Summary
This special is a great final show for Chappelle to end his five-year Netflix run.
This review of Netflix stand-up special Dave Chappelle: The Closer does not contain spoilers.
Netflix has released another comedy special by Dave Chappelle and it’s the laugh everyone needs. Stan Lathan returns to direct The Closer having directed all of Chappelle’s previous specials. The trailer features Morgan Freeman narrating over footage of Chappelle driving down a country road, which is a lot funnier than it sounds.
This is Chappelle’s sixth Netflix special, which is the conclusion to his body of work which includes The Age of Spin, Deep in the Heart of Texas, Equanimity, The Bird Revelation, and Sticks & Stones. Which if you haven’t already watched, I highly recommend. Not only are these specials Emmy worthy, but they are also incredibly funny.
The running time for this special is 1 hour and 12 minutes, which makes for a great evening watch. His show is not dragged out, with no awkward pauses, or moments that drag. There is good momentum, one joke leading onto another. Chappelle delights us with his humorous stories, his ever-growing charm, and flawless style. With jokes surrounding vaccines, racism, parenting, sex, slavery, and religion, there is something in there for everyone.
Humour is definitely subjective, for me personally, there are jokes in this show I don’t find funny, however, I know there is something in there for everyone. What I appreciate about stand-up comedy, as I do with live theatre, is its ability to captivate a live audience and give them a break from their everyday life. The beauty of Netflix is that we’re allowed to have this from our homes. Being able to see the audience and their reaction does give that sense of being in that live-show community. We’re also allowed to see Chapelle’s facial expressions up close, thanks to the filming, which sometimes we don’t get when seeing a live show, adding to the delivery of the jokes. Each comedian is a performer and I love it when you can tell they’re having a great time.
This special is a great final show for Chappelle to end his five-year Netflix run. Like every great comedian, he’s not afraid to offend, he’s there to make you laugh and he does just that. The final credits for The Closer show a montage of moments picturing Chappelle with a variety of notable people from the brilliant Bill Murray, to David Letterman. If you’re a fan of comedy, a fan of stand-up, or just looking for a good laugh, I’d recommend watching Chappelle’s series of comedy specials.
What do you think of Netflix’s Dave Chappelle: The Closer? Comment below.
