SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: HEAD OF STATE

"HEAD OF STATE"
(2003) (Chris Rock, Bernie Mac) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	None	*Heavy	Minor	Mild

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	Minor	Mild	Heavy

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Moderate	Minor	None	Moderate	Moderate

QUICK TAKE:: Comedy: After their presidential candidate is killed in an accident, campaign workers chose a straight-talking D.C. alderman as their replacement.

PLOT:

Mays Gilliam (CHRIS ROCK) is an alderman in the poverty-stricken 9th Ward of Washington, D.C. Known for speaking his mind and looking out for the "small guy," Mays is popular among his constituents, but isn't remotely known outside his Ward, much to the dismay of his high maintenance and high-strung fiancée, Kim (ROBIN GIVENS), who promptly dumps him.

Things look up for Mays when the current Presidential candidate dies in a plane crash. The white leader of one party, Senator Bill Arnot (JAMES REBHORN), wants to make sure they reach the minority vote for the follow-up election in 2008 -- when he'll be the front runner -- by selecting a minority who has no chance of winning. Accordingly, he wants campaign workers Martin Geller (DYLAN BAKER) and Debra Lassiter (LYNN WHITFIELD) to tell Mays the good news that he's their man.

He doesn't believe them, of course, but eventually accepts their proposal and the three set off on a whirlwind tour of the country to promote him. It's not until he skips the prepared speeches and speaks his mind, however, that he connects with the people. He then suddenly starts catching up to his opponent, current Vice-President Brian Lewis (NICK SEARCY), while hitting it off with a local woman, Lisa Clark (TAMALA JONES), who likes him for who and what he is.

When things suddenly take a turn for the worse, however, and not even special campaign "assistant" Nikki (STEPHANIE MARCH) can make a difference, Mays decides to call in his bail bondsman brother Mitch Gilliam (BERNIE MAC) to be his running mate. With time running out before the election, Mays and his team do what they must to regain the public's confidence and win the election.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of someone in the cast, they just might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For language, some sexuality and drug references.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: CHRIS ROCK plays a straight-talking, for-the-people D.C. alderman who's chosen as a party's presidential candidate. From that point on, he shakes up the political world with his style and ideals. He also uses profanity and admits to drug use in the past.
BERNIE MAC plays his bail bondsman big brother who he chooses as his running mate. He uses some profanity and hits various people.
DYLAN BAKER plays Gilliam's campaign manager who's shocked by Mays' style and doesn't let him know that he's really the political fall guy.
NICK SEARCY plays Mays' political opponent and current Vice President of the U.S. who's self-centered and uses some profanity.
LYNN WHITFIELD plays Mays political advisor who becomes fed up with his unorthodox ways, but also keeps his fall guy status secret from him. She uses some profanity.
ROBIN GIVENS plays Mays' high-strung fiancée who dumps him, but then tries to get him back to ride his coattails into the White House.
TAMALA JONES plays a working class woman who sees Mays for who he is and not the hype surrounding him. She uses some profanity.
JAMES REBHORN plays the Senator and future presidential candidate who chooses Mays as the replacement because he knows he can't win.
STEPHANIE MARCH plays a campaign worker supposedly present for sexual favors and briefly comes on to Mays (we don't know if anything happens between them).; BERNIE MAC plays his bail bondsman big brother who he chooses as his running mate. He uses some profanity and hits various people.
DYLAN BAKER plays Gilliam's campaign manager who's shocked by Mays' style and doesn't let him know that he's really the political fall guy.
NICK SEARCY plays Mays' political opponent and current Vice President of the U.S. who's self-centered and uses some profanity.
LYNN WHITFIELD plays Mays political advisor who becomes fed up with his unorthodox ways, but also keeps his fall guy status secret from him. She uses some profanity.
ROBIN GIVENS plays Mays' high-strung fiancée who dumps him, but then tries to get him back to ride his coattails into the White House.
TAMALA JONES plays a working class woman who sees Mays for who he is and not the hype surrounding him. She uses some profanity.
JAMES REBHORN plays the Senator and future presidential candidate who chooses Mays as the replacement because he knows he can't win.
STEPHANIE MARCH plays a campaign worker supposedly present for sexual favors and briefly comes on to Mays (we don't know if anything happens between them).; DYLAN BAKER plays Gilliam's campaign manager who's shocked by Mays' style and doesn't let him know that he's really the political fall guy.
NICK SEARCY plays Mays' political opponent and current Vice President of the U.S. who's self-centered and uses some profanity.
LYNN WHITFIELD plays Mays political advisor who becomes fed up with his unorthodox ways, but also keeps his fall guy status secret from him. She uses some profanity.
ROBIN GIVENS plays Mays' high-strung fiancée who dumps him, but then tries to get him back to ride his coattails into the White House.
TAMALA JONES plays a working class woman who sees Mays for who he is and not the hype surrounding him. She uses some profanity.
JAMES REBHORN plays the Senator and future presidential candidate who chooses Mays as the replacement because he knows he can't win.
STEPHANIE MARCH plays a campaign worker supposedly present for sexual favors and briefly comes on to Mays (we don't know if anything happens between them).; NICK SEARCY plays Mays' political opponent and current Vice President of the U.S. who's self-centered and uses some profanity.
LYNN WHITFIELD plays Mays political advisor who becomes fed up with his unorthodox ways, but also keeps his fall guy status secret from him. She uses some profanity.
ROBIN GIVENS plays Mays' high-strung fiancée who dumps him, but then tries to get him back to ride his coattails into the White House.
TAMALA JONES plays a working class woman who sees Mays for who he is and not the hype surrounding him. She uses some profanity.
JAMES REBHORN plays the Senator and future presidential candidate who chooses Mays as the replacement because he knows he can't win.
STEPHANIE MARCH plays a campaign worker supposedly present for sexual favors and briefly comes on to Mays (we don't know if anything happens between them).; LYNN WHITFIELD plays Mays political advisor who becomes fed up with his unorthodox ways, but also keeps his fall guy status secret from him. She uses some profanity.
ROBIN GIVENS plays Mays' high-strung fiancée who dumps him, but then tries to get him back to ride his coattails into the White House.
TAMALA JONES plays a working class woman who sees Mays for who he is and not the hype surrounding him. She uses some profanity.
JAMES REBHORN plays the Senator and future presidential candidate who chooses Mays as the replacement because he knows he can't win.
STEPHANIE MARCH plays a campaign worker supposedly present for sexual favors and briefly comes on to Mays (we don't know if anything happens between them).; ROBIN GIVENS plays Mays' high-strung fiancée who dumps him, but then tries to get him back to ride his coattails into the White House.
TAMALA JONES plays a working class woman who sees Mays for who he is and not the hype surrounding him. She uses some profanity.
JAMES REBHORN plays the Senator and future presidential candidate who chooses Mays as the replacement because he knows he can't win.
STEPHANIE MARCH plays a campaign worker supposedly present for sexual favors and briefly comes on to Mays (we don't know if anything happens between them).; TAMALA JONES plays a working class woman who sees Mays for who he is and not the hype surrounding him. She uses some profanity.
JAMES REBHORN plays the Senator and future presidential candidate who chooses Mays as the replacement because he knows he can't win.
STEPHANIE MARCH plays a campaign worker supposedly present for sexual favors and briefly comes on to Mays (we don't know if anything happens between them).; JAMES REBHORN plays the Senator and future presidential candidate who chooses Mays as the replacement because he knows he can't win.
STEPHANIE MARCH plays a campaign worker supposedly present for sexual favors and briefly comes on to Mays (we don't know if anything happens between them).; STEPHANIE MARCH plays a campaign worker supposedly present for sexual favors and briefly comes on to Mays (we don't know if anything happens between them).

