Here’s my take on Uncle Drew which stars Kyrie Irving, Lil Rel Howery, Shaquille O’Neal, Reggie Miller and a whole lot more. The film is directed by Charles Stone III and distributed locally by Rafaella Films.

So. They finally made that famous Pepsi commercial into an actual movie. And they actually succeeded in making it a fun, semi-family film. Impressive.

Uncle Drew is pretty much Kyrie Irving and friends the movie. Not that that’s a bad thing. I think it’s pretty cool actually. The main thrust of the story though is the search for a replacement basketball team for frustrated basketball player and current basketball coach, Dax (Lil Rel Howery). Thanks to some quick con moves by rival Mookie (Nick Kroll) he has to find Uncle Drew and his team back to make it to the prestigious Rucker tournament in Harlem.

PROS

There were a lot of funny moments written around Lil Rel’s character Dax, typical comedy stuff we see in Hollywood these days. I dunno what they did in the movie, but it was a fun experience for me.

Maaaaaannn, those moves on the court were simply AWESOME. Whether its Reggie Miller landing those three pointers or Nate Robinson’s Boots sending fast dunks, it’s just poetry in motion. Hell, even Lisa Leslie’s Betty Lou made a lot of great shots here.

Nick Kroll as the antagonist Mookie, while pretty much two dimensional, was hard not to notice. He was just that annoying and egotistical in his portrayal.

Howery’s Dax may come as a bit of a jerk at the start but he definitely did undergo a catharsis in the film. And its deep considering this is a basketball movie.

Loved EVERY Shaq moment in this movie. As Big Fella, the dude’s a walking, talking intimidation. Plus his subplot about having major beef with Irving’s Uncle Drew definitely fleshed out their characters a bit. To think that he had the biggest impact for the characters and at the same time got the team closer than ever before.

There’s also dancing in this movie. Should be a pro but also a con (see the CONS section below).

I definitely loved the film’s opening where we get to meet Uncle Drew and see how it all went downward spiral for him and his team which then gets revisited 40 years later. That whole ESPN vibe sure worked tremendously here.

CONS

Uncle Drew sticks to formula comedy and storytelling. Of course its not supposed to be taken seriously but still, I would have loved to see them actually explore these characters because hey, there’s a chance for a sequel. Who knows right?

There’s dancing in this. White Chicks style of dancing. It’s a pro and a con at the same time. Depends on what type of moviegoer you are.

We really could have done more comedic stuff from the other NBA stars that appeared in the film. I felt it lacking to be honest but then again, you can only get so much done with a limited total running time.

Uncle Drew Movie Review – Verdict

9/10

Highly recommended for basketball fans, not just fans of Kyrie Irving. If you love basketball comedies (except you Air Bud) then Uncle Drew will definitely tickle your fancy.