Rating: 4/5 stars
Chris Rock’s first new stand-up special in a decade, “Tamborine,” is the comedian’s most personal and most refined special to date. The special was filmed in a smaller Brooklyn theater, and the venue helped create a sense of intimacy that Rock used for an hour of his most personal material shared on stage.
In many ways, “Tamborine” is similar to Dave Chappelle’s recent Netflix specials. Chappelle is another comedy giant who has returned after a decade away from stand-up specials, with more introspective material on relationships and the hardships of celebrity. Like Chappelle, Rock is a comedian who carefully crafts every word in his act, and it shows in the best of ways in “Tamborine.” Rock seems to have perfected every sentence and every pause in this hour-long special. He knows how the audience will react to every joke and always manages to stay two steps ahead. Rock takes some material familiar to longtime fans of his work and refines it, cutting the fat and adding relevant new jabs throughout. He ends the updated version of his “kids need bullying” bit with a stinging rebuke of Trump: “That’s how Trump became president. We got a rid of bullies. A real bully showed up, and we didn’t know how to handle him.”
The switch from the Apollo to a smaller Brooklyn theater reflects the change it seems Rock has made in the past decade. “Tamborine” still has the shocking and edgy proclamations audiences expect from Rock, but at age 53, the comedian seems more humble than his “bigger and blacker” days. As the special progresses, the comedy gets less broad and more personal, starting with thoughts on police violence and raising children and ending with deep reflections of his recent divorce and multiple affairs. Amidst the humor of it all are some genuinely touching moments and lasting lines. When talking about relationships, Rock saying they are “only tough when one person’s working on it. Two people can move a couch real easy. One person can’t move it at all.” It is a line that sticks with audience because it is both funny as well as genuinely good relationship advice. Lines like this are found throughout “Tamborine,” and a joke that doubles as wise advice can only come from a comedian at the top of his game.
Also at the top of his game is fellow comedian Bo Burnham, who directed “Tamborine.” The majority of stand-up specials struggle to utilize the camera in any meaningful way. Oftentimes, specials made specifically for Netflix or HBO feel like they would work just as well as a comedy album played on the commute to work. But Bo Burnham brings a unique flair to “Tamborine” that makes it especially captivating. “Tamborine” showcases some of the most captivating lighting seen in any special, thanks in large part to the absolutely beautiful venue that is the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The front row of the crowd is well illuminated, with the lighting sharply falling off just a few rows back. Viewers can see the audience’s reaction without ever leaving view of Rock, which deftly defies common tropes seen in stand-up specials.
Rock is still very funny. In the decade since audiences last saw him in a stand-up special, he has grown, matured and changed. “Tamborine” shows viewers Rock at his sharpest, and his mastery of his craft allows this special to stand out in a crowded sea of new Netflix stand-up.
Image from Netflix via YouTube.com
