Movie Type: Heaven-Can-Wait Fantasies, Romantic Comedy
Themes: Reincarnation, Supernatural Romance, Fish Out of Water
Main Cast: Chris Rock, Regina King, Chazz Palminteri, Eugene Levy, Frankie R. Faison
Release Year: 2001
Country: US
Run Time: 87 minutes
Plot
Comic Chris Rock co-scripted and stars in this remake of 1941's Here Comes Mr. Jordan, which was also remade with Warren Beatty in 1978 as Heaven Can Wait. Comedian Lance Barton (Rock) is struggling to get his career off the ground when he dies in an untimely bus accident; arriving at the Pearly Gates, he discovers that he's not supposed to have passed on for another 50 years. Barton is not happy with this turn of events, and eventually the Powers That Be send his spirit back to Earth, but for the time being he has to make do with the body of a middle-aged, closed-minded millionaire, Charles Wellington. Lance falls in love with a young community activist (Regina King), but he soon finds he has bigger problems at home: the millionaire's wife and her lover are both trying to kill him. The supporting cast includes Mark Addy as an actor passing himself off as an English manservant, Chazz Palminteri as Mr. King, Heaven's no-nonsense manager, and Eugene Levy as Mr. Keyes, the angel who accidentally ends Barton's life. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Dennis Davenport - Art Director, John Kasarda - Art Director, Debrae Little - Costume Designer, Mark Little - First Assistant Director, Chris Weitz - Director, Paul Weitz - Director, Priscilla Nedd-Friendly - Editor, Chris Rock - Executive Producer, Barry Berg - Executive Producer, Jamshied Sharifi - Composer (Music Score), Tom Houghton - Camera Operator, Paul Peters - Production Designer, Richard Crudo - Cinematographer, Sean Daniel - Producer, Michael Rotenberg - Producer, James Jacks - Producer, Beth Kushnick - Set Designer, Gordon Sim - Set Designer, Elis Lam - Set Designer, Douglas Ganton - Sound/Sound Designer, Bill Meadows - Sound/Sound Designer, Roy Anderson - Stunts Coordinator, Lance Crouther - Screenwriter, Chris Rock - Screenwriter, Louis C.K. - Screenwriter, Tom Houghton - Additional Cinematography, Ken Kushnick - Executive Music Producer, Bill Stephney - Executive Music Producer, Matt Walden - Executive Music Producer, Richard Legrand, Jr. - Supervising Sound Editor, Beth Kushnick - Set Decorator, Gordon Sim - Set Decorator, Harry Segall - Play Author
Down to Earth is a 2001comedy film directed by the Weitz Brothers, the team who directed and helped create American Pie. Down to Earth stars Chris Rock as a comedian, Lance, who is killed before his time. He is given another chance in the body of a rich man. It is a remake of Heaven Can Wait (1978) which, in turn, was a remake of a 1941 film Here Comes Mr. Jordan, which was based on a stage play by Harry Segall also called Heaven Can Wait. This film is named after the 1947 sequel to Mr. Jordan but from a plot perspective is more closely related to the stage play and the 1941 movie.
One of the twists of this version is that Lance is African-American, yet given the body of a rich White man, thus allowing Rock to capitalize on social commentary, a common theme in his comedy act.
Plot
The film follows Lance Barton, a struggling comedian. Although quite funny and confident in his personality he is unable to bring his talent across in front of an audience. After being booed off stage one night he hears about an opportunity from his manager, at the Apollo Theater which is having a show dedicated to new comedians. He is hoping to get a chance to prove himself in front of a real audience, when on his way home riding a bike Lance is distracted by Sontee (Regina King); not paying attention, he is hit by a semi truck and is instantly killed. Lance is brought up to Heaven where he meets the angels, King (Chazz Palminteri) and Keyes (Eugene Levy) who reveal that Lance had died before his time, and can help Lance return to Earth.
He finds the body of Charles Wellington III, an old but an extremely rich man. After being killed by his wife and assistant, he returns, but with the witty character of Lance Barton inside him. Only he and the angels can see himself as himself. Everybody else sees him as the elderly, rich, caucasian man Charles Wellington III. Through many humorous moments and issues, he gets Sontee, a girl he saw when he was Lance, to fall in love with him.
All too soon, he is shot by a fellow business man, and returns as Joe Guy, a great comedian who died in a car accident. After performing at the Apollo, the angels King and Keyes tell him he will not remember them, Lance, or Sontee. After that, he remembers nothing. He still has the characteristics of Lance, and proceeds in getting Sontee to fall in love with him yet again, after meeting her in the theater for this first time as Joe Guy.
