Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Head of State Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 6, 2021

Chris Rock is a jack of all trades in Head of State, taking up duties as not only star but also director, co-writer, and co-producer. For a man wearing so many hats he makes the most of the movie, crafting a fun and easily digestible little politically bent rags-to-riches tale about a lowly local politician who suddenly finds himself running for the highest office in the land. The film approaches politics from the lighter side, exploring how a candidate might garner grass roots support for his genuine demeanor and unique approach rather than sell himself as another cookie cutter politician afraid to voice the truth of who he is and what he believes.

Mays Gilliam (Chris Rock) is a D.C. Alderman who cares about his people. When he saves a local elderly woman's life, his story makes the news. It gains attention at the Democratic National Committee as it is seeking a replacement presidential candidate; both the DNC candidate and his V.P. pick recently died in an aviation tragedy. Mays is brought on board to lose (though he is not told so) to the Republican candidate, current Vice President and war hero Brian Lewis (Nick Searcy), who is expected to win in a landslide. Mays' candidacy is only supposed to open the door for 2008 DNC hopeful Senator Bill Arnot (James Rebhorn). But as Mays' candidacy gains traction, both the RNC and DNC set out to destroy him. Meanwhile, while in the limelight, Mays courts the beautiful Lisa (Tamala Jones).

The film opens with a fun joke. Names like "Bob Dole" and "Hillary Clinton" appear in the opening titles as if amongst the main stars of the film, but they're not. It's a great introduction that establishes a universe but expresses the picture's unique identity and political approach. Mays will turn politics on its head, not kowtow to the status quo. That's for the guy on the other side of the isle who is clearly an amalgamation of some of the then-best known names in the Republican party, a man running on his war record (John McCain) and sounding an awful lot like George W. Bush. But the movie is most concerned with Mays, who turns the political world on its head, sometimes for the targets he hits and sometimes for how badly he undermines himself and his campaign. The film is predictable in these ebbs and flows but it's the balance between vitality and seriousness, the blend of humor and heart, and Mays' own evolution as a candidate while not losing his personal, whimsical, and humorous touch that all make the movie tick.

The film turns on another gear in the third act when May's brother, played by Bernie Mac, is brought on board to be his brother's running mate. He's a flamboyant, no nonsense sort who makes Mays look timid and flat in comparison. Mac is excellent in the part and one could imagine a sequel set eight years later where it's his character running for president against another straight-laced opponent, this time upping the ante with a style all his own. It's a shame he doesn't get more play time on the screen as a candidate because his scenes are amongst the best. Rock does good work, though, blending sassy and charming and authentic into a character who may not be remembered in cinema annals but who will certainly endear himself to audiences enjoying the movie in the moment.

Head of State Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Paramount is hitting home runs with most every release, and even something as inconsequential as Head of State has, here, received a high quality image. The picture holds tight to its natural grain structure. It's consistent in density and pleasing in its filmic attributes. Details are consistently strong. The picture is steadily sharp throughout, revealing exquisite fine point facial textures, clothing material elements, and location details across a wide spectrum of D.C. exteriors, campaign headquarters, and bus interior odds and ends. There's not a soft shot in the movie or a poorly defined front-and-center element (with the exception of some establishing shots, particularly late in the movie around the 67-minute mark). Colors are a strength as well, particularly when looking at Mitch's flamboyant green and yellow suit he wears when he's chosen to be his brother's running mate late in the film. Of course, the well-rounded color spectrum holds throughout and includes items such as Mays' red jump suit he wears prior to the debate, natural greenery, and any variety of expressive tones seen throughout the film. Flesh tones appear spot-on accurate, black levels are pleasantly deep and true, and whites are adequately crisp. There are no major encode flubs to note and the print appears free of any obvious blemish. This is a very nice release from Paramount.

Head of State Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Head of State campaigns on Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The beats to open the film are impressively deep and detailed, a characteristic that holds for the duration, whether similar style music or score. It's also wide and familiar with the surround channels, making use of the back end for immersive and complementary flow. The track works its other audio products quite nicely, including crowd applause at the debate and crowd din at some campaign events. The track is also full of well-defined environmental elements, like fully immersive falling rain and deep, potent thunder in the 14-minute mark. Dialogue is clear, well prioritized, and center focused for the duration.

Head of State Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Head of State includes a trio of standard issue extras: deleted scenes, a featurette, and a commentary track. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• Deleted Scenes (480i, 1.78:1, 7:30 total runtime): Included are Deputy Mayor Cooper's Office, Mighty Low, Campaign Supporters, Urban Business Board, Debate Preparations, and Finding the Votes - Firing Up the Crowd.
• Road to the White House - The Making of Head of State (1080i, window box, 13:02): Exploring the basics: story, cast and characters, and the like.
• Audio Commentary: Director Chris Rock offers a fairly straightforward track with a little bit of humor. It's as much anecdotal as it is technical, but fans of the film should find enough here to like to make it worth a listen.

Head of State Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Head of State is a good little film that efforts to turn the political landscape upside down and inject a bit of fun and humor, some life, and even a bit of down-to-earth realism. The film should garner enough support to make it a viable candidate for movie night, especially when the desire for laughs with a political bend are on the table. Paramount's Blu-ray is solid all around. It offers quality video and audio presentations to go along with a basic trio of supplements. Recommended.