STUBER REVIEW
Starring: Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani
Directed By: Michael Dowse (Goon)
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 hour 33 minutes
A movie like Stuber got made every week seemingly in the 80s and 90s.Two mismatched people solve a case together.And they unexpectedly become friends by movie’s end.I don’t know why these stopped being made. I still like a buddy cop movie.They’re fun.Usually pretty light.Stuff blows up.I thought they were fairly safe.Turns out I was completely wrong, because no one went to see Stuber the last two weeks.The Lion King made more in Thursday night preview screenings than Stuber did in its first ten days.But that doesn’t make one movie better than the other.
Stuber tells the story of Vic, a police officer who obsesses over the one criminal who got away.Vic is played by former WWE superstar and current Guardian of the Galaxy, Dave Bautista.One day after laser eye surgery, Vic commandeers the services of Uber driver Stu, played by Kumail Nanjiani.Vic is a big burly guy who loves guns and yelling.Stu is a soft spoken, mild mannered guy who wants to save the environment.
Guess what happens next?They don’t get along.Crazy, right!Each man doesn’t see how the other can possibly exist as a man, but along the way they learn a bit from each other.Even though you know every single thing that’s going to happen in Stuber, it still makes for a fun ride.
The jokes are funny.There’s interesting side characters.Kumail Nanjiani seems up for anything.I enjoy his dry, self-deprecating style of comedy.As a wrestling fan, I’m always rooting for those guys to succeed.
The downside to Stuber is really in the way the movie treats Bautista in the first 30 minutes or so.He’s treated as this geriatric Mr Magoo type character and Bautista is 50 in real life, probably younger in the movie.Why is he being treated as an ancient guy who can’t see, can’t use a cell phone, and all this stuff.It isn’t true to life.It’s a small gripe, but something I couldn’t stop thinking about in the opening act.
Stuber was surprisingly violent.Most times in a comedic way, but it was a very bloody movie.It probably didn’t have to be.Not necessarily a flaw, just a note I wrote down.If Josh Odson is noting how violent a movie is, it must be pretty violent.
The movie plays out exactly how you think it does.You’re not there for the plot though.You’re there for the jokes.You’re there to see the chemistry between Bautista and Nanjiani.For the most part, it works.There’s a message in there about the different types of manliness in today’s society if you want to see it.If you just want to go to the movies and laugh at the jokes, you can.It comes close to being preachy, but falls short of that mark.
On a scale of “See It/Stream It/Skip It” – Stream It – Worth seeing if you like the cast, it’d be a sweet deal if you got it on Hulu or something you already subscribe to.Might not be worth the price of tickets, food, and a babysitter.
If you liked Lethal Weapon, Rush Hour, or 21 Jump Street you might like Stuber.
3 out of 5 stars for Stuber.It’s not a sequel or a reboot.It’s not breaking the mold, but it’s an effective summer comedy.The movie isn’t good per se, but I laughed a lot and enjoyed myself.