Lewis Black: Red, White and Screwed – DVD Review

DVD Reviews, Reviews


(Credit: Amazon.com)

Written by
Lewis Black

Cast:
Lewis Black


The Special:

Lewis Black is an angry, angry man. That anger has also made him one of the most sought after stand up comedians in America right now. His face is one of the most popular in political satire, earning him enough notoriety to get gigs in films such as Man of the Year and Accepted. Even though he’s been in movies and on TV shows, it is the man’s comedy routines where Black’s anger and brilliance shine through.

In his new comedy special, Lewis Black: Red, White, and Screwed, the comedian goes through a myriad of his personal issues and the laughs don’t stop until he’s done. Now to be honest, it’s difficult to actually get into a lot of detail about the man’s comedy because there’s a lot of vulgarity peppered throughout the act. Apparently the Kennedy Center had a lot of problems with his act as well, due to its mature content. The Center was supposed to be the location of the special, but worrying about whether Black would sully their image, neither HBO nor the comedian would be allowed to mention them by name or show a shot from outside the auditorium. Black starts off the act with a funny anecdote about the situation and how a certain word that rhymes with “duck” was the primary reason the show was moved to Washington, D.C.’s Warner Theater.

Delivery is the comedian’s strongest technique and it’s on full display here. With discussions on the War in Iraq, Cheney shooting his friend in the face, how Cheney shooting his friend in the face is a metaphor for the War in Iraq, how President Bush doesn’t believe evolution, FEMA, fossils, and how Jewish people have the inside track on the meanings of the “Old Testament”, Black has his audience rolling in the aisles. The man seems to have a fit that tries to keep quiet until it won’t stay down any longer, and then comes out as mean as ever.

Black’s final monologue about the trials and tribulations of performing at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is an absolute scream. Four months of the man’s life went into the twenty minute performance, which were apparently excruciating, but still very funny. From wondering if they had ever even seen his act to whether or not he’d be close enough to pet the President, Black is hysterical, especially when recalling dealing with the President’s handlers.

Lewis Black: Red, White, and Screwed is as funny as anything the comedian has ever done. If you like Lewis Black, then this act is definitely for you. If you don’t like him and are a staunch conservative, by all means don’t watch this. Otherwise, dig in and just enjoy all the mean spirited jokes.

Score: 8.5


The DVD:

The Video

The video on this disc is absolutely beautiful Filmed in HD, this special has a gorgeous clarity to it. The Special is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1

The Audio

The audio on this disc is also quite good. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track is virtually perfect and is crystal clear.

SPECIAL FEATURES: Featurettes and Outtakes.

Behind the scenes, featuring the Box Office Girl – This is basically just the sound check before the actual performance. It’s kind of funny, but pretty throwaway.

Ride the Short Bus with Lewis Black – This is a look at Black’s sweet tour bus, with a queen sized bed and all the trimming. Seriously, this thing is nicer than most people’s houses.

Lewis Black Buck Naked in D.C. – This is a nice little anecdote about Black’s youth in which he and a bunch of his friends went streaking at the Lincoln memorial. He goes into how he preferred to stroll instead of running while he was naked, which helped to put everyone at ease.

Lewis Black Probes Uncles Sam – This is a funny promo, where Dr. Black makes a diagnosis to Uncle Sam, who definitely needs a lifestyle change. This is actually pretty funny and works as a nice lead in to the special.

Why Lewis Black Shouldn’t Be a Doctor – These are a series of outtakes from the Uncle Sam promo, and are also pretty funny.

Score: 6

The DVD Lounge’s Ratings for Lewis Black: Red, White and Screwed
CATEGORY
RATING
(OUT OF 10)
THE SPECIAL

8.5
THE VIDEO

9.5
THE AUDIO

9
THE EXTRAS

6
REPLAY VALUE

9
OVERALL
8
(NOT AN AVERAGE)

The Inside Pulse
Lewis Black: Red, White and Screwed is a great piece of entertainment from one of today’s best comics. The disc has a few extras that are all entertaining, if a little too short. If the comedy special is what you’re coming for though, you won’t be disappointed.

Robert Sutton feels the most at home when he's watching some movie scumbag getting blown up, punched in the face, or kung fu'd to death, especially in that order. He's a founding writer for the movies section of Insidepulse.com, featured in his weekly column R0BTRAIN's Badass Cinema as well as a frequent reviewer of DVDs and Blu-rays. Also, he's a proud Sony fanboy, loves everything Star Wars and Superman related and hopes to someday be taken seriously by his friends and family.