Artivels
Undescribable Perfection
Ensofter
Overrated and overhyped
Abbigail Bush
what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Dana
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
ghostface855
Am I the only who noticed at the end the three point should have been a two because he was surely over that line
jaywensley2004
Like several of the jerseys so prominently displayed in the movie, "Uncle Drew" is a throwback, evoking the "heartwarming" sports comedies of the 70s ("Wild Cats," and "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh" were two that came to mind frequently as I watched "Uncle Drew"). Playing on all the familiar tropes of this genre of story, the underdogs overcome personal and physical adversity in their quest to win our hearts and the BIG GAME.
Of course, "Uncle Drew"'s (almost) unique twist on the brand is that the team is made up of old (REALLY old) men, seeking redemption for the big failure of their glory years.
I call this ALMOST unique because in 2013 there was this movie called "The Hot Flashes" which used essentially the same premise.
Only "The Hot Flashes" did it with women.
And did it better.
The primary plot device of "Uncle Drew" is also the movie's biggest failing; Because unlike with "The Hot Flashes," which was cast with real menopausal-aged women, the basketball players in "Uncle Drew" are too young to be convincing as a bunch of too old, out of playing-shape seniors. And most of "Uncle Drew"'s key scenes and best jokes rely on the audience buying into the conceit that these are old men.
Giving credit where it is due, the roster of NBA and WNBA stars who make up most of "Uncle Drew"'s cast give credible acting performances; given that most of the dialogue is either scrupulously PG trash-talking, or GO-TEAM-RAH! encouragement, the script plays to their strengths. And "Uncle Drew" is entertaining in a Saturday matinee way. But in the end, the movie is insubstantial and doesn't deserve more than a wall niche in the pantheon of sports-centered comedies.And that is in spite of the fact that "Uncle Drew" tricked me into seeing Shaquille O'Neal's naked rear end.
therstrand
But can't get passed the cash grab idiocy.
Is this equality... after all these years...? Had to leave theater to get away from Tiffany "watch your balls" Haddish's over used rubbish ghetto slap voice.
That and getting tired of "White boy..." slurs. Or, okay, I guess is all good. So, where was the "Black boy..." lines? We all equal, right?
Thomas Drufke
Is this film for everyone? No, probably not. But I think there's at least something everyone can enjoy. It's a sports movie with a little bit of romance, comedy, and plenty of heart. So even if you're not out at your local park pretending to be Jordan or LeBron, there's plenty to be enjoyed here. I found it to be a lot like Tag from a few weeks prior. I didn't necessarily laugh out loud more than a few times (dissimilar to what my audience did at the theater), but I found myself connected to these ridiculous characters and smiling along with this wild ride. Reggie Miller and Chris Webber were surprisingly tolerable as actors, and actually pretty funny at times. Kyrie Irving did his best to co-lead a film in which he's in makeup that's "supposed to" age him 60+ years. And of course there's Shaq, who certainly improves upon the last movie I remember him leading, Kazaam. But the film only works if you buy into Lil Rey Howery as Dax, a down on his luck basketball coach who just wants to win the Rucker Park tournament one year. I could do without the Tiffany Haddish storyline, which felt like something out of a lame sitcom, but I bought into his failed basketball career and his aspirations to coach a champion. Sure, you know exactly where the film is going, but if the film succeeds in telling the story it wants to tell, it doesn't necessarily matter the route it took to get there.6.9/10