|
|
|
|
|
In 1992, Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes teamed up as a couple of hustlers shooting hoops in Ron Shelton’s classic basketball comedy White Men Can’t Jump. Now, thirty years later, another duo tries to hustle their way to a big payday in Hulu’s remake.
White Men Can’t Jump follows two down-and-out basketball players as they try to make some extra cash at a basketball tournament. Ten years ago, Kamal (Sinqua Walls) was the top high school prospect—until an arrest cut his hopes of basketball stardom short. Now, he’s trying to support his wife and son on a delivery driver’s salary and playing the occasional pick-up game at the gym. But when he’s hustled by Jeremy (Jack Harlow), a former college player whose injuries ended his career, Kamal decides to team up with him for a local tournament—because they both need the money.
The two players have their obvious differences, but they’ve got to work through their issues while hustling other players to earn the money for the tournament’s entry fee. While the basic idea behind the original and the sequel may be similar, though, the remake just doesn’t have the same wild basketball comedy—and the stars just don’t have the same appeal. Walls makes Kamal a likable character—this devoted husband and father who works hard to provide for his family while weighed down by his feelings of regret over the stupid mistake that crushed his pro basketball dreams. Though the character’s background doesn’t exactly make for great comedic material, audiences will relate to his challenges and admire his dedication.
His costar, however, doesn’t have any of the same charm. Everything about Jeremy is just plain cringe-worthy—from his ridiculous wardrobe to his questionable detox juice business to the way that it seems as though every time he opens his mouth, something awkwardly offensive comes barreling out. Woody Harrelson has always had the kind of mischievous charm that would make you laugh at his jokes even if he were blatantly insulting you to your face. There’s just a cleverness to his style—paired with that knowing smirk—that makes him funny. But that’s not the case for Harlow. Between the writing and his clumsy delivery, his character just comes off as idiotic and oblivious. And instead of a fun-filled update of a beloved ‘90s comedy, it makes the remake just painful to watch.
If you’re looking for the same fun-filled basketball comedy as Harrelson and Snipes brought to the original White Men Can’t Jump, you’ll be disappointed by the remake. So it might be best just to rewatch the original and skip this one.
The White Men Can’t Jump remake premieres on Hulu on May 19, 2023.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
|
|
|
|
