Stuber (Review)

Stuber Might Be a Bumpy Ride, But It Manages to Get Where It Needs to Go.

Stuber is far from a “good movie.” However, it’s a really fun one. Despite all its flaws, I found myself entertained and laughing consistently throughout it. Sure, part of it was me laughing at how stupid a lot of the moments are, but isn’t that kind of the point with action comedies? Despite what some critics might say, Stuber really is a fun ride filled with impressive action sequences and hilarious banter from two solid leads. It’s mindless fun at it’s best, and even though it’s kind of a trash movie, it’s one that I really enjoyed.   

Stuber follows an Uber driver named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) who finds himself taken for the ride of his life at the hands of a sight-impaired tough as nails cop (Dave Bautista). The two travel across Los Angeles in search of an international drug dealer (Iko Uwais). Along the way, they get into plenty of trouble as the reluctant Stu is constantly thrust into dangerous situations, including shoot outs, high-speed chases, and male strip clubs.  

There are a few genres that I give a little bit of wiggle room to in order for them to work their magic. One of them is action comedies because they combine two genres that are quite often built on cliches. This means that while more often than not, they’re not exactly high art, but if you are willing to overlook paper thing plots filled with holes, you end up having a pretty good time at the movies. Does the plot of Stuber make any sense what so ever? Of course not! Why on Earth would a cop use an Uber driver instead of calling for back up? The whole point is to find comedy in the absurdity of the situation. If you’re going to sit down and point out every plot hole in a film, then Stuber simply isn’t the movie for you. It’s purely designed for people to sit back, give their brains the night off, and laugh until their sides hurt. As stupid as most of the jokes were in the film, I found myself (and the rest of the audience) constantly laughing out loud. Because of that, I can find it in my heart to forgive Stuber for not being high art. 

What really makes Stuber work are its two leads. While both start the film playing stereotypes, Bautista as the epitome of toxic masculinity and Nanjiani as a sensitive post #metoo millennial. This puts the two of them in direct conflict as soon as they meet, but there’s a reason why moviegoers love “odd couples” so much. It’s low hanging fruit, but because of conflicting natures, the two are able to learn a thing or two from each other and grow over the course of Stuber. While the film might not put much effort into making the characters unique or interesting, the stars are able to pull off even the worst lines they’re given to work with. Nanjiani is absolutely hilarious and proves himself to be one of the funniest actors working today. Bautista, on the other hand, sticks to his guns as the straight-faced cop with anger issues, which he’s more than qualified to pull off. Surprisingly he comes across as just as funny as Nanjiani at times thanks to the physical humor he brings to the table.

There are times when Stuber loses its focus, but these are often when the film tries to have a more serious tone. Nanjiani’s character is struggling to find a way to confess his undying emotions to his friend that he’s been in love with for years. While this might sound cute, this literally means that he’s one of those “friendzone” guys. Luckily, he isn’t angry or bitter at her, but more at himself for not having the courage to admit his feelings. Bautista’s character, on the other hand, is your typical action hero who doesn’t do well with emotions and tends to put the job ahead of everyone and everything in his life. His devotion would be admirable if it wasn’t so toxic to the relationships around him. Director Michael Dowse tries to give both actors a chance to give their characters some emotional depth, but this is all stuff we’ve seen dozens of times before on the big screen and only turns out to be a waste of time. Still, these moments did give me a chance to let my sides rest a bit from laughing during the rest of this absurd action-comedy.

Stuber really is a fun movie. Nanjiani has the comedy covered while Uwais has the action sequences on lock, and Bautista seems to move effortlessly between them creating a great blend of the two. Look, it’s got it’s fair share of problems and isn’t a movie I’ve going to suggest be nominated for any awards. However, it’s well worth the price of admission. It’s a movie that makes it easy to ignore all its missteps because it embraces the fact that it’s not supposed to be taken seriously. Overall, I found Stuber to be a fun ride and I suggest it for anyone who is looking for a laugh-filled night out at the movies.