Undercover Brother (2002)

Best movie ever!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Undercover Brother is a great film and the comedy is effortless. The cast give very good performances and viewers are treated to a simple and humorous plot. In every essence this is a 'feel good' movie, it is not made to be intellectually complex or thought provoking. Nor is there any expectation to claim an Oscar. Feel good movies make you feel light-hearted and very satisfied that you watched it, these are the kind of movies you love to watch and keep a copy to see it again. It cannot be compared to Schinder's list which is Oscar worthy but not something you feel like seeing again. The plot is simple and the villains are hilarious in order to convey the light-hearted nature of what would be a serious issue in any other context. Talented and intelligent writers make the material tale a big leap. Eddie Griffin is fantastic and does a great job as the lead actor and Denise Richards is stunning. This is a very strong feel good film that will both entertain and make you feel good. 8.5/10

I have not had any prior exposure to this... it's not really a franchise yet, is it...? anyway, I haven't seen the web series, though now I sure would consider it. This is satire, with some fantastic material. The humor is definitely the high point. There are many different kinds of jokes and gags... cleverness, references(to quite a bit of pop culture of the last three or four decades), spoofs and more. No gross-out comedy, I believe, as far as I recall. A lot of it is based on stereotypes, and while one might think that such would lead to a poor result, this actually winds up being very funny and it holds good points, delivered well. A campy, seventies-throwback James Bond-type flick. *And* it's got Billy Dee Williams. The action is well-choreographed and entertaining. All the gadgets are cool. The dialog is well-written, as is the plot. Language isn't too bad. Sexuality is limited to suggestive material, lines and attire. There is mention of drugs. The violence isn't bloody, strong or even remotely serious in tone. I recommend this to fans of the people involved in making this, and anyone to whom the concept appeals. 7/10

The black version of Austin Powers after 5 years of the original. Or it's the Bond spoof meets the Blexploitation spoof. Anyhow it's one of the funniest comedies through one of the shortest 90 minutes movies. But it got some problems that made it away from being the smart parody it could've been._The casting : (Eddie Griffin) is good comedian but way far to be a lead. He lacked the charisma and the personal touch. (Chris Kattan) transformed the whole matter into a big silly gag, sometimes being hysterical doesn't mean laughable. (Denise Richards) don't get me starting, as an actress she's the weakest, and as a sexy mama she's not (they even had to enlarge her assets to look good at the poster !!). (Chi McBride) wasn't that good as a comedian. And finally (Aunjanue Ellis) was droll as (Sistah Girl) but not great as a (girl)! _The direction : (Malcolm D. Lee) handled it lame for most of the time. He let the jokes scenes, like all of Dave Chappelle's ones, be like a stand-up comic number or a devoted TV work. His cadres were so tide, his camera didn't move where it should be. I felt like this is just a TV sketch more than a respectable cinematic parody. Not to mention how I'm still dying to watch a parody, any parody, for the technicalities, the goofs, and the lowness of some of the Blexploitation movies, to not find it here or anywhere ! They're things begging to be spoofed._The production : it's weird, because at the end you'd witness some money here, like they were saving what they have during all the movie to spend it away at the climax only ?? Despite anything, its writer (John Ridley) made a fine comedy with some effective sarcasm aiming at the modern pop, and representing some nice "black" jokes about the so-called "white" culture. I found it too amusing to watch ideas like : a brainwash by the Mayonnaise, letting the politics to the Kentucky Fried chicken, the rap music beats the racism,.. etc. It's even an ethical movie (drugs can make you paranoiac)!. All of that in fast speed, sharp editing (sometimes), and with so brilliant dialog. Without the usual common nowadays' trash of (toilet humor, bad taste, dirty rude comedy,..).In fact it managed to be good as a spoof, but not as a very good spoof.

My family and I caught this movie on TV and could not stop laughing. There are some that might say that it is insulting to blacks but there is nothing wrong in being able to laugh at yourself once in a while and accept that we do have our shortcomings along with EVERYBODY ELSE. Basically Undercover Brother is about a brother stuck in a time warp (the Seventies) and helps the black community he then gets recruited into the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D and the story goes from there. The jokes centre around the many aspects of black life and attitudes but I believe it is done with good humour in mind however I found the funniest scene to be fight scene between the two ladies and I also found funny is the way Denise Richard's character pronounced the black girls name wrong when they were in the clothes shop. What I enjoyed is unlike most comedies Undercover Brother remained a comedy from start to finish, there are too many comedies that start of funny and then go serious films like, Big, Kindergarten Cop, Mrs Doubtfire to name a few. Just when you thought undercover brother would go the same way it did not. All in all I enjoyed this movie and I put my money where my mouth is by buying the movie on DVD. All the kids have borrowed it from me to watch it again and they are still laughing. A good movie.