Review: Stuber

Release date: July 12, 2019
Running time: 93 minutes
Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Dave Bautista, Iko Uwais

STUBER is a new buddy cop-style movie where Kumail Nanjiani--an unsuspecting Uber driver--agrees to give Dave Bautista a ride that leads to the journey of both of their lives.  Along the way there is plenty of humor, action, and some introspective conversations.  Think Collateral, but funny.  I went in thinking that this was going to be a terrible buddy cop movie, but boy was I wrong.  This film is legitimately funny and has a crazy enough ride that you will be enjoying it until you reach your destination.

The first thing you will notice about the movie is the chemistry between Nanjiani and Bautista.  Although they are completely different actors who play very different personas, they have a great back and forth throughout the film.  The charisma between the pair is evident from the start and only grows stronger throughout the journey.  This leads to some very funny interactions, where the cowardly but humorous Nanjiani has some great lines with the serious but courageous Bautista.

And STUBER is not just a one trick pony.  Although the main draw is the comedy and the interactions between the two leads, those interactions lead to some interesting dialogue and viewpoints about our changing times.  Maybe it is just the contrast of the two leads, but this film has some interesting things to say about old school vs. new school masculinity.  Some of this might be improv, some of it might be good writing, but either way it is interesting to watch the two compare and contrast old societal norms vs. current societal norms.  Whether it is the changing nature of technology, the differences in masculinity in our current society, or brute force vs. subtlety, the film is much deeper than I expected or initially gave it credit for.  

STUBER is a wild ride from start to finish that has plenty of laughs, ridiculous situations, and interesting commentary on societal norms.  As with any uber ride, you might start off guarded, but once you start to cruise you might actually enjoy it and leave a five star review.  STUBER is a ride that should not be missed.

Watch it.