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Eddie Griffin (center), Aunjanue Ellis (left), and Denise
Richards (right) in Undercover Brother.
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'Undercover Brother' Doesn't Keep Its Laughs Under Wraps
By Esther Iverem
SeeingBlack.com Editor and Film Critic
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Don't be fooled by the corny commercials. "Undercover Brother"
is not another jive installment of "Weak Ghetto Cinema," filled
with the usual cliches and recycled jokes. From start to finish,
it is unsparingly funny and works in everything from "Black man's
kryptonite" (White women) to the Godfather Of Soul, who paralyzes
villains with fancy footwork. The writer here, John Ridley, has
a brain and a degree in wit. And director Malcolm D. Lee ("The Best
Man") is not faking the funk. On a rating scale, I give "Undercover
Brother" four afro puffs.
There must be some 70's hallucinogen that periodically invades
the water supply of people who make movies, music and sneaker commercials.
And in the case of "Undercover Brother," I'm not mad about it at
all. Even Eddie Griffin is funny. He plays the role of a nickel-and-dime
private investigator, permanently stuck in the aesthetics of big
afros, platform shoes, bellbottom pants, Black power fist medallions
and Cadillacs. Undercover Brother is dedicated to saving the Black
community from the social and cultural losses since the 1970's.
As the rollicking intro reminds us, between the 70's and now, we've
gone from "Shaft," Pam Grier and Jim Kelly, to Urkel, Mr. T. and
a blonde Dennis Rodman wearing a white wedding dress.
But Undercover Brother not only cares about images and cultural
messages, he is willing to rob the rich to give to the poor. He
hooks up with The B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D, a Black secret organization
dedicated to fighting "The Man," who loathes the spread of Black
music, language, dress and dance, and plots to keep a popular Black
general (Billy Dee Williams) from becoming the first Black president
of the United States. Undercover Brother soon finds himself really
going undercover, trading his funky 70's attire for khakis and penny
loafers, at a multinational corporation that is flimsy front for
"The Man's" operations.
While the plot matters here, it does not matter as much as the
absurdity that the filmmakers create and ride like a wave, all the
while poking fun at popular culture. In this crazy world, James
Bond-like famous gadgets are funkified—platform shoes and pimp
jewelry can do amazing feats. Eating the wrong fried chicken will
turn you into Sambo (you can get "A Nappy Meal" complete with a
bottle of malt liquor). And a "Jaws"-like shark attack comes out
of nowhere.
Chris Kattan is madd funny here, as is David Chappell in the role
of Conspiracy Brother. This film raises the level of our comedies
back to the standard of classics like "Hollywood Shuffle" and "I'm
Gonna Git You Sucka." Along with "All About the Benjamins," "Undercover
Brother" makes 2002, so far, a good year for laughs.
Esther Iverem's film reviews also appear on BET.com
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-- June 7, 2002
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2001-05 Seeing Black, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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