Review of Uncle Drew (2018) by Greatmartin — 02 Jul 2018

The amazing thing about “Uncle Drew” was how much I enjoyed it! I went in begrudgingly knowing it was a movie about a bunch of old men, ex-basketball players, who want to recapture their youth and there would be the tired Viagra, prostrate plus many other comedy clichés about old people and, yes, they were all there. You know who is going to win the game and, yet, how the heck did I and the rest of the audience cheer the old geezers on and applaud when they win!

There is heart, tears, cheers, laughs, and just, in general, a good feeling as you walk out of the theatre. Oh yes, be sure to stay for the end credits and it’s NOT a body double for Shaquille O’Neal! Along with Shaq there is Kyrie Irving as Uncle Drew, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson and Lisa Leslie as the ‘old’ players. The make-up for them alone is worth seeing the movie.

Lil Rel Howery as a hustler and sad sack holds his own against an obnoxious, annoying played for laughs by Nick Kroll are two rivals with the latter being responsible for destroying the former’s dreams.

Like everyone in the world who saw “Girl’s Trip” I, too, fell in love with Tiffany Haddish is starting to come on too strong, in a negative way, playing the same character in whatever she is doing. Yes, I don’t blame her for cashing in while she can but she just might have a longer career if she would just tone it down a bit.

Erica Ash as wheelchair-bound Robinson’s granddaughter and caretaker is a delightful new face, handling the comedy as all do.