Stu drives an Uber. So, is Stuber super-duper, or stupid-putrid? A critic for RogerEbert.com says, “the only thing worse than hot garbage is elaborately lukewarm mediocrity.” Nice quote, huh? On the other hand, Richard Roeper finds “Stuber kind of dumb and a little bit clunky, but Kumail Nanjiani and Dave Bautista click.” Just what does it take to get five stars on this uber-Stuber ride? And the winner is . . . anyone who saves his money by avoiding this fiasco. The only time Nanjiani and Bautista click is when one of them pulls the trigger on an empty gun. I give this movie 2.5 Gavels and it receives a 46% Rotten Tomatoes rating with no Audience score yet.
Plot
Detective Vic Manning receives intel that the drug dealer who killed his partner is back in business. Since Vic had lasik surgery on his eyes, his vision is still blurry. A call to Uber brings unsuspecting Stu to his “rescue.” Stu needs this ride to be perfect to maintain his job with Uber. It will be a night to remember, bodies left behind.
Actors
Is it predjudiced to make a Pakistani, Kumail Nanjiani, so good in The Big Sick, an Uber driver? He is the best part of the film, but just doesn’t nail the part. Dave Bautista can be very funny. With limited vision chasing violent drug members, his attempts at comedy also fall flat. Mira Sorvino is Vic’s boss but her part is so short that necessary background is still on the cutting room floor. Vic’s daughter, played by Natalie Morales, did not fit the plot at all, like she was an afterthought.
Final Thoughts
At a short 88 minutes, someone tried to save this muddled mess. Even then, there is just not enough material to sustain your interest. Vic is the cop who lives his job, all the while ignoring his daughter. Supposedly in touch with his feelings, Stu lets his female “friend” walk all over him. Thrown together, these two opposites must cooperate, then bond. It’s all been done before and much better. The five star Uber premise with two different style actors should work. Yet, the violence just doesn’t let their comedic talents shine. My recommendation is that you don’t let Stuber take you for a ride.
The movie was not that bad. In fact I liked it. I have NEVER seen Dave Bautista in anything comedic which was one reason I saw this flick. Bautista is at least as funny as Arnold, and with some work on timing could be even funnier. Sorvino is not in the movie that much and there does need to be some more information on her motivation for being so bad. Nanjiani is very funny a very good foil for Bautista. For a freshman effort it is pretty good. There should be a sequel “Revenge of the Stuber” could be pretty funny eh?