Dave Chappelle’s Block Party
2/27/10
I’ve written before about how frustrated I get with most contemporary American documentaries. In short, they too often condescend, oversimplify, forgo subtlety, and play off of the audience’s greatest fears. And most of the time, the filmmakers are simply activists with cameras and money for an editor. Because we are, for some reason, infatuated with this formulaic approach to non-fiction film, the personal documentary has fallen by the wayside. And gems like Dave Chappelle’s Block Party go nearly unnoticed, even with all of the star power and artistic integrity attached to the film.
Block Party is the one doc I keep coming back to and rewatching, simply because of how good it makes me feel. Michel Gondry captures an incredible amount of genuine happiness and excitement that shines from start to finish. If my memory serves me, this movie came out shortly after a long break from Chappelle’s hit Comedy Central show, after which the media portrayed him as having a mental breakdown and going to Africa to escape the perils of show business (or something like that). To see him having a good time—on his own terms—gives the doc a subtle undertone of renewal and rebirth that only comes in the aftermath of such an event. Though the movie never once mentions Chappelle’s past, its presence is felt throughout.
On top of all that, Gondry does an amazing job of reaching out to the audience and bringing them into the community that Chappelle creates over the course of 4 days. Laid over the backdrop of an all-star lineup that includes Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, Common, The Fugees, and so many other talented artists, it’s near impossible to not come away from this movie without a smile on your face. And that’s no small feat for a doc these days.
