"Anyway, I know I said I wouldn't compare the two films, but in the end, when it comes to remakes- how the hell can you not?"
The original White Men Can't Jump is one of my favourite sports films of all time, and my favourite basketball film period, so when I heard a remake was on the cards I was definitely not thrilled. I never want to be that gatekeeping type of person who just hates on IP for being reimagined or remade, even though there are certain films/tv series that should totally be left alone.
I approached this viewing with fairly low expectations, but also a small amount of optimism given the director (veteran music video director) Calmatic's creative visual style, and also the charisma of the leads/supporting cast. My biggest challenge was to try and not compare it to the original- a film that I cherish and still watch annually. Thankfully the story is quite different from the original, and we have two new protagonists, and not just an “updated” version of Billy Hoyle and Sidney Dean. That made viewing it as its own film a lot easier.
I've never really listened to much of Jack Harlow's music, but I've seen some interviews where he was quite charming, and I know he's a hooper, so I was interested to see how he'd go. He does a fairly good job as Jeremey- the goofy white boy hooper, who was a top prospect out of college, but never made it to the pros because of injuries and a pill addiction. Sinqua Walls, who I am actually a fan of, is less convincing (his hooping) as Kamal, who was the number one prospect out of high school, but blows his chances due to an altercation with a fan.
The two meet in a gym where Jeremy hustles Kamal, which then leads them to team up and start hustling local courts to make money so they can enter a legit competition with major prize money at stake. The story is paper thin and the stakes never really seem that high. There are some interesting ideas though, like Jeremey’s pill addiction and Kamal’s seemingly over involved father (think Lamar Ball), but they’re never really explored in depth and almost glossed over.
Teyana Taylor's acting definitely elevates the mostly underwhelming dramatic dialogue.
Whilst not all of the modern basketball referencing and quippy dialogue works, there’s definitely some comedic and dramatic moments that land. Teyana Taylor plays Kamal’s partner and elevates every scene she’s in, especially the dramatic ones, and rapper Vince Staples pretty much steals the show with his snappy lines and borderline hostile demeanor. Casting the late great Lance Reddick as Kamal’s father also strengthens the film's credibility.
The biggest crime the film commits though is the mostly uninspiring basketball scenes, and this is where it's hard not to make comparisons to the original. The basketball scenes (and the film in general) have a cheap or rushed “made for streaming” type of feel to them. The attention to detail with the choreography, shot selection and editing misses the mark completely, making the highs and lows feel quite empty. The strongpoint of the original (aside from the charismatic cast) is just how well the basketball scenes are shot and edited. They’re masterfully done. There’s wonderful choreography, use of the camera and use of music. The stakes are also legitimately high in the OG, so you're completely invested in the games, which unfortunately is not the case here.
Vince Staples quips and deadpan delivery is certainly a highlight.
Anyway, I know I said that I wouldn’t compare the two films, but in the end, when it comes to remakes- how the hell can you not? If you’ve had a rough day and are looking to switch your brain off and watch something non challenging, then White Men Can’t Jump (2023) could be a goer. There’s some fun dialogue here and there, some cool needle drops (even if they are overused), some nice nods to the original (locations) and Vince Staples is hilarious. And if anything, the film could turn a whole generation of young people on to the superior 1992 film.
Two and a Half out of Five stars.
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