Product Review

Head Of State (DVD)

Can a high-attitude African-American politician who says what he thinks stand a chance in a presidential campaign? Mays Gilliam (Chr is Rock) is a straight-talking alderman representing a inner-city neighborhood in W ashington, D.C. In the midst of a hard-fought rac e for the White House, the Democratic presidential and vice-presidential candidates are killed in an airline crash, and with little time to prepare a new campaign, th e Republican candidate, Vice President Brian Lewis (Nick Searcy), seems all but guaranteed to win. With practically nothing to loose, party hea d Martin Geller (Dylan Baker) approaches Gilliam and asks him to stand a s the Democrat' s presidential candidate. While Gilliam is dubious at fi rst, before long his streetwise style and willingness to face the issues hea d-on earns him surprising figures in the polls, especially after he persuades his short-fused older brother, Mitch Gilliam (Bernie M ac), t o join the ticket as vice presidential candidate - a big jump for a bail bondsman. Gilliam's love life also becomes more compl icated as his ex- girlfriend Kim (Robin Givens) decides she wants him back now that he has a shot at the White House, even though Gil liam only has eyes for Lisa (Tamala Jones). Head of State marked the directorial debut for comic and actor Chris Rock, who also co-w rote and co-produced the film.