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Dave Chappelle's Block Party Review

Release Date: Mar 03, 2006
Rated: language
Runtime: 1 hr. 43 min.
Genres: Comedy, Documentary, Music/Performing Arts
Director:Michel Gondry
Cast:Dave Chappelle, Kanye West, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common. Full cast + crew

Movies.com Critics

5.0

Dave White Profile <h3>Dave White</h3> <p><strong>Your Movies.com Man at the Multiplex</strong></p> <br /> <p>Dave White's first movie review was of the animated feature Snoopy Come Home. He was seven years old...<a href="http://www.movies.com/movie-reviews/dave-white">Read full profile</a></p>

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Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

5.0

84

out of 100

Metascore^®
Universal acclaim
based on a weighted average of all
critic review scores.
100

out of 100

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman
The enthralling spirit of Dave Chappelle's Block Party, its mood of exuberant democracy, extends to every rap and soul performance in the film.

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75

out of 100

USA Today Claudia Puig
Besides being filled with Chappelle's hilarious sense of humor, the movie features life-affirming messages and great music by serious rap artists with political, socio-cultural and spiritual themes.

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75

out of 100

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
As for the movie, I've seen better comedy films and better concert films. It noodles around too much and gets distracted from the music. Michel Gondry, who directed, makes good fiction films but is not an instinctive documentarian and forgets that even a fly on the wall should occasionally find some peanut butter. As the record of a state of mind, however, the film is uncanny.

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88

out of 100

Chicago Tribune Allison Benedikt
An uplifting, funny and engaging star-studded affair.

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90

out of 100

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern
The comedian has had his ups and downs recently, but the film is pure up, a wonderfully genial and inclusive record -- not that the music is devoid of anger or social protest -- of a day-long, freestyle show.
90

out of 100

The Hollywood Reporter Sheri Linden
The word "community" has become a cliche, but this party, both backstage and before the crowd, illustrates a specific sense of cultural community and the singular bliss of standing on a city street in late-summer rain for a once-in-a-lifetime concert.

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See all Dave Chappelle's Block Party reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

Iffy for 16+

Provocative -- for older teens and adults only.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this documentary includes lots of strong profanity. That is, over 20 uses of the f-word, twice as many s-words, "bitch," "hell," "ass," slang for genitals ("d--k" and "p---y," for examples), and the n-word (by black speakers). Jokes and dialogue refer to sexual activity, drinking and pot-smoking, characters smoke on screen, and Chappelle talks about purchasing cigarettes in a convenience store. Some of the performed hip-hop lyrics include profanity. Fred Hampton's son appears briefly, and Chappelle describes his father's shooting (in his bed, next to his pregnant wife), by Chicago police in 1969.

Families can talk about the social and political issues the film raises: institutionalized racism and poverty, sexism, and violence. How can comedy and musical performances provoke open dialogue about these concerns? Is the excessive profanity necessary?

The good stuff

Messages: Not an issue

What to watch for

Violence: A shooting is described.
Sex: Jokes and dialogue refer to sexual activity.
Language: LOTS of explicit language.
Consumerism: Not an issue
Drinking, drugs and smoking: References to drinking, smoking, and pot smoking.

Common Sense Media

An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology.