Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger

This week's easiest comedy pick in Australia on HBO Max, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel is Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Chris Rock is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Put it on tonight on HBO Max and see for yourself.

Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. An HBO special edited from three performances from Chris Rock's 2008 comedy tour: London (dark suit, dark shirt), Johannesburg (black suit, white shirt) and New York (shiny jacket). Topics include the ongoing presidential campaign, the possibility of a black president, George W. Bush, gas prices, low-paid jobs, ringtones and bottled water, sex, relationships and the correct use of the n-word Between them, Chris Rock carries the comedy without ever forcing it. It hit screens in 2008. Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Chris Rock is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.

Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger was released in 2008, directed by Marty Callner. The full 79-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.