siukong Non-white actors and actresses have faced an uphill battle since the earliest days of cinema. Even today, other than a privileged few superstars, many minority actors struggle to find roles. When they do get cast, it's often in a very limited breadth of stereotypical roles - whether it be the Asian nerd, the Middle Eastern terrorist, or the black gangster/thug. Actors often have to weigh their ethical qualms at playing a role they find tactless (or even out-and-out racist) against the practical demands of paying the bills.In Hollywood Shuffle, Robert Townsend shows the African-American side of these difficulties in the story of aspiring actor Bobby Taylor in late-80s LA. Bobby's story is interspersed with fantasy sequences that address and parody various popular films and genres.For an indie film, the visual look of Hollywood Shuffle is quite good. Apart from some actors playing multiple roles, you wouldn't think this had a budget barely over five figures. I certainly respect anyone who would self-fund a movie the way Townsend did, especially to draw attention to an important social issue such as this. However, the movie suffers from several problems. The balance of comedy and seriousness seems skewed, and the writing often seems very ham-handed and uneven. Many of the fantasy sequences are too long and drawn-out, and Bobby's story seems to suffer for it, feeling too simple and rushed. It feels like Townsend couldn't decide between two types of movie - one a silly comedic satire lampooning Hollywood from a black perspective, and the other a more serious story with a more wry sense of humour derived from his real experiences as a struggling actor - and so he just tried to make both (but succeeded at neither).Much of the movie seems like it would have been dated even at the time it was released. It feels like it would have been more at place if released five to ten years earlier, with references to Superman, Rambo, Dirty Harry, Roots and the jive-talking' blaxploitation genre that was so popular in the 70s (but, as far as I know, was long-dead by 1987). Perhaps this dated feeling is because of the big shift that was about to took place in the late 80s and early. Hip hop was growing and maturing into a real mainstream force, TV shows like In Living Color and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air were soon to become huge hits, and more nuanced portrayals of urban black life like Do the Right Thing and Boyz n the Hood were in the pipeline. Now that's not to say that these new portrayals and perceptions of black characters and life weren't without their own particular problems - just that much of what Hollywood Shuffle presented feels like it would have been irrelevant by then.Overall, I agree with some of the other reviewers in the use of the word "uneven". I'd like to give it more credit for its ambition and guts, but it seems like it didn't really have much effect on things.Final summary: 4/10 | C-

Woodyanders Director/co-writer Robert Townsend gives a wonderfully engaging performance as eager and affable aspiring actor Bobby Taylor, who's having trouble getting that one major role that will launch his career. While waiting for his big break Bobby daydreams about being a movie star. Townsend delivers a pointed, incisive and often uproarious comic critique of racial stereotypes in mainstream Hollywood fare with a series of spot-on and frequently sidesplitting parodies. "Sneakin' in the Movies," a hilariously rude spoof of TV review shows, rates as the definite gut-busting highlight: two hip homeboys from the hood give their profane opinions on recent theatrical releases (they both give one flick they totally hate the finger!). Other amusing skits are "Black Acting School" (one of the courses is Jive Talk 101), the blaxploitation send-up "Jivetime Jimmy's Revenge," and the tongue-in-cheek private eye romp "Death of A Breakdancer." Townsend effortlessly carries the picture with his supremely amiable presence. Excellent supporting turns by Helen Martin as Bobby's loving grandmother, Anne-Marie Johnson as Bobby's loyal girlfriend Lydia, Starletta Dupois as Bobby's sweet mother, Craigus R. Johnson as Bobby's adorable younger brother Stevie, David McNight as Bobby's sad failure Uncle Ray, Keenan Ivory Wayans and Ludie Washington as a couple of shiftless hot dog stand workers, and Dom Irrera as a low-rent schlock movie screenwriter. Moreover, there's a palpable feeling of genuine heart and warmth in this film which in turn adds immensely to its considerable charm. A real delight.

preppy-3 Robert Townsend plays a black actor who is trying to find an acting job in California...but all he finds are stereotypical roles. It seems the only acting jobs for blacks are as gangsters, hookers and such.Likable and ambitious but VERY uneven comedy. It shows parodies of TV shows, movies and commercials all making fun of how blacks are treated in Hollywood. It makes its point early on and just keeps making it again and again and again. It gets repetitious pretty quickly. Some of it is funny but other bits (especially a Siskel/Ebert bit and an Eddie Murphy gag) are pretty dated. This was a sizable hit when it came out but I never found it that funny. The whole cast is good (some are excellent) but the material just keeps repeating itself. Townsend did much better with his next film "The Five Heartbeats".Sadly this movie had no effect on Hollywood. From what I hear it's still difficult for black actors to get good jobs and just three years after this "New Jack City" was released--a very violent movie about black gangsters that was a monster hit.

vchimpanzee Bobby Taylor wants to be a respected actor, but he has to settle for stereotypical roles in the white-dominated world of cinema. It is clear, as he rehearses in the movie's opening scenes, that the role he is auditioning for is not exactly what he has in mind. When the movie is actually filmed, it gives the term 'Blaxploitation' a whole new meaning.Bobby lives with his brother Stevie and his grandmother, and he is often told he could work at the post office. He does have a job at Winky Dinky Dog, a hot dog place where Donald and Tiny are his co-workers, though his auditions interfere with his ability to be on the job when needed. The most popular sitcom on TV stars a comical bat/man who isn't exactly Cliff Huxtable.As Bobby agonizes over this role, he has fantasies about what could happen. The fantasies are the best part of the movie.In one scene, slaves are escaping, and the one guy who worked in the house makes Stepin Fetchit look like Sidney Poitier. The same actor later turns quite sophisticated in a commercial for Black Acting School, which is taught by white instructors, where aspiring actors only learn stereotypes. Light-skinned blacks need not apply.In another fantasy, Bobby imagines that, since Siskel and Ebert are white guys who don't know what they are talking about, his people are represented by a couple of brothers in 'Sneakin' In The Movies'. Among the characters lampooned in this fantasy are Amadeus, Indiana Jones and Dirty Harry. And there is a movie about pimps and hookers that is ten times worse than anything real.Probably the best fantasy of all happens while Bobby and his grandmother are watching 'Sam Ace', a Humphrey Bogart type movie. The film 'Death of a Breakdancer', done in black and white with the film noir style (including jazz music) stars Bobby as a black Sam Ace. While the film shows positive images, stereotypes can still be found--Jerry Curl is one of the suspects and very funny.Rambo becomes Rambro in another scene.Should we be enjoying all these offensive portrayals of African-Americans? Of course. Robert Townsend is black, and he produced, directed and co-wrote this movie and did a fine job of acting as well. His purpose was obviously to make fun of stereotypes. And Bobby shows that he has pride, and doesn't have to accept disrespect.As a white person, I was not bothered by the fact that the majority of white people in this movie are portrayed in an over-the-top manner, especially the people responsible for the movie for which Bobby is auditioning. We're not like that, and I know it.This movie was made on a budget, but one reason was the use of the same actors in many different roles. For the most part, it doesn't seem low-budget.One of the better moments in the 'real' world takes place in the barbershop run by Bobby's Uncle Ray. David McKnight does an admirable job in a dramatic scene.I highly recommend this movie.