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Down to Earth

Play trailer Poster for Down to Earth PG-13 2001 1h 27m Comedy Fantasy Romance Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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18% Tomatometer 95 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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Down to Earth

Down to Earth

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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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Critics Reviews

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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. Go to Full Review Nell Minow Common Sense Media Dec 22, 2010
3/5
Likeable Chris Rock in a comedy about race. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Mar 19, 2013
C
Hollywood.com Nov 20, 2008
2/5
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Audience Reviews

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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 See more 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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more 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 !!! See more Rich S @RPS1963 Jun 6, 2024 Now I understand why Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. See more 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. See more 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. See more Read all reviews
Down to Earth

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Cast & Crew

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Chris Weitz

Director

Paul Weitz

Director

Chris Rock

Lance Barton

Regina King

Sontee Jenkins

Chazz Palminteri

King

Eugene Levy

Keyes

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Down to Earth

Down to Earth (2001) View more photos

Movie Info

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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