Hollywood Shuffle (1987)

So much average

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Hollywood Shuffle is one of the best black comedies of all-time. It served as a big f--- you to Hollywood for its sickening portrayal of black people. Robert Townsend used comedy for a great purpose(to convey a truth) and it worked out splendidly.Premise: Bobby(played by Robert Townsend) has dreams of making it big in Hollywood. He works for a crummy hot dog stand called Rinky-Dinky Dog(no, really) with idiotic co-workers as well as an idiotic boss. The only problem Bobby faces is the negative roles that Follywood tends to offer black people. He soon has to make a decision if he wants to go with the BS roles of the movie industry or to go a different route.Opinion: This movie hits the nail on the head with the types of roles that Follywood has destined for us to play. Its funny as well as sharp in its delivery. The Black Acting School skit has to be the funniest sketch in the movie. The black detective is the second funniest thing. Sure most people might say that the acting is over-the-top but these actors who play in the types of movies that Hollywood Shuffle parodies are always over the top with their performance so what are you talking about? I respect Hollywood Shuffle for using humor to address a serious subject instead of stooping to the brainless comic dung that you get from these Chittlin Circuit movies that are produced nowadays. And the sad thing is that people are trouncing gems like Hollywood Shuffle while embracing minstrel rubbish like Soul Plane, Norbit, Code Name: The Cleaner, Juwanna Mann etc. A sad state of affairs. In closing I would say support comedies like Hollywood Shuffle any chance you get. They're the only bright light you get in the dark tunnel of comedy in Hollywood.

A movie my mother felt it was "important" for me to see at a young age. Funny enough too, though a tad dated times. Still a fine, and refreshing moment from both the world of independent film(financed by Townsend's own credit cards) and comedy in general, especially "black comedies" and I don't mean those by Todd Solondz.It's the most absurd moments which stick with me, like John Witherspoon muttering to himself about "ho-cakes" and the film noir spoof featuring Jerry Curl (the greatest and greasiest of all villains). So aside from episodes of "The Boondocks" on Cartoon Network, and the occasional "Chapel Show" re-run, there's still few intelligent, black comic voices, especially those critical of not just external finger pointing the ways the "white media" portrays African American's, but the ways and reasons which African Americans take on these roles and stereotypes in "black media" as well.Two "Boondocks" episodes this past year, critical of BET, were banned from the air, and only available to view on DVD, while Tyler Perry (famous for playing yet another cross dressing Mammy in a fat suit), makes films and TV shows every thirty five seconds...well at least there's always work at the Post-Office

If you're looking for a review that makes you laugh out loud with its eviscerating witticisms and memorable one-line slams, then skip to another review now. I don't write many of these things, but love this movie enough to take the time to add my 2 cents here. Hollywood Shuffle is one of my Xmas presents to myself this year (its 20 year anniversary...and thank goodness for Amazon's overseas deliveries!) and I just finished watching it with my daughter. Townsend's sentimentality and gentle sense of humor are old friends and I'm looking forward to sharing this movie with as many people as I can. Living overseas as a high school teacher since '99 has been interesting, especially in terms of the view of African Americans. It's funny, but teens overseas tend to think of actors like Will Smith, singers like Beyonce' or 50 Cent, and sports stars like…well, insert-familiar-name-here, whenever they think of blacks in the states. Hollywood Shuffle, with its sentimental depiction of a fatherless working class family and a young man pursuing his dream, speaks to teens of all ethnicities, and touches on the timeless themes of self-respect, the importance of family and coming of age. There's more here than just a running gag of ethnic stereotyping in Hollywood (easy enough to do, and particularly relevant a decade on from the Roots frenzy), and part of this depth is Townsend's ability to play with irony. In his dreams of breaking free of the choke-hold of ethnic stereotypes, Bobby dreams of passing beyond the white velvet rope into the land of superhero, macho and international stereotypes. Why can't he fight for truth & justice while wearing tights? "Bed" a woman on his desk? Or be a classically trained thespian with a Queen's English accent? And part of the humor in his stand-up shtick was Townend's contrast between what we saw and what we heard, particularly with the proper English accent. I've turned a class of 8th graders on to Undercover Brother, and now I think it's going to be interesting to have that same class of Chinese, Korean, Indian and British boys watch this film. I think it will move them, touch their hearts AND provide them with laughs. Like it's done me.

Bobby Taylor wants to be a respected actor, but he has to settle for stereotypical roles in the white-dominated world of cinema. It is clear, as he rehearses in the movie's opening scenes, that the role he is auditioning for is not exactly what he has in mind. When the movie is actually filmed, it gives the term 'Blaxploitation' a whole new meaning.Bobby lives with his brother Stevie and his grandmother, and he is often told he could work at the post office. He does have a job at Winky Dinky Dog, a hot dog place where Donald and Tiny are his co-workers, though his auditions interfere with his ability to be on the job when needed. The most popular sitcom on TV stars a comical bat/man who isn't exactly Cliff Huxtable.As Bobby agonizes over this role, he has fantasies about what could happen. The fantasies are the best part of the movie.In one scene, slaves are escaping, and the one guy who worked in the house makes Stepin Fetchit look like Sidney Poitier. The same actor later turns quite sophisticated in a commercial for Black Acting School, which is taught by white instructors, where aspiring actors only learn stereotypes. Light-skinned blacks need not apply.In another fantasy, Bobby imagines that, since Siskel and Ebert are white guys who don't know what they are talking about, his people are represented by a couple of brothers in 'Sneakin' In The Movies'. Among the characters lampooned in this fantasy are Amadeus, Indiana Jones and Dirty Harry. And there is a movie about pimps and hookers that is ten times worse than anything real.Probably the best fantasy of all happens while Bobby and his grandmother are watching 'Sam Ace', a Humphrey Bogart type movie. The film 'Death of a Breakdancer', done in black and white with the film noir style (including jazz music) stars Bobby as a black Sam Ace. While the film shows positive images, stereotypes can still be found--Jerry Curl is one of the suspects and very funny.Rambo becomes Rambro in another scene.Should we be enjoying all these offensive portrayals of African-Americans? Of course. Robert Townsend is black, and he produced, directed and co-wrote this movie and did a fine job of acting as well. His purpose was obviously to make fun of stereotypes. And Bobby shows that he has pride, and doesn't have to accept disrespect.As a white person, I was not bothered by the fact that the majority of white people in this movie are portrayed in an over-the-top manner, especially the people responsible for the movie for which Bobby is auditioning. We're not like that, and I know it.This movie was made on a budget, but one reason was the use of the same actors in many different roles. For the most part, it doesn't seem low-budget.One of the better moments in the 'real' world takes place in the barbershop run by Bobby's Uncle Ray. David McKnight does an admirable job in a dramatic scene.I highly recommend this movie.