Hollywood Shuffle is one of the best black comedies of all-time. It served as a big f--- you to Hollywood for its sickening portrayal of black people. Robert Townsend used comedy for a great purpose(to convey a truth) and it worked out splendidly.
Premise: Bobby(played by Robert Townsend) has dreams of making it big in Hollywood. He works for a crummy hot dog stand called Rinky-Dinky Dog(no, really) with idiotic co-workers as well as an idiotic boss. The only problem Bobby faces is the negative roles that Follywood tends to offer black people. He soon has to make a decision if he wants to go with the BS roles of the movie industry or to go a different route.
Opinion: This movie hits the nail on the head with the types of roles that Follywood has destined for us to play. Its funny as well as sharp in its delivery. The Black Acting School skit has to be the funniest sketch in the movie. The black detective is the second funniest thing. Sure most people might say that the acting is over-the-top but these actors who play in the types of movies that Hollywood Shuffle parodies are always over the top with their performance so what are you talking about? I respect Hollywood Shuffle for using humor to address a serious subject instead of stooping to the brainless comic dung that you get from these Chittlin Circuit movies that are produced nowadays. And the sad thing is that people are trouncing gems like Hollywood Shuffle while embracing minstrel rubbish like Soul Plane, Norbit, Code Name: The Cleaner, Juwanna Mann etc. A sad state of affairs. In closing I would say support comedies like Hollywood Shuffle any chance you get. They're the only bright light you get in the dark tunnel of comedy in Hollywood.
Premise: Bobby(played by Robert Townsend) has dreams of making it big in Hollywood. He works for a crummy hot dog stand called Rinky-Dinky Dog(no, really) with idiotic co-workers as well as an idiotic boss. The only problem Bobby faces is the negative roles that Follywood tends to offer black people. He soon has to make a decision if he wants to go with the BS roles of the movie industry or to go a different route.
Opinion: This movie hits the nail on the head with the types of roles that Follywood has destined for us to play. Its funny as well as sharp in its delivery. The Black Acting School skit has to be the funniest sketch in the movie. The black detective is the second funniest thing. Sure most people might say that the acting is over-the-top but these actors who play in the types of movies that Hollywood Shuffle parodies are always over the top with their performance so what are you talking about? I respect Hollywood Shuffle for using humor to address a serious subject instead of stooping to the brainless comic dung that you get from these Chittlin Circuit movies that are produced nowadays. And the sad thing is that people are trouncing gems like Hollywood Shuffle while embracing minstrel rubbish like Soul Plane, Norbit, Code Name: The Cleaner, Juwanna Mann etc. A sad state of affairs. In closing I would say support comedies like Hollywood Shuffle any chance you get. They're the only bright light you get in the dark tunnel of comedy in Hollywood.