Uncle Drew lacks fizz of Pepsi ad
Print Edition
FOR a few shining minutes, “Uncle Drew” is the movie it intended to be: funny and clever, quick and fun — all infused with love for the great sport of basketball. Unfortunately, those minutes come during the closing credits, a sequence entertaining enough to be its own viral video.
But wait — that’s what “Uncle Drew” originally was, anyway: a series of web videos from a Pepsi ad campaign starring NBA great Kyrie Irving as a white-haired senior citizen who shows up on a playground court and blows all the “youngblood” hotshots away. Combining Irving’s talent with the satisfying element of age trumping youthful hubris, they couldn’t lose.
The resulting film, directed by Charles Stone III, falls into a disappointingly formulaic lull for large stretches, squeezing all spontaneity from the proceedings. Don’t fault the talented cast, which includes a squad of hard-working NBA luminaries in heavy aging makeup, and comedy stars including the delightful Tiffany Haddish and Lil Rel Howery. Fault the unimaginative script they’ve been given.
Dax (Howery), is a downtrodden Foot Locker employee trying to make a buck. As a teen, he was a talented player, but quit when he missed a game-winning shot, and lost his nerve. He’s also an orphan and an amateur coach hustling to get a team ready for a tournament at Harlem’s Rucker Park, and win a hefty cash prize. But his nemesis, Mookie, has different ideas.
Mookie — a nasty-funny Nick Kroll — steals Dax’s team from under him, including his young star Casper (Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic.) It hardly comes as a surprise when Mookie steals Jess, Dax’s girlfriend, too. Jess boots Dax from their apartment, and when he hits the street with a suitcase, she calls him back: She needs the suitcase. He re-emerges with a garbage bag. Ouch.
Locals at the barber shop suggest Dax, now teamless, go find Uncle Drew. And the old man agrees to play — on condition he can choose his own teammates. Road trip! The two set out to gather up a team of Drew’s old cohorts.
First stop: the Preacher, aka Chris Webber, hamming it up quite impressively as an actual preacher. Preacher says yes, but his wife, Betty Lou (WNBA great Lisa Leslie) is not happy; as her guy makes a getaway in Drew’s van, she follows with a baseball bat. The group then recruits Lights (Reggie Miller); the joke is that he’s legally blind, but believes in his ability to hit any shot. At an old-age home, they bring in Boots (Nate Robinson), who’s been sitting silently in a wheelchair for years. But he only needs one thing to cure all that. Finally, we get to Shaquille O’Neal, game as always. Shaq’s Big Fella, now a Kung Fu instructor, has an axe to grind against Drew.
Teamwork. Friendship. Family. Playing for the game’s sake, not money. All these themes come together in a warm-hearted but highly predictable way.
It’s undeniably fun to watch these guys do their thing under gallons of makeup, and the promising Lowery does what he can with the corny script. As for Haddish, she’s a treasure, but has little to do, and she’s funniest during the closing credits. Make sure to stick around.
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