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick look at the content found in this comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some sexually related dialogue and humor are present, while a woman - whose job is to have sex with the protagonist - briefly comes on to him (but we don't know if anything happens between them).

Violence consists of people punching or otherwise hitting others (all played for laughs), while various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (and some viewers might not like some of the humorous material). Meanwhile, various characters drink, some smoke and some drug references are made.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Various people have drinks.
People have drinks at a party.
Some people drink in a bar.
Various people have drinks.
Mays won't accept money from a bottling company since he states they sell "Crib Malt Liquor" to kids (he holds up a bottle that has a nipple top).
We hear that a guy Mays barely knows is a drug lord. Mays' handlers then ask Mays if he's taking drugs and "on the pipe."
Debra has some wine.
Various people have drinks.
Some drug-related comments are made during a debate (such as heroin, etc. being cheaper than asthma medicine). Mays asks his opponent how one can make drug policy if they've never done drugs (which he follows by saying he's been high, among other non-drug related things).
Arnot has a drink.
Lewis has a drink.
People have drinks at a party.
Mays goes on about how stupid it is to have the drinking age higher than the age to go off to war.

BLOOD/GORE: None.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Most everything that's listed below is played for laughs.
We see some guy who's trying to sell stolen meat.
Kim is mean and disrespectful to Mays (her fiancé) and dumps him, but then wants him back once he becomes famous.
Arnot picks Mays as their party's presidential candidate since he knows it will only help him in the following election. Martin and Debra then go along with that and keep it secret from Mays. Arnot later states that he wants them to do something to prevent Mays from winning (once he rises in the polls).
After Arnot says that they should chose a minority candidate (since it will help them for the following election), a party member sarcastically asks, "What about a cripple?"
Although played for laughs, it's possible some viewers could take offense at a scene where Mays comments about gay rights and that when he sees gay people, he just sees people. At that time, we then see a cross-section of stereotypically dressed gay people (in Village People like garb and other flamboyant outfits and makeup, etc.).
Lewis authorizes attack ads that lie about and/or make Mays look bad.
Some viewers might not like spoof like commercial showing a KKK member and/or Osama bin Laden.
Lewis repeatedly states, "God bless America, and no place else."
Debra (who's black) refers to Mays (to his face) as an "ignorant ass nigger."
Some viewers may not like a joke about Mays falling in the polls and then the question being asked if he killed Jon Bonet Ramsey.
Some viewers might not like Mays supporting the idea of parents hitting their kids to keep them on the straight and narrow (he comments on "knocking them out").

