Dave Chappelle's Block Party: Critic Reviews

Must fun of all, however, is basking in Chappelle's ability to be effortlessly funny.

Gives off an inclusive hum

Gondry brings a caught-on-the-fly style to the footage that nonetheless coheres into something that feels planned, or pre-ordained.

Dull and repetitive. Your own reaction to it will depend a lot on how well you like these particular artists performing in concert.

Easily overshadowed by the musical performers, particularly The Fugees, reunited to deliver a most-moving rendition of Killing Me Softly, it is easy to understand why Dave withdrew into his shell, after watching his lame stand-up act here.

It's no Last Waltz, but this crowd-pleasing concert film offers an entertaining mix of music and comedy.

A concert film for people who don't like concert films, Dave Chappelle's Block Party does such a good job of putting you in the middle of the action that only the end credits can remind you that you're sitting in a movie theatre.

Yes, there's a little preachiness here, but it doesn't puncture the party mood. Or stop Chappelle telling dirty jokes about prostitutes, for that matter. Thanks to him this isn't just a musical feast, but a rib-busting comedy too.

As a comedy, it doesn't quite gel. As a musical it doesn't have much more luck, but as a showcase for Chappelle's talents, Block Party works just fine.

The atmosphere is genuinely infectious - the fact that the event is packed, despite pouring rain, speaks volumes.

Chappelle keeps things lively, joking on camera, punctuating the acts with gags , while Michel Gondry maintains our interest, focusing as much on Chappelle's energy and wit, and goings-on behind the scenes, as the gig itself.

It looks like run-of-the-mill party videos shot by a drunk.

Because Chappelle's really digging into who people are... he has the capacity to adeptly grasp such perennial wellsprings of humor as class conflict to a degree unparalleled by modern entertainers...

One of the best films of the year so far, this party begins with an inspired act of generosity: Dave Chappelle handing out golden tickets to a New York block festival, featuring hip-hop's biggest acts.

Dave Chappelle's Block Party parvient a capturer l'esprit de fete, autant celui de la mise en %u0153uvre que de l'evenement lui-meme, avec une efficacite a toute epreuve.

Gondry doesn't seriously push the visual envelope; all he's doing is assembling a souvenir, an almost great document of a party most of us missed.

Chappelle frequently fades to the sideline as the musical groups take over, offering a blisteringly memorable snapshot of hip hop's state of the art in 2004.

[Chappelle's] an edgy comedian, but his purpose with the concert and film is to make a diverse crowd feel comfortable with one another. More than any message, that effort is likely to be remembered.

No, it's not Shakespeare, it's not Citizen Kane, but when a movie is this funny, addictive, affectionate, energetic, uplifting and aware of the world and its people and their hearts, it is just as much a triumph.

LIke Wattstax and Festival Express before it, Chappelle and Gondry's movie makes you feel as though you're at a party when, in fact, you're just sitting in a darkened theater.