Jackie's Back!

I just happened to rent this movie by mistake--but what a good mistake! My daughter was supposed to pick up "Hairshow" instead of "Jackie's Back" but they must have been right next to each other. I am a fan of mockumentary films because of the "spoof factor" and what could be more funny than the deadpan look on someone's face when they're being interviewed in "mock fashion". I was amazed to see the "cavalcade of stars" that were on the roster for this movie! Jennifer Lewis did a great job portraying Jackie Washington and Tim Curry was wonderful at the interviewer. I think the person who totally stole the show (besides Jennifer Lewis) was Whoopi Goldberg as her sister. She definitely played the part of being the scorned, upstaged, and overshadowed sister. I just cracked up when I saw the "afro pick" marks on Richard Lawson's ("The Milkman") head alluding to the fact that Jackie had stabbed him. The one hit song that she has "Yield Me With Your Love" was totally Motownish in nature and when David Hyde Pierce (Perry-the deaf piano player) got a hold of the music to play for her revival comeback it sounded like a "graduation march" which was hilarious! Anyone who is a fan of mockumentary films don't "Yield"-"Go" to your local video store and rent this! Kudos Robert Townsend, you've done it again!

I watched this for the ever-wonderful Tim Curry but was won over by the total package: this is a sly, deadly funny mockumentary that skewers diva ego, blaxploitation films, and the music industry, along with just about everything else that can be squeezed into the space of two hours. Jenifer Lewis is hilarious as the fiercely vain diva, and Tim Curry's dry pomposity is the perfect foil. The film's one flaw is the unlikely, unfunny ending in which all the deliciously evil humor succumbs to a saccharine feel-good production number and Curry, impossibly, grows to love the harpy he's been interviewing. In spite of the letdown of the ending, this is still a sharp, energetic send-up with lots of great surprises, including the priceless cameo by David Hyde Pierce (of Frasier fame). If this is ever aired again, set your VCR: it's a keeper.

I discovered this mockumentary in a rather serendipitous way; I was reading the liner notes of Grace Slick's Great Society album (check it out) and in an interview she said she was interested in acting, so I checked IMDb to see if she had ever done that and she hadn't except for a cameo in Jackie's Back.

This is a terrifically funny movie with a wondrous performance by Jenifer Lewis as a diva on the comeback trail. The movie is a constant string of gags, and while they don't all work, enough of them do to make the overall effect very entertaining.

The movie also may hold a record for cameos. A ton of entertainment people play themselves, and many of the bit parts are from fairly well- known actors. Of particular note is a hilarious bit by David Hyde Pierce as a deaf pianist.

The ending is a bit sappy, but why not end with a little heart?

It's also the most Lifetime Network part of the series, and I've got to say, I'm really curious how this wound up there. I think of Lifetime movies as being about white women struck by tragedy. Perhaps I'm wrong?

I laughed throughout, except for the icky-sweet ending. I guess they decided to spoof everybody so that no ONE person could say it was about them. Although it was more of a Diana Ross/Pam Grier roast, they picked on everyone, and it was great! The cameo interviews were wonderful -- Penny Marshall, Don Cornelius, Dolly Parton, Diane Carroll, Howie Mandel, Liza Minelli, and that's just the beginning.

Tim Curry and Jenifer Lewis held the story together nicely around the numerous snippets and provided many comedic moments themselves. It is definitely worth your $1 at the video store, or better yet ... tape it next time it appears on Lifetime!

I'm a huge Tim Curry fan, so I initially watched this for that reason, but I have to say, this is one of the funniest movies I'd seen in a while. "Jackie" is a fallen diva, descended from George Washington (according to her), about to make a comeback. I loved all the cameos, you can tell just by the people willing to make cameos in this that they thought it was a hilarious concept. The end is a bit too sappy, but I can forgive that. LOved "The Milkman".. my favorite scene is Jackie saying, "I never stabbed him with no afro pick... he FELL on that afro pick" and then the indentations on Milkman's forehead.... just beautiful! Great movie... I highly recommend it!