Pootie Tang (2001) - C.K.'s off-beat sketch character mega-flop

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A painted caricature of the protagonist makes up this poster for Louic C.K.'s Pootie Tang

Hiphop star PT (Pootie Tang) is respected and loved by all, but his lyrics about abstinence from harmful products earn him an enemy in the shape of the country's worst company ...

Pootie Tang is written and directed by Louis C.K. (Tomorrow Night (1998)). It is based on a sketch from The Chris Rock Show, which C.K. wrote for from 1997-99.

It is a totally ludicrous movie that parodies gangsta rap hiphop and the black pimp style following the hit-and-miss principle. A lot misses the mark, and the plot is paper thin to the point of being almost transparent. But a part of the film is also rather funny. Not so much co-star/co-producer Chris Rock (Spiral (2019)), - and Jennifer Coolidge (American Reunion (2012)) deserves pity for the ungrateful role she covers here, but Lance Crouther (Class Act (1992)) as Pootie Tang and J.B. Smoove (Woke (2020-22)) are pretty funny.

Pootie Tang seems to be designed for watching over a blunt with a homie or three.

Watch a 2-minute clip from the film here

 

Cost: 7 mil. $

Box office: 3.3 mil. $

= Mega-flop (returned 0.47 times its cost)

[Pootie Tang was released 29 June (North America) and runs 81 minutes. Shooting took place in New Jersey and New York. C.K. has said that he was fired during the film's post production phase and has distanced himself from the film. It opened #12 to a 1.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it diminished from then, grossing 3.3 mil. $. The film was not released in other markets. Roger Ebert gave it a 0.5/4 star rating, translating to a notch under this one. C.K. returned with 14 short and TV credits prior to his theatrical return I Love You, Daddy (2017). Rock returned with a voice performance in Osmosis Jones (2001) and physically in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001); Crouther in 2 TV credits but never again in a feature, - he has instead kept busy as a comedy writer; and Wanda Sykes (The Good Fight (2021, TV-series)) in 4 TV credits prior to her theatrical return in Monster-in-Law (2005). Pootie Tang is rotten at 27 % with a 3.70/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

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