Stuber – Review

Stuber

Directed by: Michael Dowse

Runtime: 93 manly minutes

Stuber is a comedy about an Uber driver named Stu. I can’t wait for its follow-up, Joela. I’m actually being sincere with that. Well, somewhat. It wouldn’t be called that. But this buddy cop (although one isn’t technically a cop) comedy delivers enough (Uber Gags?) and the chemistry between its leads is endearing enough that I would watch more.

Kumail Nanjiani plays the titular Stu. He drives Uber part-time to supplement his income from a camping goods store run by his inappropriate boss (Jimmy Tatro, who plays an unbelievably good douchebag). He is helplessly in love with Becca (Betty Gilpin, who can somehow both be adorable and pull the best bitch face at the same time). But it is pathetic (relatable?). Dave Bautista is Detective Victor Manning, whose surname is probably the least stereotypically manly thing about him. He’s being haunted because his punchy-punches weren’t enough to stop something bad happening to his partner (Karen Gillan). Now he wants to get some manly revenge on that perp (Iko Uwais). He will do it with dogged police work and a willingness to inflict grievous bodily harm on those who stand in his way (dodgy police work?).

Because he’s getting older, Manning’s vision is starting to go, so he gets laser-eye surgery. He inconveniently books this on the day his “beautiful and talented” (as the cliché goes) daughter (Natalie Morales) opens her new art exhibition. Damn. This is also the night that the evil perp’s drug operation goes down. Double damn. Time to double-down and get double-manly. But he’s going to need a driver…

It sounds like I didn’t enjoy this movie. That’s not true. Bautista is more animated in this film than he was as Drax in the Marvel films, but he still brings the comedic timing coupled with this weird child-like vulnerability that makes him rather endearing on the screen. He might have a very limited number of problem-solving techniques, but when he jumps a few storeys because he hears his partner might be in trouble, we know that he’s the sort of guy that wants to care. Nanjiani’s character might sometimes flail his arms around and scream in terror, but there is an underlying wit and impatience with the world that gives the character a slight edge. Their banter is fun.

You can see the mechanics of Stuber. And I’m not simply talking about the obvious product placement for Uber. When information is introduced, it is obvious how it is going to play out later. But predictable isn’t always bad. We get that Manning is going to learn how to be a more emotionally complete guy and that Stu is going to start drawing healthy boundaries. And you know that without even seeing the movie, so it’s not really a spoiler. You can feel how the movie was written by Tripper Clancy, and it follows all the rules. But it follows them well. It’s a good cop. People enjoy the safety of these sorts of movies. And it was actually kind of touching to see the big guy let his emotions out at the end.

There’s often pressure to trash a comedy because it doesn’t re-invent the wheel. But Stuber takes the wheel and only mounts the curb a couple of times (I never need to hear Nanjiani yell “It’s a rental!” ever again). I saw it with a good friend and we had a nice laugh and a good time. Perhaps a better time than the henchman that gets exploded by the… nah that would be a spoiler.