Customer Reviews

Open Mic - Dave Chappelle

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is a moview that is less about humor, and more about the life of a comedian. It is very informative because I love all that stand up comedy is made of. Its more of a how to than a stand up. All you comedy buffs, go get it.

If you are from North America and you are not a jealous filmmaker or Comedian, you'll agree this is the best documentary film on Stand-up comedy ever made. In this film you follow the careers of two up and coming comedians as they face the trials and tribulations of building an act. Butch Bradley is turning everything he says to gold as Dan Aubrey struggles to get stage time. Intermixed are raw, truthful, funny, pearls of wisdom straight from the hearts of today's hottest stand-up comedy stars like Dave Chappelle, Richard Jeni, Shawn Wayans, Bobcat, Jim Breuer, Jackie the Jokeman, Victoria Jackson and more. This dynamic doc is funny, sad, enlightening and entertaining. Open Mic is well worth its weight in gold. Buy yours now.

This documentary film is the bible of stand-up comedy with funny and enlightening gospels by some of the biggest stars out there like Dave Chappelle, Richard Jeni, Bobcat, Jim Breuer, Victoria Jackson, Shawn Wayans, Jackie the Jokeman, Tony Rock, Dom Irrera and more. They tell it like it is on what it takes to be a comedian! Also, Jamie Masada, comedy impresario and owner of the world famous Laugh Factory in LA, weighs in on what's he's looking for in today's comics. You'll follow newcomer Dan Aubrey as he toughs it out on the stages of South Florida and Butch Bradley as he hits big in LA. Hats off to the producers for creating a hilarious and real all-time masterpiece for fans and students of stand-up comedy. If you are serious about comedy, "Open Mic" is must see.

I couldn't even get through 15 minutes of this shlockfest because the audio was mixed down improperly. Aside from the poor shots and poor editing, the audio of the weak background music was at the same volume as the audio of people talking, so it's unbearable. What was this made with, I-movie? Freaking, if you're using any program there is an audio meter. Did he not watch the movie before hand? Or is he such a terrible film maker that he thought it was good? What's worse is that this movie could have contained interesting information, but it's so poorly made that that knowledge is lost forever. Avoid this waste of time.

If you think you're getting a Dave Chappelle stand-up comedy video with "OPEN MIC", then think again. This is a behind-the-scenes documentary about the often unfunny business of trying to make it as a stand-up comedian. The producers have done a credible job in presenting interviews with a dozen or so comedians and wanna-be's. But there's not many laughs in what seems to be a very cut-throat business. Yes, Dave Chappelle is one of the interviewees, sans humor. But personally, I found the somber observations of Chappelle to be revealing and potentially insightful to the "real man behind the mask" which otherwise is seldomly seen (if ever) for Chappelle. Director Jason Dudek seems talented and promising.

This movie is a really cool look into the science of being funny. All wannabe comedians should see this. Plus you get to see what it's like for two new comics trying to make. This film is funny, super amusing and really hooks you. I liked it a lot and you will too.

This is the first review I've ever written because I need to warn others about this movie. I grit my teeth and almost made it through the whole thing but I couldn't take it. And it's just over 1 hour long.

THE GOOD: There are some interesting interviews with comedians (Chappelle, Bobcat, Richard Jeni) but the advice they give is summed up as "keep trying and get on stage and work on bits and maybe someday you'll make it".

THE BAD: All the rest. The "documentary" has several scenes that feel faked, including a "scene" of a comic on a blind date that is shot like a sketch with multiple camera angles and bad dialogue. It feels like the filmmakers tried to force a dramatic arc onto a particular comic to show him supposedly getting better as time goes on. It doesn't work. Instead you feel like you're being unsuccessfully conned by a 13-year-old wise ass. Really, that's the exact feeling. And you just want to smack the kid and tell him to knock it off.

Stay away from this movie. Time spent watching it is time you will never get back.

Allbeit not what I was expecting, this was a fascinating look into the behind-the-scenes life of those who dedicate their lives to making it as stand-up comedians. Produced and directed well. A must for fans of stand-up comedy and for anyone trying to break into the comic scene.

First off, Amazon needs to remove "Dave Chappelle" from the title of this documentary. Yes, Dave is in it. Briefly. Though he is quite insightful, this is not about him at all. Instead, it's about two men trying to be comics, paying dues by going through "open mic nights".

There are those who are stating that this is an "excellent" view for anyone wanting to be a comedian. Having seen "Comedian" with Jerry Seinfeld, as well as every season of "Last Comic Standing" (among other shows), I can accept the idea that this was not going to be a "rolling on the floor" laughfest, but, instead, a view of two men trying to take the next step, interspersed with advice from many relatively successful comedians (though Shawn Wayans? Really?) This piece was so poor in quality, I wondered whether someone decided to distribute their film school project.

Someone mentioned the horrible music. Much of it is written by one man, so I wonder if he also got school credit for the same project. I could hardly hear the boring audio because the sucky music was so loud (to be fair, I probably would not hate the music so much if it weren't mixed in so badly). I could appreciate the smackdown that everyone seemed to give to so-called "comedy instruction"; the theme of "practice, practice, practice" in front of audiences was really hammered home. Plus, one would think that the "comedy instructor", realizing he is being filmed, would, perhaps, attempt a bit of humor himself?

Too much time was spent with one of the comics - Dan. Granted, Dan is just starting out, but he is Horrible. And why this "Nice Jewish Boy" is doing so many sets on what is apparently called "Def Jam Nights" (mostly black audiences) is beyond me. It would have been more interesting to follow the other guy - Butch, I think - around, as even though he is somewhat in the early part of his career, he is believable as a comic. I can only imagine Dan is in here as a bad example of comic relief.

If comedians really want to see something about how rough stand-up can be in the early stages, buy "Comedian" instead. I know it stars Jerry Seinfeld, who is hardly struggling. But it a) shows Jerry trying to create a brand new act, so he might as well be new, b) also features Orny Adams, a rising comic, and c) actually is funny, as (surprise) comedians can be humorous even when they are not doing their material.

Comedy? Tragedy? It's a Fine line. This brilliant, powerful, reality film shows us how new open mic standup comics struggle to find elusive laughs, most times with tragic results. You'll hear true accurate accounts from the industries' best standup comedians, including Dave Chappelle, on the realities of what they went through to become funny and famous. Open Mic is not to be missed by real standup comedy students and enthusiasts. It's enlightening and empowering. If you want to be a comic, you must Get Open Mic, Watch it and Go for it.