Chris Rock has established himself as one of the funniest men working in Hollywood today. Originally from South Carolina, Rock began his career in standup comedy. Early inspiration and mentor to Rock was fellow comedian Eddie Murphy.
Like Murphy, Rock went on to become a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which brought him national exposure and eventually led to the first of several comedy albums and film roles. Rock has since gone on to win four Emmy Awards and three Grammy Awards. Here are the ten best Chris Rock roles ranked according to IMDB.
Grown Ups (2010): 5.9
Grown Ups is the story of five basketball-loving lifetime friends. They reunite three decades after winning their high school basketball championship after the untimely death of their beloved coach.
In the film, Rock plays Kurt McKenzie, a stay at home father with two kids and one on the way who also has to deal with his mother in law staying with them. The film features many former Saturday Night Live alums, and while it was not critically well-received it was a commercial success and spawned a sequel with Rock reprising his role.
2 Days in New York (2012): 6.0
Written and directed by Julie Delpy, who also co-stars, 2 Days in New York is the sequel to 2 Days in Paris. In this romantic comedy, Rock plays Mingus Robinson, the boyfriend to Delpy’s character, Marion.
When Marion’s family comes to visit from Paris the two must deal with ribaldry and casual racism until the end of their vacation. The film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and was met with a warm reception for its depiction of love, loss, and the navigation of modern relationships.
Nurse Betty (2000): 6.1
Nurse Betty is a comedy that follows a Kansas City waitress, played by Renee Zellweger, who falls into a fugue state after witnessing her husband’s murder and begins to obsessively pursue her favorite soap opera actor. In the film, Rock plays Wesley, one of the hitmen who kills the husband and is now pursuing the waitress. His partner is played by Morgan Freeman. Nurse Betty was well received and won the award for Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival.
Osmosis Jones (2001): 6.3
Osmosis Jones, partially animated and partially live-action follows a zookeeper named Frank who ingests a deadly virus. From inside him a white blood cell cop named Osmosis Jones and a cold pill named Drix must stop the virus, Thrax, within forty-eight hours before it kills Frank.
Rock voices the rebellious and recently demoted Osmosis Jones. While the film was a box office bomb upon its reception, it later sold very well on home video. A spin-off show titled Ozzy and Drix later ran for two years, however, Rock did not reprise his role as Osmosis Jones.
Top Five (2014): 6.4
Not only does Top Five star Chris Rock, but he also wrote and directed it. In the film, Rock plays Andre Allen, a New York City stand up comic who comes face to face with his past and career as a comedian during an interview with a journalist played by Rosario Dawson.
The film features an all-star cast list of comedian ing actors including Kevin Hart, Jerry Seinfeld, Tracy Morgan, Michael Che, Brian Regan, and many others. Top Five was a critical and commercial success and Rock has mentioned the possibility of a sequel that would feature a lot of the same cast.
The Longest Yard (2005): 6.4
A remake of the 1974 film of the same name, The Longest Yard follows an ex-NFL star, played by Adam Sandler, who ends up in prison. In exchange for his freedom, he must assemble a football team of convicts to play against the prison guards.
Rock costars amongst an ensemble cast as Caretaker, a fellow inmate who helps coach the convicts and procures for them, amongst other paraphernalia, equipment for the game. Interestingly, despite the high number of remakes made today The Longest Yard is the highest-grossing comedy remake in the modern era.
New Jack City (1991): 6.7
New Jack City is an action crime film that follows a rising drug lord during the crack epidemic and the undercover New York detective who vows to stop him. Rock won critical acclaim for his role as “Pookie” Robinson, a former stick up kid who after getting shot for trying to run off with the stick-up money becomes homeless and addicted to crack before becoming a police informant.
New Jack City premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim and became the highest-grossing independent film of 1991.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001): 6.8
Kevin Smith’s cult buddy comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back succeeds in part from its expansive and hilarious cameos. In his cameo Rock portrays Chaka Luther King, the angry and racist director of the Blunt Man and Chronic film that Jay and Silent Bob have come to Hollywood to stop.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was a modest commercial success and marked the second time that Rock stared alongside the Jay and Silent Bob characters, after Dogma. Rock does not reprise his role in the sequel Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.
Madagascar (2005): 6.9
Perhaps one of the most successful animated comedy franchises in recent cinematic history is Dreamwork’s Madagascar. Madagascar follows a group of animals at the Central Park Zoo who escape, and once caught are shipped to a wildlife preserve but accidentally wash up on the shore of Madagascar.
Rock portrays Marty the zebra, the energetic best friend to Alex the lion whose friendship becomes strained when their African instincts kick in. The film was a commercial success and spawned two direct sequels, two short films, and a spin-off television series.
Dogma (1999): 7.3
Dogma is a fantasy comedy that follows Bethany an abortion clinic counselor who is tasked with stopping two fallen angels who plan to undo creation by exploiting a loophole in Catholic dogma. Rock plays Rufus, the thirteenth apostle left out of the Bible for being black, who helps aid Bethany, along with the prophets Jay and Silent Bob, and a muse.
The film was a modest critical and commercial success, although it was met with much controversy including death threats toward director Kevin Smith and condemnation from the Catholic League due to the religious subject matter.
