Pootie Tang

It's criminal, how underrated this movie is. It's inspired on so many levels, and the encyclopedic knowledge of action films, hip-hop videos, 70s blaxploitation and chop-socky movies is breathtaking. I always think of it in the same class as THE JERK and ZOOLANDER, with a healthy respect for flat-out absurdity and non-stop gags. The filming style is rough, and the actors generally have no polish (an undoubtedly deliberate choice), which makes the sudden flashes of precision so devastatingly funny. Wanda Sykes, in particular, is absolute gold as party girl Biggie Shorty, but the film's full of co-stars - Andy Richter, Dave Attell, Jennifer Coolidge, J.D. Williams, Missy Elliott, and Robert Vaughan - who get their turn on the silliness carousel. I can imagine someone who isn't a fan, or at least an observer, of the above things would hate this movie like poison, but for me, who has seen more Jay-Z videos than I ever wanted to see and who can't help laughing when I see a man use kung-fu to bounce bullets off his hair (a gag too complicated to explain, but seamless on screen), POOTIE TANG is fantastic.

I'd recommend it more, but it's just too hard to describe!

Pootie Tang actually can be looked at as a parable, an allegory of a messianic figure. How's that for making a purse out of a sow's ear? Consider: A powerful figure roaming around doing good deeds, speaking in a puzzling language that only believers understand, attended to by his apostles, befriending prostitutes. Suffering from inner demons he retreats to the wilderness (the farm) and experiences an epiphany through the physical manifestation of his creators, going back and finally confronting and conquering the demons. (Dirty D = Dirty Devil)Along the way he even awakens the dead (the knife wielder at the club), banishes a horde of false prophets (all the fake Pooties), and can bring people to rapture through sheer silence alone. Whew. Heady stuff. Sa Da Tay!

I'm not saying that Pootie Tang will be for everyone, but for those interested, it is really a gas. Pootie Tang was originated on Chris Rock's HBO show with Crouther playing Tang as the new president elect Pootie Tang telling his campaign in lingo that almost no one could understand but it was still dead pan. Now, he has a movie.

Lance Crouther plays the title character in a short yet entertaining movie about a hero with a belt that helps him against the forces of evil, plus his gift of saying things that have no meaning whatsoever (like ebonics mixed with down syndrome, but it's funny). Chris Rock (in 3 equally hilarious roles), Robert Vaughn and Wanda Sykes also star in this movie with it's only damaging flaw being that after a while it runs out of steam. Worth a look. B+

Thing I never understood is that these sort of simplistic and silly comedies often get slammed, while movies from the early days of the genre (the Jim Abrahams and Leslie Nielsen type of comedies) are being loved and considered to be classics, even though the humor and comedy of the movies is just the same. For me it's very simple; when a comedy amuses me and makes me laugh I consider it to be a good and effective one, no matter how bad and silly the movie got done.

It's just the sort of movie in which things simply just happen, without often share a clear connection with each other and without featuring a real solid or clear main-story. It's really simplistic, especially story-wise but lots of its moments are simply funny and therefor this movie does work out as a comedy.

I really won't pretend like "Pootie Tang" is the greatest thing ever. It's often just too simplistic for that and it's story and acting is definitely too much lacking. but there is no denying that this movie simply serves its purpose and I definitely can say that this is a movie that genuinely made me laugh because of how silly and crazy it at times got. Still, at the same time it's also true that the movie doesn't quite live up to its full potential. I mean, the movie never really lives up to its great and promising beginning. But luckily the movie is too short to start to further decline, below the level of average.

Still the funniest Chris Rock comedy I've seen in years.

6/10

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I'm more into classic drama and the epic scene, but when I do get into a comedy it has to be absolutely senseless. I don't want to see any formulaic structure from the drama side of things crossing over - which a lot of Holly-comedies have - it has to take on its own form and the Chris Rock produced "Tang" does that. The cheese fact is a perfect 10 on the scale and the creative powers that be told this story with precision. I believe this will be a cult classic, not to mention it far out played "Undercover Brother" which was released on a healthier production and marketing budget that same year. Chris Rock should be proud of his producer role and Lance Crouther was the funniest black-man stereotype I've ever seen. Finally, I remember going to a Blockbuster a few years back with some friends to buy the DVD, it was such a cult hit that some kid had stole the disk and left the DVD jacket on the for sale shelf... That says something. True stupidity is an acquired taste which only few can actually understand. And I would bet a few Franks that comedic geniuses are serious people 90 percent of the time. But when they let loose, look out.