Skip to main content

White Men Can't Jump (2023)



White Men Can't Jump is a remake of the 1992 film, this time with a more modern story.

There are two screenplay writers on this film, Kenya Barris and Doug Hall. Barris and Hall are known for Black-ish so take that for what you will. Barris also did Coming 2 America and is much more prolific. Ron Shelton was brought on to help keep the bones of the original there. The writing isn't horrible but it isn't anything special.

The director is Calmatic who isn't really known for movies as he's a music video director having done that Old Town Road song. There were some scenes I would have reshot but overall decent job.

After seeing The Blackening earlier this year I was going to compare Sinqua Walls then and now. He's much better in this film as Kamal. He is also given a lot more to work with in this film with the beautiful Teyana Taylor playing his wife. She's great and believable. 

Jack Harlow is dating Laura Harrier, and playing the titular character. I didn't know who Harlow was before this film as I had not seen any of his music videos. He does a really good job for this being his first movie. He falls into the white guy amongst black people pretty well and the dialogue they give him he delivers. Laura Harrier has a resting-innocent face and you might recognize her from BlacKkKlansman or Spider-Man: Homecoming. This is probably her best performance.

The film can't live up to the first one because Jack Harlow doesn't have the comedic timing of Woody. I gave the original a B and this one a B-.



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psycho Killer (2026)

Psycho Killer (2026) is a religious-tinged detective thriller that leans far more into procedural tension than outright horror. Directed by Gavin Polone , who is better known as a producer than a filmmaker, the movie benefits heavily from its screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker , the writer behind Se7en . His fingerprints are all over this. The writing is sharp, layered with foreshadowing that only fully clicks at the end, and structured in a way that constantly feels like it is building toward something inevitable. The gorgeous  Georgina Campbell plays the detective tracking down the titular killer, and she carries the film with confidence. You'll remember her from Barbarian and recently Cold Storage.  The script gives her plenty of emotional range to explore, from controlled professionalism to visible cracks under pressure. She handles the lore-heavy exposition well and grounds what could have been overwhelming backstory. It is another strong showing for her and proof she c...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cold Storage (2026)

Cold Storage (2026) is a sci fi horror thriller that surprised me in a good way. The writing is solid enough that it actually calmed some of my worries about Disclosure Day coming later this year since the same writer is involved. The story holds together and stays engaging, even when the visuals do not. The CG is laughably bad at times, but the acting/chemistry keeps the movie watchable. Jonny Campbell directs, with the screenplay by David Koepp , known for Jurassic Park and Spider-Man . His writing here is tighter than expected, which is why it gives me more confidence about Disclosure Day. The direction is straightforward and lets the script do most of the work, even if the effects budget clearly limits what can be shown on screen. He needs a redemption after  Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Joe Keery , known for Stranger Things and Free Guy , is the main reason I showed up. He proves he can handle a leading role after Stranger Things and carries the film with a relax...
Post a Comment
Read more

Crime 101 (2026)

Crime 101 (2026) is a crime thriller that checks the basic boxes of what should work, but the writing never tightens enough to make it compelling. It hits familiar beats, runs longer than it should, and never quite earns its tension. It feels like a good movie outline stretched into a full runtime. Bart Layton , known for American Animals and The Imposter , directs, and his uneven filmography shows here. The structure is serviceable, but the pacing drags and the scenes lack urgency. The direction is competent without being memorable, and the film never finds a sharp identity. Chris Hemsworth , known for Thor and Extraction , plays the reclusive criminal at the center of the story. He tries to lean into a quieter, more internal performance, but he does not fully sell the damaged foster child mentality the script is aiming for. The performance feels like an attempt rather than a transformation. Mark Ruffalo , recognized for Spotlight and The Avengers , feels like he is on autopilo...
Post a Comment
Read more