Remakes are nothing new in our current movie landscape though few have felt as bafflingly unnecessary and painfully unfunny as White Men Can’t Jump. Though the 1992 original starring the spectacular duo of Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes is not perfect by any means, it remains a comedy that actually feels alive. From its direction to its writing, it was like we were dropped into a world of actual basketball players attempting to use their skills on the court to make some cash. Not only did we believe that they could actually play well enough to pull off such a hustle, the back-and-forth between the characters crackled with authenticity. This new take has some promising aspects going for it, namely in the more understated performance of Sinqua Walls of the recent horror film Nanny, but he is held back by its greatest hindrance: his co-star. In his film debut, rapper Jack Harlow can't hold his own.
Though Harlow is not the first musical artist to make an unsuccessful attempt to pivot to acting, it is hard to think of a more awkward screen presence. He is painfully one note, delivering every line with the same flat tone and intonation. As a dorky hipster whose cringe is his way of hustling, he is annoying rather than funny. Not only that, it becomes boring as opposed to as goofy or gregarious as the film wants us to believe he is. From the moment where his Birkenstock-wearing character strolls onto the screen, the performance just never feels convincing. Considering the humor of the film and the hook of the hustle itself hinges on people buying into his shtick, this undercuts the foundation of everything that it is going for. Where Harrelson didn’t overplay the character, proving to be more convincing in everything from his trash-talking to his play, Harlow’s entire performance feels like it is both trying too hard and not trying hard enough. His expression basically never changes, going from blank befuddlement to empty smiles, and every conversation feels like he is reading it for the first time. Considering comedy is all about timing, this ends up being the death blow that everything else must try to battle against. Even for those that may like Harlow’s music, there are so many other talented comedic performers who ought to have been in this leading role.
Directed by Calmatic, who helmed the similarly bizarre recent remake House Party, the film follows the general outline of the original story with two players coming together to try to win money on the court. Kamal (Walls) is a talented player who was on the cusp of a promising career in the sport before he got in an altercation during a game that still haunts him. Similarly, Jeremy (Harlow) was looking to make it before injuries cut short his dreams that he is still clinging to. On the other, despite their persistent arguing, they see an opportunity to continue playing and making money at the same time. Each is also trying to be a better man for their partners and work through family problems to mixed results. Kamal is caring though often oblivious to what is important to his wife Imani, played by an underutilized Teyana Taylor who shined in the recent film A Thousand and One, while playing more and more with Jeremy. Also in the picture is Kamal’s father Benji, played by the late great Lance Reddick who is similarly underutilized in one of his last film roles, who was his greatest advocate though is now in ailing health. On the other hand, Jeremy is a bit of a bum who frequently deceives his hardworking girlfriend Tatiana (Laura Harrier) who is growing increasingly fed up with him.
Where the original balanced the dramatic and the comedic beats, both feel forced here. The humor rarely lands with modern references only loosely taking the form of actual jokes and the dramatic escalations are contrived to no end. When paired with an uninspired soundtrack, with one late needle drop that occurs diegetically proving to be particularly eye-rolling, and a bland visual style that lacks the rich texture of the original, it feels most like a cut for time SNL sketch that has been stretched to a feature. While Walls is able to bring something more to the experience, it is a performance that deserved both a far better movie and a scene partner to bounce off of. One moment towards the end that he shares with Reddick in particular feels like a bright spot in an otherwise dull experience. It is a reminder of how, more than star power or recognizability, great acting is irreplaceable. Just as he did in all of his roles, Reddick gives his all and elevates the material to heights that it would have never reached without him. It feels like a breath of fresh air in a film that was gasping for something resembling gravitas. Had this relationship between father and son been more explored, there could have been a compelling emotional undercurrent that worked. It still wouldn’t have been funny elsewhere, but at least there would have been some actually earned dramatic moments to build on.
The problem just keeps coming back to Harlow. Not only is he just out of his depth in hitting the necessary comedic notes, but the hollowness of his performance also becomes impossible to overlook when his character goes through a rough patch and must find redemption. None of it connects even as it telegraphs from a mile away what is about to happen in the final tournament. Without the same investment in the characters that the original built up, there is just little to care about by the time it all comes to a close. Everything is so cloying with the rapid succession of contrived full-circle moments almost falling into parody. There might be a willingness to go with this if Harlow was genuinely funny and convincing as the character though that never happens. Just like other films of late that have cast bigger-name musical artists in large roles, his inclusion has everything to do with his name and nothing to do with his talent as an actor. When it subsequently trades the sharper and more bittersweet humor of the original’s ending for unearned sentimentality in a conclusion that hurriedly everything wraps up in a neat little bow, this lack of care ensures any possible engagement evaporates.
Rating: D
White Men Can't Jump is available to stream on May 19 on Hulu.