Success is relative in ‘Uncle Drew’
“Uncle Drew” is the best-case scenario for a movie based on a soft drink advertisement. It is a disjointed and inconsistent comedy, shoddily filmed at times, while occasionally abandoning storytelling effort altogether.
But in addition to a solidly executed central gimmick — old guys kicking young butts on a street ball court — there’s a pretty good heart.
Things that work here include the throwback vibe, the “Blues Brothers” style getting-the-team-back-together structure and Shaquille O’neal as a zen martial arts instructor; his second-best film role after “Blue Chips” in 1994.
But the MVP is Kyrie Irving as Uncle Drew, reprising his role from Pepsi Max advertisements.
The NBA star is forced to carry too much of a film that he squeezed into a vacation before he joined the Boston Celtics for the 20172018 season. Irving lacks experience and actorly range, and visibly seems to strain to handle the more emotional scenes.
But the shooter’s confidence that Irving rode to Cleveland’s 2016 championship translates on the screen in a similarly intangible way. He’s funny and likeable the majority of the time. And when he misses in a scene, he’s self-assured enough not to show any panic in his eyes.
The “Uncle Drew” plot is easily guessed just by looking at the movie poster. Dax (Lil Rel Howery) is a coach at the Rucker Classic, a street ball competition in Harlem. When his superstars leave for a greedy rival, Dax is forced to recruit a group of playground legends in their 70s — played with old age makeup by current and past pros including O’neal. Chris Webber plays a preacher, and Lisa Leslie is his court-savvy wife.
The filmmakers pay too little attention to story and logic (even beyond the “Cocoon”-like rejuvenation of these septuagenarian players), dragging out barely constructed personal conflicts.
Amazingly, there aren’t enough scenes of old timers on the court, and none that surpasses an excellent introductory sequence where Uncle Drew schools a brash young player. Tiffany Haddish, a hilarious rising comedian, is all but wasted in a shrill girlfriend role.
But through whatever flaws it develops, “Uncle Drew” is able to persevere on warm feelings and good intentions.
Howery, who brought welcome humor and heart as a TSA agent in Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” is an excellent choice to roll with the often too-obvious humor beats. He develops a likeable repoire with Irving; their debate in a 1970s van over the merits of The Notorious B.I.G.’S “Big Poppa” versus the Isley Brothers’ “Between the Sheets” is particularly delightful.
Later in the movie, O’neal steals scenes in a completely gratuitous but still enjoyable nightclub danceoff.
It’s a sequence that’s inconsistent with his character, and acts as a roadblock for the plot.
But like most of “Uncle Drew,” you’ll end up smiling anyway.