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Action movies tend to follow along as a couple of tough guys race through the streets to catch the bad guys. But in Stuber, when a tough cop is in need of a ride, he’s forced to enlist the help of an average guy who’s far from tough—and anything but prepared for the adventure.
Stuber stars Kumail Nanjiani as Stu, a retail store employee who tries to make a little extra money by driving for Uber on the side. One night, he ends up accepting the wrong passenger: Vic Manning (Dave Bautista), a cop who’s hot on the trail of the ruthless drug lord who killed his partner but is unable to drive because he’s recovering from a Lasik procedure. Desperate for the all-important five-star rating, Stu finds himself racing through the streets, dodging bullets, and posing as Vic’s partner, so he can finally get rid of Vic and get on with his life.
From the very beginning, it’s painfully clear that everything about this story, its characters, and its setting is absolutely ridiculous. The cop who’s armed and out on the case despite being mostly blind, the Uber driver who’s so desperate for good ratings that he’ll put his life at risk—none of this stuff makes any sense at all. So, really, it’s just best not to think too much about it.
Still, if you can overlook the completely random set-up and some outrageously over-the-top scenarios, you’ll find yourself laughing out loud much more than you might expect—mostly because of Stu. Vic is brash and demanding, with a generally wooden personality, but his surliness just makes Stu all the more lovable in comparison. While Vic is muscular and driven—all classic rock and fast cars—Stu is timid and anxious, cautiously driving his leased electric car. He’s unable to tell his best friend how he really feels about her. He’s afraid to stand up to Vic. And as he chauffeurs Vic through car chases and shootouts, his reactions to each new situation are exaggerated versions of the way that any of us would react (only with more silly one-liners). And although not all of the comedy works, he nearly single-handedly keeps this film from being a waste of summer screen time.
Stuber is about as brainless as an action-comedy can get—because the only way that you can enjoy it is to ignore all of the ridiculous details. But if you can do that, you’ll be rewarded with some over-the-top laughs.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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