Dave Chappelle: For What It's Worth (2004)
Comedian Dave Chappelle does what he does best in this outrageous and hilarious standup performance, which allows him to push the envelope far beyond what he does on his TV show. Taped in San Francisco at the famed Fillmore, Chappelle lets loose on such topics as black celebrities, what it's like to have raunchy fans of his TV show approach him while he's trying to enjoy Disneyland with his kids, Michael Jackson, Kobe Bryant... and crackheads, of course. It's comedy Chappelle-style and, for what it's worth, no one is safe from his barbs. But you already knew that!
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Lack of good storyline.
I gave it a 7.5 out of 10
Fresh and Exciting
While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.
I watch a lot of stand up, and For What It's Worth is one of the few stand up specials that I can watch over, and over again. Dave's jokes are spot on, and can be a great pickup for anybody. From the infamous "Drink" joke, to the hilarious sex jokes near the end, this is one I wish would last longer. Dave Chappelle is one the funniest guys I've seen on the television, and I hope that he continues making specials. I'm sure many people know of him, and we need more of his humor especially after all the years that he's been in retirement. This special is a must watch, it's too funny to tell anyone any of the jokes.
Live in San Francisco for this television special, Dave Chappelle shows here the qualities that make some love him, some hate him and others fall in between. That is a rubbish description of this film of course but by it I mean that this is very hit and miss stuff. One moment I am roaring with laughter, only for the next for a whole section to fall flat (even though the audience are rolling and wiping tears from their eyes). Some of his stuff is very smart and very funny while other bits just seem lazy and a tad forced with only the outrageousness of his material carrying him with the audience.It is undeniable that race is a bit part of all his material and I can completely understand why some people dislike him for that. However for me his race-based material here (and there was a lot of it) is no different from the rest of his material in that it has hits and misses across it. This lack of consistency across the hour was a downer for me but the hits were just about often and strong enough to keep the show going. Chappelle himself runs the stage well and engages with his small audience like a pro. He is good at broaching whatever subject he sees fit to deal with, which is a good thing in a comedian rather than settling for comfort. At times this produces some material that is very funny as well as thought-provoking , sadly at other times I was left wondering what he was getting at (his attack on the kidnapped white girl was badly misjudged surely the media that focused on this girl should have been his target?).Overall though this was an enjoyable film even if it wasn't as consistent as I would have liked. Too hit and miss to appeal to a wider audience but for fans of Chappelle this will make for a good laugh.
I think his previous show was better, but this one was great, too. He has a strange way of looking at life, yet can bring it to a very REAL point at the end that makes you go, "Yeah!" But you have to follow each routine to the end to get the points he astutely makes. He draws a portrait of what he wants you to see very well, so each detail is very important for you to follow. I've probably watched the previous show a couple of hundred times and I seem to pick up on a different point every viewing. It has become one of my favorite party DVDs. Everyone loves it! And I'll be buying this DVD just like I did the first one. In this show, one routine seemed a little sick as it began. But by the end of it, I said out loud "Yeah, that's right!" Maybe you just have to have a taste for his brand of comedy.
This Showtime stand-up special is the best performance of his career. Filmed in front of a live audience in San Francisco, he starts things off with a bang by comparing SF to another large city in the bay area. Another thing that stands out is that he talks about Utah kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart, who isn't usually fodder for comedians. The way that he makes a tragedy funny, without being obscene or disrespectful to the victim is commendable.Dave does discuss the usual targets such as Michael Jackson and R. Kelly, but does so in a very original way without dehumanizing them like many people would. If you like edgy comedy that's hardcore without being obscene, and tough talk, but from a really nice guy, then this is for you.