Chance The Rapper’s frequent collaborator Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) has made the successful transition from actor to rapper. Now it looks like Chance (real name Chancellor Bennet) is ready to try the reverse. This is a feat that’s rarely accomplished. Eminem has had a brief, but magnificent film career, while Ice Cube’s has been long and nauseating (except for 21 & 22 Jump Street, which were both awesome.)
Collin Tilley is the director responsible for the iconic music videos of Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber. In Mr. Happy he tries his hand at an indie short film. Chance plays Victor, a man who rates himself an 11, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is “irreparable sadness.” Not having the guts for suicide, Victor pays for the services of ‘Mr. Happy’ – a hitman in the business of violently euthanising his clients.
The role isn’t overly demanding for Chance. He basically spends the entire 22 minutes looking either awkward or incredulous. He even includes the very staged awkward stuttering that is a feature of all his songs.
There concept is interesting and there’s definitely some funny moments (when Victor’s enthusiastic co-worker proposes that they “do some coke. For your nose.”) Sadly, it includes the cringe-worthy scene where the free-spirit love-interest recklessly leads the terrified Victor to the roof of his apartment to contemplate the universe. “I always wanted to fly” she confides “just be able to pick and go, no matter where you, you could just fly away.” You’ll be yelling bingo if you were playing the top 10 clichés of Indie Short Films. Zach Braff would be rolling in his grave.