CB-4 MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +2 1/2 Content: -3

Following in the august tradition of THIS IS SPINAL TAP, CB-4 is about a rap music group and a rapumentary that A. White (Chris Elliott) is making about them. The movie spares no one in this parody. Most off all, though, it pokes fun at the violent, personality-driven world of hip-hop and rap music. The fun starts when three middle-class kids decide to start a rap group but need a gimmick. They find one when a local thug, M.C. Gusto, is sent to jail cell-block 4. Albert (Chris Rock) calls himself M.C. Gusto and the group CB-4. The new group wears gerry-curl wigs and lots of gold chain and become violent, vulgar and arrogant as well as an instant hit. However, when Gusto (Charlie Murphy) escapes from jail, he wants to take revenge on the group. CB-4's other adversary is a fanatical Republican senator (Phil Hartman) who wants to censure the group to gain votes. Anyone who enjoys rap music will like this movie; most, however, will just be confused by its humor.

CB-4 tells us the subversive messages of rap music are fine. The senator's son, for example, is portrayed as a positive character because he defies his father's authority and listens to rap music. In making a realistic parody of most rap music today, they certainly did not omit the obscene language. Instead, the filmmaker revels in it. The f-word is heard 61 times and the s-word 39 times. Many sexual references and one scene of implied self-gratification while looking at pornographic material are offensive. Two scenes of prolonged intercourse by two members of the band with the same woman are portrayed as sexy and funny. Full breast nudity is shown in each. The atrocious language and the explicit sexual situations are overwhelming reasons to stay away from CB-4.

Preview Reviewer: Greg Wilson
Distributor: Universal Pictures, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608