USA TODAY International Edition
These hoops comedies still play above the rim
It’s not all “Hoop Dreams” when it comes to basketball comedies.
While dramas such as “Hoosiers” and “He Got Game” are slam dunks in the sports-movie canon, most humorous roundball stories venture out of bounds — and not in a good way. “Juwanna Mann”? That deserves a Dikembe Mutombo finger wag. “Like Mike”? Like nope. “Air Bud”? Come on now.
It’s such a low bar that when something entertaining comes along, such as the new comedy “Uncle Drew” (with NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving as a geriatric baller of some legend), it’s like a threepointer out of nowhere — or at least a breath of fresh air in a lackluster subgenre.
Here’s how “Drew” (in theaters now) ranks alongside the best basketball comedies, which is (sadly) a short list.
5. ‘The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh’ (1979)
This absurd disco-era gem is the “Major League” of basketball movies. Philadelphia 76ers icon “Dr. J” Julius Erving gets the spotlight as Moses Guthrie, the lone star left on the truly terrible Pittsburgh Pythons when his coach and teammates walk. Ballboy Tyrone (James Bond III) meets an astrologer (Stockard Channing) and pitches the idea to the eccentric owner (Jonathan Winters) that Moses needs a team of fellow Pisces to win. No way that works in real life, but of course this ramshackle crew of misfits goes on an epic championship run, with appearances from Harlem Globetrotter stalwart Meadowlark Lemon, Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Debbie Allen in her first feature film.
4. ‘Space Jam’ (1996)
Before there were a gazillion Avengers in “Infinity War,” Bugs Bunny hung with Michael Jordan for a dribbling crossover full of hoops, high jinks and hilarity. One minute Jordan is playing golf with Bill Murray and Larry Bird, and the next, the legendary Chicago Bull is recruited by Bugs, Daffy Duck and the “Looney Tunes” gang to take on alien creatures with the abilities of NBA guys including Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing. While ridiculous and corny (especially that R. Kelly “I Believe I Can Fly” song), it also speaks to the little kid in all of us who grew up on Bugs antics and/or Jordan dunks.
3. ‘Uncle Drew’ (2018)
Based on the Pepsi commercials featuring Irving’s old man and his penchant for making buckets, the surprisingly soulful comedy centers on embattled streetball coach Dax (Lil Rel Howery), who needs to get a team together for New York City’s annual Rucker Classic to take on his childhood rival (Nick Kroll). Dax’s main recruit is the elderly but still skilled Drew, who yearns to teach “youngbloods” respect for the game. Irving is fabulous immersing himself in Drew’s ankle-breaking moves, but all the basketball stars are top-notch in gray hair and makeup, from Reggie Miller’s nearly blind shooter Lights to Shaquille O’Neal’s kung fu center Big Fella.
2. ‘Teen Wolf’ (1985)
Michael J. Fox was box-office gold with “Back to the Future” but also in this winning combo of sports-movie themes, coming-of-age issues and the ups and downs of being a werewolf. Scott Howard (Fox) has an ordinary high school existence playing on a substandard basketball squad before he grows hair everywhere (more than a teen boy would get during puberty) and learns of his monstrous nature. Brandishing new confidence, Scott becomes the fanged star of the team and sets his sights on his longtime crush, though the good times don’t last and lessons about being yourself are learned.
1. ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ (1992)
The funniest basketball flick also is one of the greatest: Directed by Ron Shelton (”Bull Durham,” “Tin Cup”), the movie tackles relationships and race with pickup hoops games and “Yo mama” jokes aplenty. A pair of trash-talking hustlers start as rivals, with geeky Billy (Woody Harrelson) getting the best of slick Sidney (Wesley Snipes), who underestimates the goofy white dude. But they soon team up to take on bigger fish and are there for each other as they navigate obstacles in their personal lives. “White Men Can’t Jump” is as satisfying a take on the sports-movie formula as there’s ever been.