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Joining the ranks of Pauline Kael, Roger Ebert, and A.O. Scott today is Chicago-born, internationally-known rap star Chance the Rapper, who's stepped into the field of film criticism (kinda). Lil Chano from 79th took to Twitter this morning to slam Rotten Tomatoes for giving Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell's latest movie—The House—a 17% "rotten" rating after aggregating reviews of the film, which he believes is criminally low and unfair. He first teased the film by describing it as "a movie that I never heard of":
Yesterday I watched a movie that I never heard of. It had a 17% on @RottenTomatoes ... it was funny as fuck. Wtf @RottenTomatoes
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 29, 2017
He then does the big reveal.
You knew what movie it was. That's why you didn't respond @RottenTomatoes... that's why you didn't respond. https://t.co/LfGLmDRu0o
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 29, 2017
For those of you who don't know, The House is a comedy starring Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell in which they play a couple who starts an illegal, underground casino. It only earned $8.7 million in its opening weekend, according to Deadline, and went on to earn a paltry $34 million worldwide on a $40 million production budget, according to Box Office Mojo.
Chance then transitions away from the film critic role and into a PR/manager role, ready to protect the egos and self-esteem of the actors as much as possible.
17% ? Seventeen fucking percent??? I hope will and amy and nick never see the travesty that is these "critics" reception of this masterpiece https://t.co/gfdP10TeXs
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 29, 2017
He also deems film criticism as a dead art.
If the film critics of today can't find why The House is a comedic delicacy then I don't wanna hear anymore reviews
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 29, 2017
Perhaps unbeknownst to Chance, he's inserted himself into an already-brewing feud. Hollywood as a collective entity has gone on the offensive against Rotten Tomatoes, according to the New York Times, saying it's the driving force behind failing box office returns. One producer told a Times reporter "that his mission was to destroy the review-aggregation site." According to film executives, the website is responsible for the 15% decline in summer ticket sales. For these execs, the responsibility does not rest with, you know, movies being bad or whatever.
Chance adds some context to his taste in film, asking why Hot Rod only has a 40% (this writer wholeheartedly agrees. Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island are a national treasure) and why Bulworth gets a 75%. Chance describes the latter film as a "shitty racist unfunny fucked up ego trip of a movie."
WHERE DOES IT END https://t.co/wufPADkqdr
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 29, 2017
Nah but y'all gave this shitty racist unfunny fucked up ego trip of a movie a SEVENTY FIVE?!?! Ittfn https://t.co/LDmR8wtvbw
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 29, 2017
He ends his rousing display of critical prowess by claiming most of it was not motivated by actual anger.
Please accept these too hard facts
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 29, 2017
1. Most of what I just tweeted was in jest
2. If you don't like The House, you are poop