May 19, 2023
FILM: WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP
DIRECTED BY: CALMATIC
STARRING: SINQUA WALLS, JACK HARLOW, LANCE REDDICK
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
When I heard that there was a remake of the 1992 hit film White Men Can’t Jump I was skeptical as to its prospects of being a necessary and worthy update. After all, the original starred Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, and in a scene-stealing performance, Rosie Perez. The new version stars Sinqua Walls and Jack Harlow. I was unfamiliar with Walls’s work and I thought Harlow was a pop star who primarily acted in his own music videos. Well, I was pleasantly surprised at the end result. The 2023 version of White Men Can’t Jump is a delight.
The premise of the film features a former basketball star, Kamal (Walls), and a white amateur player, Jeremy (Harlow), who meet on the court and strike up enough of a rapport to start playing tournaments for money. Both are down on their luck with Kamal dealing with his sick inspirational father (played by Lance Reddick in one of his last roles) and Jeremy recovering from knee surgery. Of course, the comedy found in the original film and in this one centers around the notion that white guys can’t play basketball like black guys can. Generally, this leads to some taunting on the courts and a series of racist remarks about the inclusion of this very white bread player. The film could have gone horribly wrong if it stuck with that premise and relied on tired old black vs. white clichés. But that’s not what happens here. As Kamal’s father acknowledges the men “have more in common than meets the eye.” (Okay, some might find this to be a tired racial trope but it does work here and is not overly belabored to make viewers’ eyes roll.)
Part of what makes the film work are the generally well-developed characters. Kamal recognizes that the life he seemed destined for in high school hasn’t quite panned out. As such, he’s working for an Amazon-like delivery service and has a few recurring anger issues. Jeremy is particularly interesting. He’s trying to hawk a thirty-day detox beverage while walking around with an NPR bag and engaging in meditation both on and off the court. Jack Harlow is surprisingly effective in this part. He’s endearing and funny at times and projects a cockiness and confidence that sells his abilities to some of the other players as well as the audience. He also can seemingly really play basketball.
The film itself is a rather low-key comedy. There’s not a lot of big laughs to be had and that’s okay. This is a down to earth story that feels more mature than it could have been in the wrong hands. Director Calmatic, primarily known for directing music videos, handles the tone well. Yes, there are the necessary fights on the court, some one-dimensional opponent players, and perhaps a bit much use of slow motion during major scenes but none of these elements ever overstay their welcome.
So, was this a necessary remake? Well, given that the original film is over thirty years old now it helps that this new version sells the story with plenty of contemporary references including Venmo, Tik Tok, and Ed Sheeran. Yet it’s never so rooted in today’s world that it fails to acknowledge the past. Songs featured include works by such classic R&B artists as the O’Jays, War, and Grover Washington Jr. So, there’s plenty for those of us of a certain generation to connect with, especially if one is a basketball fan.
Overall, this is an enjoyable enough experience. It’s not going to win any awards or go down in history as anything particularly significant but there is clearly an audience out there who will get a kick out of the film.
White Men Can’t Jump begins streaming today on Hulu.
FILM: WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP
DIRECTED BY: CALMATIC
STARRING: SINQUA WALLS, JACK HARLOW, LANCE REDDICK
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
When I heard that there was a remake of the 1992 hit film White Men Can’t Jump I was skeptical as to its prospects of being a necessary and worthy update. After all, the original starred Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, and in a scene-stealing performance, Rosie Perez. The new version stars Sinqua Walls and Jack Harlow. I was unfamiliar with Walls’s work and I thought Harlow was a pop star who primarily acted in his own music videos. Well, I was pleasantly surprised at the end result. The 2023 version of White Men Can’t Jump is a delight.
The premise of the film features a former basketball star, Kamal (Walls), and a white amateur player, Jeremy (Harlow), who meet on the court and strike up enough of a rapport to start playing tournaments for money. Both are down on their luck with Kamal dealing with his sick inspirational father (played by Lance Reddick in one of his last roles) and Jeremy recovering from knee surgery. Of course, the comedy found in the original film and in this one centers around the notion that white guys can’t play basketball like black guys can. Generally, this leads to some taunting on the courts and a series of racist remarks about the inclusion of this very white bread player. The film could have gone horribly wrong if it stuck with that premise and relied on tired old black vs. white clichés. But that’s not what happens here. As Kamal’s father acknowledges the men “have more in common than meets the eye.” (Okay, some might find this to be a tired racial trope but it does work here and is not overly belabored to make viewers’ eyes roll.)
Part of what makes the film work are the generally well-developed characters. Kamal recognizes that the life he seemed destined for in high school hasn’t quite panned out. As such, he’s working for an Amazon-like delivery service and has a few recurring anger issues. Jeremy is particularly interesting. He’s trying to hawk a thirty-day detox beverage while walking around with an NPR bag and engaging in meditation both on and off the court. Jack Harlow is surprisingly effective in this part. He’s endearing and funny at times and projects a cockiness and confidence that sells his abilities to some of the other players as well as the audience. He also can seemingly really play basketball.
The film itself is a rather low-key comedy. There’s not a lot of big laughs to be had and that’s okay. This is a down to earth story that feels more mature than it could have been in the wrong hands. Director Calmatic, primarily known for directing music videos, handles the tone well. Yes, there are the necessary fights on the court, some one-dimensional opponent players, and perhaps a bit much use of slow motion during major scenes but none of these elements ever overstay their welcome.
So, was this a necessary remake? Well, given that the original film is over thirty years old now it helps that this new version sells the story with plenty of contemporary references including Venmo, Tik Tok, and Ed Sheeran. Yet it’s never so rooted in today’s world that it fails to acknowledge the past. Songs featured include works by such classic R&B artists as the O’Jays, War, and Grover Washington Jr. So, there’s plenty for those of us of a certain generation to connect with, especially if one is a basketball fan.
Overall, this is an enjoyable enough experience. It’s not going to win any awards or go down in history as anything particularly significant but there is clearly an audience out there who will get a kick out of the film.
White Men Can’t Jump begins streaming today on Hulu.