Director: Leslie SmallYear: 2020
Rated R
Rating: * * 1/2 Stars
Cast: Jay Pharoah, Katt Williams, Keke Palmer
"I'm not doing whatever I want, I'm following my dream". So says the character of Deandre McDonald when it comes to making people guffaw and completely bust a gut. McDonald with no money, no job, a best friend manager, and a family back in Alabama, ventures to LA to make it as a touring comedian. He rips his home state while becoming a YouTube monger in 2 Minutes of Fame (my latest review).
Anyway, "Fame" at a running time of ninety-seven minutes, showcases star Jay Pharoah as the biggest scene chewer this side of 1990's Jim Carrey. With impressions ranging anywhere from Jay-Z to Eddie Murphy to Tracy Morgan to Denzel, Pharoah is likable if not a little hit-or-miss playing lead McDonald (mentioned in the first paragraph).
Yeah Jay could have been funnier, 2 Minutes of Fame could have been a little more over the top, and Mike Epps could have killed it if someone offered him a slight cameo in the foreground. What's on screen is basically lightweight, R-rated fare and something an aspiring student of stand-up might get insight to. Yup, just imagine watching Last Comic Standing as a pseudo, potty-mouthed version. Then imagine a translucent fever dream that David Chappelle would have concocted right before he became a household name. 
Directed by Leslie Small, featuring Katt Williams in a unique supporting role, and profusely made to subjugate today's Internet age, "Fame" is kinda stupid funny and reminded me of small scale comedies like Half Baked and 2006's Grandma's Boy. The film doesn't push any cruel envelope nor does it advanced the audacity of a career that Jay Pharoah might seek to have. Jay is basically playing himself here and with a direct-to-video feel, he doesn't exhibit enough padding to heighten his desired, star-making platform. Verdict: This "Fame" ain't no obscurity but it's no "grande dame" either. Rating: 2 and a half stars. Written by Jesse Burleson
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