Kumail Nanjiani and Dave Bautista form a likeable odd couple in this Uber action comedy, where admirable performances help elevate its shortcomings.
After his cop partner is killed by a wanted drug lord, Vics (Dave Bautista) life is swallowed by vengeance at the expense of the relationship with his daughter. As hes threatened to be pulled off the case, a last minute tip off leads him to unexpectedly pair up with mild mannered Uber driver Stu (Kumail Nanjiani), who simply wants a five star rating to keep his job.
What unfolds is a comedy which plays around with masculinity. While Vic is bursting into gang hideouts, flashing his pistol and grunting his way through social interactions, Stu is overly polite and eager to please; even investing in a business with the woman he loves in the hopes theyll end up together despite her flings elsewhere.
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Its both a compliment and a pitfall Stuber mostly delivers what youd expect. The central duo are a charming combo, with Kumail especially proving just as likeable as his past role in The Big Sick, albeit with forgettable, less witty material. He provides the films standout moments though, with a propane tank incident in a car chase particularly striking the sweet spot between absurd hyper violence and hilarious shocks.
Bautista channels a similar beat to his comedic role in as Drax from Guardians Of The Galaxy, with one literal metaphor joke feeling ripped from its pages. Its his chemistry with Kumail youre paying for here though, even if its trapped in a film which isnt quite as abrasive, or sweet, as youd want it to be.
Theres nothing necessarily wrong with Stuber, but theres not much remarkable about it either. The action scenes are weighty if fleeting, and often feel like theyre compensating for a lack of smarts beneath the noise — especially compared to rivals like 22 Jump Street. The script is also reliable for laughs, but suffers whenever Kumails character isnt in the picture to cut through the clunkiness.
More: Dave Bautista
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There is something pleasingly direct about Stuber though. Clocking in at just over 90 minutes, Its brisk and doesnt outstay its welcome. It ends on a hRead More – Source
