Review ‘Top Five’ From The Editor

Comedian Chris Rock gets a lot off his chest — about fame, criticism and comedy — in “Top Five,” a comedy that dances between insightful and routine.

Rock wrote, directs and stars as Andre Allen, a stand-up comic and star of stupid movie comedies (namely “Hammy the Bear,” a buddy-cop series in which he wears a bear suit). Andre is promoting his latest film, a dramatic vanity project, opening just before his made-for-TV wedding to his reality-star fiancée (Gabrielle Union).

But when he ends up spending the day with Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson), an entertainment reporter from The New York Times, Andre finds himself fielding questions about his childhood, his wild days, his sobriety and whether he can be — or wants to be — funny.

He wrote, directed and stars in “Top Five” as Andre Allen, a comedian who made a trio of hit movies as Hammy the Bear (complete with costume) but has switched gears for a serious movie, “Uprize!” about a Haitian slave revolt. Andre is also days away from his wedding to a reality TV star (Gabrielle Union) when he’s forced into an interview by a quick-witted New York Times reporter, Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson), who is determined to get something beyond the standard answers.

A comedian tries to make it as a serious actor when his reality-TV star fianc?? talks him into broadcasting their wedding on her TV show.

“How come you’re not funny anymore and what’s up with this wedding? It seems really out of control,” she asks in her opening salvo.

“Top Five” tracks Andre and Chelsea during the course of a jam-packed day that includes revelations and relapses, telling turns, family fun and the sort of obligations a groom and a movie star would have, from radio station promos, phone interviews and a junket with roundtable interviews (which would happen in advance of opening day) to a scheduled bachelor party.

There is no question that Mr. Rock is one funny dude, no matter the setting, from morning TV interview to stand-up performer to Oscar host. His movie is funniest when he’s delivering snappy asides or irreverent assessments. If Tupac Shakur were still alive, he might be a political leader “or the bad dark-skinned boyfriend in a Tyler Perry movie … he might be kicking Jill Scott down a flight of stairs,” he says, to the howls of family and friends.

“Top Five” is a shaggy collection of encounters, flashbacks and cameos or supporting roles played by JB Smoove, Tracy Morgan (before his car accident), Kevin Hart and Cedric the Entertainer, who gets the most outrageous role of all as a Houston promoter. Take seriously the movie’s R rating for strong sexual content, nudity, crude humor, language throughout and some drug use.

Top Five is without a doubt the funniest film of 2014. Rock has sat at the highest echelon of comedy for close to two decades at this point, and with this feature he proves there is still years of funny ahead. Perhaps more importantly, he’s also showcased his ability to capture authentic human emotions in a unique way that allows his audience to better understand the way he perceives the world. That, in my mind, is the best accomplishment an artist can hope to achieve.