Down to Earth

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Down to Earth

PG-13

2001

1h 27m

Comedy

Fantasy

Romance

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

19%

Tomatometer

89 Reviews

40%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

When amateur comedian Lance Barton (Chris Rock) finds himself at Heaven's door, he is convinced there has been a mistake. Miraculously he is right. Since returning to his own body is not an option, a heavenly agent places him into the corpse of a rich Manhattan mogul who has just been murdered by his wife -- until a more suitable replacement can be found. Ironically, it is as this new person that Lance ultimately discovers his true self, falls in love and improves his comedy act in the process.

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Critics Consensus

A toned down Chris Rock fails to bring a limp script to life as the movie moves from one gag to the next.

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Joe Morgenstern

Wall Street Journal

Feb 5, 2018

Mr. Rock's opening scene is very funny. After that it's a steep downhill slide.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 22, 2010

3/5

Likeable Chris Rock in a comedy about race.

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Matthew Feeney

Slate

Feb 27, 2001

The makers of Down to Earth were faced with a dilemma nobody would have anticipated: Boosting their star's screen time kills the comedy.

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Christopher Smith

Bangor Daily News (Maine)

Feb 11, 2026

D

As remakes of remakes of remakes go, the new Chris Rock film, Down to Earth, feels, well, relentlessly remade.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Mar 19, 2013

C

Jordan Hiller

Bangitout.com

Nov 2, 2005

'.5'

Rock saw the untapped goldmine of humor, found when a white person acts black.

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Amanda G

@Graceamazing Mar 4, 2026

This movie needs a PART 2! This needs to happen and WITH CHRIS ROCK SUCH A GOOOOOD MOVIE LOVED EVERRYTHING AND WE NEED MORE!!!! ASAP

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 13, 2025

Funny in 01 hour, 27 minutes, and 23 seconds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG-13 for Sexual Humor, Language and Drug References!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $64,200,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Filmed on February 16th, 2001, in color!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Celebrating 25 years in 2026!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Copyright 2001-2025 by Paramount Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, companies owned by Viacom and Warner Brothers Discovery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Chris M

@cccmystic Mar 16, 2025

Absolutely love this movie 30 years old now I remember seeing this when I was way way younger… Chris Rock is a comedy legend and I miss this era of Comedy. I don’t understand how this has so much hate. Y’all got no taste !!!

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Rich S

@RPS1963 Jun 6, 2024

Now I understand why Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.

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The A

@RT00204715 Sep 3, 2023

Really ROTTEN. No way to find actor and Co interesting. No good jokes. Nothing funny. Es hat NICHTS mit den beiden ersten Verfilmungen gemein. Lächerliche Darsteller und sowohl im Englischen als auch Deutschen nicht lustig. Aber Hauptsache WIEDER eine Neuverfilmung mit einem COLORED PEOPLE .... ich mag den Darsteller ansonsten wirklich, aber nicht in dieser Rolle und einer solchen Neuverfilmung.

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BowTangey M

@BowTangey Apr 23, 2022

A very sweet remake of "Heaven can Wait," with a few twists that make it all its own. Very solid performances by Rock, Regina King, and especially Frankie Faison in the role so memorably played by Jack Warden in the great 1978 film. Wanda Sykes and Jennifer Coolidge were also very good. No, this wasn't the equal of HCW, but it is a very pleasant movie in its own right.

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Chris Weitz

Director

Paul Weitz

Director

Chris Rock

Lance Barton

Regina King

Sontee Jenkins

Chazz Palminteri

King

Eugene Levy

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Synopsis

When amateur comedian Lance Barton (Chris Rock) finds himself at Heaven's door, he is convinced there has been a mistake. Miraculously he is right. Since returning to his own body is not an option, a heavenly agent places him into the corpse of a rich Manhattan mogul who has just been murdered by his wife -- until a more suitable replacement can be found. Ironically, it is as this new person that Lance ultimately discovers his true self, falls in love and improves his comedy act in the process.

Director: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
Producer: Sean Daniel, Michael Rotenberg, James Jacks
Screenwriter: Chris Rock, Lance Crouther, Ali LeRoi, Louis C.K.
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Village Roadshow Prod., NPV Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Humor|Language|Drug References)
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 16, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 21, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $64.2M
Runtime: 1h 27m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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