Movie Reviews

When Undercover Brother came to theatres, I think a lot of people gave it a pass because it looked like cheaply-done, cliched movie about black stereotypes. Too bad for those people, because this is actually a very funny, very smart movie. It doesn't really try to use 'black-person stereotypes' to create humour, but instead it makes fun of those stereotypes, and as such, it's actually a very light-hearted, non-offensive comedy (that's something of a rarity these days, insn't it?).

Still, it's pretty hard to review comedies like this. Either you found it funny or you didn't, and no matter what I say I'm not likely to be able to change someone's opinion... suffice to say that I found it really funny. There's some great throw-away bits in Undercover Brother, like the fact that there's a secret organization called The B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D., who strives to bring down The Man -- who happens to be an actual person (okay, well that isn't really a throw-away bit, that's actually pretty much the whole plot of the film). But I loved, for example, how the acronym of the organization's name is never explained, and how entrance into their lair requires a 'blackness confirmation' by way of an elaborate handshake with a robotic arm. Or how about the scene in which a retired black army general makes an appearance at a press-conference, where everyone anticapates he will announce his run for the presidency. When it turns out that he's actually just planning on opening up a chain of fried-chicken restaurants, the startled reporters at the conference start shouting questions at the general, the last of which we hear is, "Will there be side-dishes!?"

Anyway, I think the best recommendation I can make is to say that if you liked the style of humour found in the Austin Powers series, there's a pretty good chance you'll like Undercover Brother, too.