By Mark Fields
Chris Rock’s Hollywood Story Balances Personal Drama, Social Commentary
The idea that the entertainment industry – commonly shorthanded as Hollywood – is a cruel, debasing, and misogynistic place that attracts psychically damaged people is so entrenched in popular culture it could actually be considered a trope. In Misty Green, director-screenwriter-actor (and esteemed stand-up comic) Chris Rock takes that familiar premise and nevertheless manages to discover fresh nuance and a platform for his trenchant social commentary.
Rock gets tremendous help in that endeavor by the sharply etched performances of the cast – Adam Driver, Daniel Kaluuya, Anna Kendrick, himself in a substantial role, and most importantly, Rosalind Eleazar (Slow Horses) in the title role.
Misty Green, as played by Eleazar, is a once-acclaimed TV actress who won an Emmy for her work years ago on a hit series. The ensuing years have been less successful, though the reason for that could be either the casual racist misogyny of Hollywood or Misty’s self-sabotaging behavior…or more likely both. Through a chance encounter with a former colleague and film director, Jordan Green (Rock), Misty has an opportunity to get her career and life back on track, if only she can control her hard-partying lifestyle and her confrontational attitude. (Screenwriter Rock clearly had fun shaping the nature of his lead character, leaning into the familiar and unfair criticisms of strong black women – pushy, abrasive, slightly intimidating – while actually giving Misty many of those very traits.)
Simultaneously, Misty must contend with a pressing need for new housing and the challenges of caring for her mentally ill bother (Kaluuya). Her attempted comeback also plays out against a background of racial tension in Los Angeles as police search for a suspected black killer (of course) of a young white woman.
Eleazar, one of the stand-out cast members from TV’s Slow Horses, is given much more to work with here as Misty Green, and she rises to the occasion admirably. Misty is at once deeply talented and charismatic, but also troubled and self-destructive. The supporting cast, especially Kaluuya and Rock, also give strong performances.
It should be no surprise that Rock, one of America’s most unrelenting yet compelling critics, has blended this Hollywood Cinderella story with some provocative thoughts about life in modern America. Here, as in his stand-up work, Rock finds a way to be both entertaining and profound. The themes and rhythms of Misty Green’s story may be familiar but with these actors and Rock’s guidance, they still have punch.
Official Trailer
