Should you spend $9 for a ticket to see Bernie Mac's new movie, "Mr. 3000?" The answer is unequivocally no.
This is not to say that the film is not entertaining or that Bernie Mac is not a hilarious comic. The truth is that "Mr. 3000," like so many other films Hollywood produces, occupies the viewer's mind for approximately two hours. Once viewers leave the theater, they have nothing of substance left to ponder. "Mr. 3000" is simply another forgettable film.
In "Mr. 3000," Mac plays Stan Ross, a successful and crowd-pleasing baseball player who, in addition to being loud and gregarious, is an arrogant jerk. Upon obtaining hit No. 3,000 - a milestone in baseball that almost guarantees a place in the Hall of Fame - Mac's character retires on the spot, abandoning his fellow teammates in the thick of a tight pennant race.
Ten years go by and the now-retired Stan Ross has built up his myriad businesses around the fact that he achieved 3,000 hits.
However, just as he is about to get inducted into the Hall of Fame, an error in Ross' statistics surfaces and it turns out that he only has 2,997 hits. Unwilling to accept this adjustment to his legacy, 47-year-old Mr. 2997 decides to go back into the major leagues and get three more hits.
What ensues is a time-tested, Hollywood-approved formula for sports films: the comeback. Ross helps the team become competitive and he slowly approaches his 3,000th hit. Will Ross allow his massive ego to once again get in the way of his team's success? The suspense will drive viewers crazy ... then again, it probably won't.
The supporting cast, made up primarily of unknown actors, has its moments, although they are few and far between. Angela Bassett, the film's beautiful 46-year-old romantic lead, manages to add a little something to the one-dimensional role that was written for her.
Nonetheless, the film centers around Mac's funny, yet emotionally empty, performance. Mac did not become a television and film star based on his acting skills, but on his intelligent and familial brand of comedy. If anything, "Mr. 3000" fails as a film because it doesn't take full advantage of Mac's comedic skills and instead tries to focus on Stan Ross' battle with his ego.
"Mr. 3000" is essentially a film that tries to go in two different directions, but struggles with the double burden.
