time the credits roll, provided they don't expect Rick James to make a cameo.

On the 18th September 2004 part of Bed Stuy in Brooklyn was shut off to host one of the biggest block parties hip hop has seen. Organised by Dave Chappelle for those from the area and his own "block" in Ohio. In the drizzling rain the crowd of thousands spend the day listening to music from artists including Blackstar, Kanye West, The Roots, Dead Prez, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Common and others.With a cast list like this I was not going to miss this film and the heavy advert campaign over at OkayPlayer weren't going to let me forget that it existed. Being a fan of pretty much all the artists quoted above, the concert itself would have sold out in seconds had it been advertised in a traditional way and I know I would have been eager to attend. So coming to the film one hopes that the music will be done justice and that this will be what it delivers. Instead the film takes a rather mixed structure which combines performances with interviews, comic asides, Dave trying to organise it and practice sessions. In a way this structure compliments the "block party" concept because the day itself was about a community having fun rather than just a concert. Although this is all well and good, it doesn't really work because these sections don't really work. I love Chappelle's show but here he isn't that funny and most of his jokes are basic and (unfortunately) quite racist and he doesn't add much to the film – credit to him for pulling all this together but he doesn't add much to the delivery here. Likewise the interviews aren't that interesting. We have people being pro-black to the point of racism (Dead Prez) mixed with Wycleff who wisely tells a group of college kids not to excuse their failures by blaming the "white man". Many of the interviews hold the attention on the virtue of who is speaking but nobody says anything that interesting and the film itself doesn't seem to have an approach, message or structure to these parts.They wouldn't have bugged me this much if they hadn't taken up time that should have been devoted to the performances themselves. If you are into this type of music there aren't really any weak links at all because everybody pretty much nails it. Talib Kweli was one of the standouts for me although I am always biased towards him but West was just as good, while Mos Def was also pretty solid. The lack of time for Common was a disappointment as, although this was before "Be", he is still a great rapper and has great material even if Electric Circus (his album of the time) wasn't that well received. The Roots are good as are Fugees, Jill Scott and so on. The complaint I have is not of the quality but of the quantity. Perhaps everyone only did one or two tacks each but by the way day turns to night I doubt it. Given the enormity of the Fugee reunion, were two tracks enough? In fact could we not have done away with the majority of the interviews and made this a full concert film and would it not have been better for it? Overall then, those who dislike the artists will obviously avoid this and rightly so. However fans (like myself) of the artists will of course flock to it and it is a shame that we won't like all of what we see. There is no denying the impressive line-up and the quality of the music but the tracks mostly seem cut short to make room for interviews and contributions that have nowhere near the value of the music they replace. Still worth a look for the quality you know these artists bring but I would have liked more of them and less of Chappelle's sections.

Dave Chappelle's film 'Block Party' felt like one of the longest films in the world - basically because I found it sublime and terribly boring.But - the redeeming value for those who are interested in seeing the film: those who like watching a perpetually stoned semi-funny comedian going back to Brooklyn, New York (or there abouts) to stage a "block party" for the neighborhood and those that like the line up of acts chosen. Since I was not interested or made interested by either, this film didn't connect for me.As a comedian, I find that Dave Chappelle is a "hit or miss". Some things he sketches out and performs are as funny as heck, some things he does are rather mean spirited, blatantly racist (and let me clarify that by saying - just because he's an African American, it does not give him license to be racist against African Americans while others are condemned for doing so) and just plain unthoughtful.Here, his comedic style/social commentary really doesn't matter for nothing he did even cracked a smile on my face, or left me with an afterthought.The alleged philanthropy angle of the film was what most disgusted me - there really wasn't one of merit. I was not impressed, nor did I find it funny. I found it pandering and self-serving and that is not the intention behind philanthropy although that is what it may have turned into. While it's a nice idea to stage an outdoor concert (in this day and time all I have to do is turn on the New York bases morning shows "Today" or "Good Morning America", et al to see one so this was not unique) there wasn't anyone cast I would remotely be interested in watching n film - but for those who do like these folks, this film may be an enjoyable venture depending on who got more film time than others and why.And rather than walking Dave Chappelle through the neighborhood giving out "golden tickets" to the show, (yes, it was more of a "show" than a "block party") why not walk him through the Brooklyn neighborhood giving out real "golden tickets": Educational College Grants/scholarships under his name. But that would not make an interesting film - in the same way this doesn't make an interesting film. For how much this cost to do, that would have been a better idea and would have yielded better, long term rewards for that area. Let me just add here that one of the reasons why this act left me sour is that I am tired of seeing African Americans who have some kind of recognition do nothing more but stage "concerts" and think they're improving neighborhoods and the poor within them by doing so. This is just one more example of missing an opportunity to do something long lasting really worth a darn. This film was a waste of celluloid and the showcasing of musical talent for me, but hey, Chappelle and his production folks made money to keep him "comfortably numb" for a few more years and the 'hip hop' (or whatever you may call them now) "musicians of the minute" chosen to appear got an opportunity to be seen and heard to the fans that support them.

but skip it if the main reason you wanted to see it was for Chappelle. I quite like Dave Chappelle. I have since long before he got really famous with his Comedy Central sketch show. That is perhaps why I wasn't especially impressed with his film. He's not the focus. He's engaging when he is on screen, but most of the movie is dedicated to the musicians who play at his block party, among whom are Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Mos Def and the Fugees. While I liked all the music that was showcased, I'm not a particularly big fan of any of it. If you are a fan of any of these musicians, then I imagine the film would appeal to you much more than it did to me.