The Original Kings of Comedy (2000)

For anyone who grew up on the concert movies of Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, George Carlin, and others, the dead form returns to prominence with The Original Kings of Comedy. Spike Lee, putting his weight behind the project more than actually "directing" it, captures the Charlotte leg of what turned out to be the highest-grossing comedy tour of all time. Except for a few backstage interludes that seem set up, if not actually scripted, the film concentrates on the raucous standup comedy of emcee Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer, and Bernie Mac. In keeping with their TV sitcom backgrounds, the first three comedians are a bit more accessible and less vulgar than Mac, whose rants about beating on women and children may leave the audience in stitches, but will undoubtedly leave some viewers shifting in their seats. Catering to mostly African-American audiences on the tour, more than a couple of the comedians slip into some highly stylized slang that may be difficult for all viewers to decipher. In fact, those watching it on DVD might get more of the rapid-fire jokes by turning on the subtitles, so exaggerated are some of the speech patterns. Although not for everyone, The Original Kings of Comedy is a long-awaited theatrical rejuvenation of a genre that had since been abandoned to cable and video shelves. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide