Undercover Brother

UNDERCOVER BROTHER (2002) **** Eddie Griffin, Chris Kattan, Denise Richards, Aunjanue Ellis, Dave Chappelle, Chi McBride, Gary Anthony Williams, Neil Patrick Harris, Billy Dee Williams, Jack Noseworthy, James Brown (as himself). Hysterically funny adaptation of the cult Internet animated hero tailor made for Griffin (finally a vehicle to prove he's one funny guy) – a self-defined hero with a style not unlike Shaft or Superfly (well, at least the funky duds and humongo Afro with pork chop sideburns) – who teams up with THE B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D - an underground secret agency for the African American way of life – out to thwart The Man from whitewashing America. I haven't laughed from beginning to end of a comedy in many a moon and practically every sight gag, one-liner, and/or slapstick works on every level, low and highbrow thanks to the character's creator John Ridley (who collaborated on the riotous script with Michael McCullers) but it's hats off to Chappelle as the militant headstrong Conspiracy Brother that steals the show with every outrageous vent of his angry spleen; the sexy duplicity of babelicious Richards as Penelope Snow (aka White She-Devil) – ‘the black man's Kryptonite' – whose hellacious curves and pouty demeanor is campily and knowingly spoofed to full effect; Elllis equally hot and cool as ass-kicking Sista Girl; rotund nerd Williams as Smart Brother the techno dweeb; McBride as the gruff yet lovable Chief; Harris as white boy intern Lance (who arguably has one of the funniest cinematic breakdown fights ever put onscreen) and finally formidably nutty foil Kattan as right hand flunky to the archenemy. In the same vein as AUSTIN POWERS, ZOOLANDER & POOTIE TANG : quite simply the year's funniest film and one of the funniest films ever made. Solid! (Dir: Malcolm D. Lee)

...Most of the time, the type of comedies we get are teen comedies that pretty much only focus on sexual topics. Not my cup of tea. It's just not funny.

But here, we have a brilliantly funny comedy about a black man mentally stuck in the 70s who's out their protecting racial equality. We also have "The Brotherhood," a secret organization doing the same thing, consisting of mostly blacks. But they stress the message that you just have to be "down" to be in the brotherhood, and you don't have to be black. At first, it seems like only blacks are welcome. But then they realize that working as an equal team is how the job should really be done, regardless of one's race. So this movie has a good message, despite all the racial jokes.

But enough of that. This movie is hilarious! The jokes they make about both black culture and white culture kept me laughing all the way through. You can't take it too seriously. If you do, getting offended will come with the territory for you, and that's not what this movie is about. What goes through my head when the jokes are cracked is, "That's exactly how it is!" And I'm a white guy.

Sure, a lot of the jokes are ones that have been used before. But the WAY they're used in this movie and the creativity behind it all is what made me laugh.

So if you don't get offended easily by culture jokes, and you're in the mood to laugh a lot, this movie is for you.

In the 80s there was a film called "i'm gonna get you sucka" about a black gang led by keenan ivory wayans who bring down a white company run by Mr. Big played by john vernon. It was hilarious and "undercover brother" is the same type of movie and equally funny. Whitey has mind-controlled a black general modeled on colin powell, and turned him away from running for president. Instead they have him shill for a fried chicken restaurant that has mind control drugs in their chicken.!! Whitey wants to turn blacks into slaves and the BROTHERHOOD led by our hero UB, is out to stop them. Among the choice bits of silliness is when smart brother develops a vaccine against the drugs but says they can't use it cause it only works on one person at a time!!! Now how can a vaccine only work on one person at a time? HAHAHA. I give this movie a B+.

I have to agree with someone that submitted a review for Undercover Brother. The person said that the commercials made it look corney. Yes, I didn't go see Undercover Brother because of that reason, but I rented it and I found the film to be entertaining. Dave Chapelle was hilarious as the militant Conspiracy Brother. It was a suprisingly good movie. Eddie Griffin was also good although I wanted to see the real raw talent of Griffin. Believe me, rent the film at your local Blockbuster or just watch it on Starz!.

An Afro-American organization, the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D., is in permanent fight against a white organization, The Man, defending the values of the black people in North America. When the Afro-American candidate Gen. Warren Boutwell (Billy Dee Williams) has a weird behavior in his presidential campaign, the Undercover Brother (Eddie Griffin) is hired to work undercover in the white organization and find what happened with the potential candidate.

I do not recall the last time I laughed so much with a comedy. "Undercover Brother" is one of the most hilarious and silly comedies I have ever seen, and very underrated in IMDb. The story is a big joke with the North American racism, both white and black, with very funny situations "à la Austin Powers". I believe this is the major point of the plot, keeping a neutral position and ridiculing and satirizing racism of Caucasians and Blacks. Dave Chappelle is the funniest, but Chris Kattan, Eddie Griffin, Aunjanue Ellis, Denise Richards and the rest of the cast are also amazingly funny. I did not understand the joke with mayonnaise, but I believe that usually Afro-American people do not like this dressing, or at least there is a clichés about in USA. There are many other jokes related to the North American culture that are impossible to be understood by an overseas viewer, but anyway I loved this movie. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Undercover Brother – Com a Cor e a Coragem" ("Undercover Brother – With the Color and Courage")