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Played for laughs, Mays runs into a building to retrieve an older woman and her cat as the countdown to the building's demolition via explosives can't be stopped. They get out just as it explodes.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns/Automatic weapons: Briefly aimed by government officials at Lisa while she's with Mays.
Shotguns: Carried by prison guards.
Mitch pulls out a switchblade in the end credits.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Due to crowd noise and laughter, we could not hear various passages of dialogue (thus offering the possibility of other material being present). That said, we did hear the following phrases: "Who the f*ck do you think I'm voting for?" "Piece of sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "That sh*t is wrong," "You're full of sh*t," "Who the hell are you?" "They don't give a damn about you," "Shut up," an incomplete "What the…" "Balls" (testicles), "The roof is on fire," "What the hell /is he doing?" "Broke ass," "That ain't right," "Old ass," "Pimps and whores," "I'll be damned," "Nigger" (said once by a white person, many other times by black ones), "God bless America and no place else," "I'm fixing to whoop your ass," "Ignorant ass nigger," "Little bitch" (man), "Your momma's ass is so big, when she sits down she's three feet taller," "Jerk" and "You're damn right."
We occasionally see some women dancing in midriff-revealing tops.
Some miscellaneous characters have tattoos.
People throw eggs at Mays' bus.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A tiny bit of such music (from a comedic standpoint) plays.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): A song has the lyrics, "It's getting hot in here. So take off all your clothes."

PROFANITY: Due to crowd noise and laughter, we could not hear various passages of dialogue (thus offering the possibility of other material being present). That said, we did hear the following: At least 1 "f" word (with another possible one and another bleeped out), 17 "s" words, 1 slang term for breasts ("t*ttied"), 20 asses (1 used with "hole"), 17 damns, 12 hells, 1 crap, 3 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "Dear God," "God" and "Oh my God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: Kim angrily tells Mays that he's horrible in bed and that she's had better sex with guys with spina bifida.
Kim shows some cleavage.
After meeting Nikki, Mays asks Martin what she does and he replies that she "sleeps with you." He then goes on to say that they got tired of sexual scandals and thus commissioned their own team of "super whores." We then see a scene of such woman crawling and climbing through an Army style obstacle course (nothing explicit).
Debra shows some cleavage.
Some women show cleavage at a "players ball" and a comment is made about pimps and whores being there (and one man wonders if he knows Debra).
Nikki shows cleavage as she comes on to Mays and runs her hand along the inside of his clothed thigh. He then asks how she got into this line of work (sex with politicians) and she says various things, including some work that went straight to video. We then see a brief image of her in the past lifting her shirt (with her breasts blurred out and the words "Crazy Ass Girls" are superimposed across her chest). She then continues running her hand along his thigh and wonders if he finds her attractive. He says he does, but the scene ends there and we don't know what else happened (if anything).
Mitch brings in various prostitutes to vote (they're in skimpy attire).
Mays says that if America were a car, it would include a naked woman feeding him grapes.

SMOKING: Some miscellaneous people smoke (including cigars) while watching a debate.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: The world of politics and politicians.
Presidential campaigns.
The differing view of the world between politicians and everyday people.
Why there haven't been any black or female presidents.

VIOLENCE: Most everything listed below is played for comedy.
Played for laughs, Mays runs into a building to retrieve an older woman and her cat as the countdown to the building's demolition via explosives can't be stopped. They get out just as it explodes.
Kim throws her engagement ring at Mays in anger.
Mays nearly punches Kim after her volatile tirade (his punch stops inches short of her face).
A bus accidentally drives over and destroys May's bicycle.
Mays' imagines himself as President where he gets shot (nothing graphic and all played for laughs).
Mays slaps another black man to make him dance (played for laughs).
Mays yells for security and we then see a hand go over Kim's mouth and pull her away.
Mays and Mitch punch each other in a playful, brotherly way.
The White House explodes in a mock political TV commercial.
During a promotional stop at a professional wrestling match, a person hits Mays with a folding chair and then proceeds, along with others, to kick him repeatedly.
Government officials briefly aim their guns at Lisa while she's with Mays.
People throw eggs at Mays' bus.
Mitch slaps and knocks down various people at a train station while walking along. He then punches his brother in the face.
Lewis' mother slaps him.
Mays and Mitch once again start punching and slapping each other (to the face and gut) until it ends with Mitch throwing Mays onto a table that collapses beneath him.
Kim runs into something while running alongside a bus.
Lewis tries to strangle his advisor and is later seen punching his campaign workers one by one.

Reviewed March 25, 2003 / Posted March 28, 2003

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