Back in 2019, Dave Bautista starred with comedian Kumail Nanjiani in an amusing buddy cop adventure. The film, Stuber, was an odd-couple type pairing of slapstick comedy edged with danger and was, according to viewers, a roaring good time. Audiences loved it, but critics were decidedly against the fish-out-of-water tale of an Uber driver hijacked into a criminal investigation.
Stuber stars Dave Bautista as Vic Manning, an LAPD detective who is on the trail of a drug lord who killed his partner. After his last attempt at capturing Tedjo (the drug lord) goes awry when he loses his glasses, Vic decides to get laser eye surgery. He is still recuperating when Vic receives a lead on Tedjo. Unable to drive, Vic commandeers a car and its driver (Nanjiani) as he resumes the pursuit of a murderous killer, one rideshare at a time.
Critics Couldn’t Find the Funny in This Wacky Buddy Comedy
20th Century Fox
Among critics, Stuber received a 43% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews. While some critics enjoyed the fast-paced comedy as well as the film’s twist in the look at masculinity, many more viewers agreed that Stuber had more bad than good. Critics called the plot lazy, lumbering, and tired; an “action comedy that isn’t particularly effective as an action movie or a comedy.” Full of potential but ultimately a total waste of Bautista and Nanjiani’s time and talent, critics deemed the movie all but a failure.
Fans of the film disagreed. Viewers across a variety of platforms have heaped praise on the film, calling it fantastic and hilarious. A throwback to early 90s films, Stuber relies heavily on slapstick comedy and outlandish takes over a more developed and complex storyline. This may be a fault to some, and clearly many critics felt this way, but comedy films are not necessarily known for their plot-dense storylines. And even if they were, the true judgment of a film’s worth is measured by the fulfillment of its purpose.
For comedies, the purpose is to make the audience laugh. To this end, Stuber is a success. Not financially, since the film only received $32 million at the box office against its $18 million budget. By this measure, it is a box office bomb. However, many great films have bombed at the box office. The positive audience rating from viewers who have seen Stuber speaks to its success of purpose.
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Fans Loved the Combination of Bautista and Nanjiani
20th Century Fox
Based on the viewer reviews of Stuber, the great triumph of the film is the relationship between Nanjiani and Bautista. The anxious, mild-mannered tone of Nanjiani’s Stu is the perfect foil for the overly enraged energy of Bautista’s Vic. Viewers loved the chemistry between the actors as Bautista and Nanjiani bicker in a quick-witted repartee that goes beyond the script and into the natural talent of both actors. Though he is well-known for his physical strength, Bautista has shown that he has a skill at humor with deadpan delivery. As a seasoned comedian, Nanjiani handles himself well and even works around Bautista’s energy.
Although viewers thought the film is a good time, some agreed with critics that the film did not fully utilize the potential of the two leads. Some viewers found the action underwhelming and there are several gags where the action pulls its punches when it would be better served by leaning in. A notable example of this includes Nanjiani’s accidental shooting of a character. After the initial shock, instead of pressing forward into the outrageousness of the moment and the discomfort of Nanjiani’s character, it is brushed aside with a pat on the back and an easy laugh.
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Critics and viewers may disagree about whether Stuber is worth watching, but even some critical reviews of the film call it mildly entertaining. The buddy cop film may not dive too deep or stray too far from the standard trope. However, the comic pairing of Bautista and Nanjiani takes the film to its greatest heights. Against a thinly-laced plot, the actions and antics of the two leads shine in marked relief. Viewers looking for an easy laugh will find it here.
Stuber is available to stream on Hulu.
Release Date
July 12, 2019
Runtime
105 minutes
Writers
Tripper Clancy
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