In a world full of already bizarre attempts to turn NBA stars into actors, Uncle drew It could be the strangest. The film, which was based on a commercial, featured Kyrie Irving wearing geriatric makeup while reuniting a team with Chris Webber, Shaquille O’Neal, and several other basketball legends. The result was a weird movie that seemed dated and unique.
What is it Uncle drew?
Uncle drew it came from a successful Pepsi ad campaign starring Irving in the title role. The ads showed Irving dressed as an elderly basketball player wreaking havoc on a much younger crowd on the basketball court. Like a 30-second ad campaign, the commercials worked. Irving had charisma and star power, and the hilarity of seeing a geriatric ballplayer dive and dribble easily made them a hit.
The film’s writer, Jay Longino, thought that a Uncle drew The movie was a joke at first. He discussed the call he received from producer Marty Bowen with The Ringer.
“[Bowen] He calls me and says, “Have you seen these Uncle Drew shorts online?” and I said, ‘Yes,’ and he said, ‘Well, what do you think of them as a feature?’ and I said, ‘I don’t think so,’ ”Longino told the website. “To me, [it sounded like] he Saturday night live parody turned into a movie that doesn’t work. That was my intestinal reaction. “
The idea was real, and Longinus assumed the role. A longtime basketball fan and passionate about sports movies, Longinus agreed to help the movie take off, and before long, the couple received the green light. However, the idea of a commercial basketball is not new. Space jam It came to be after a commercial with Michael Jordan.
Making the movie
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Irving agreed to refine the role, and after various brainstorming, the creators decided to keep the spirit of the commercial. They turned to the old trope of rejoining the band that was perfected by The blues brothers and brought in a cast of basketball talent stars. However, the co-star was for Lil Rel, who had just finished his praised role in the horror movie. Salt.
By having O’Neal on board, the manufacturers harnessed the same star power that he did Blue chips Work years before. Webber, Miller, Aaron Gordon and WNBA star Lisa Leslie helped complete the cast. To add to the comedy, the film hired JE Skeets and Nick Kroll to play small roles in production. It was a bold cash theft based on a commercial that should never have worked. Surprisingly, though, the film fared better than people think.
It was a success?
Space jam It was a critical failure, but a success with fans. Uncle drew, who took a budget of $ 18 million, made his shooting budget two and a half times and managed to score 62 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. While it was not a success for everyone, several critics praised the comedy in the film and praised it for going with everything in such a strange contrast.
In a world where NBA-based movies are a mix, Uncle drew It was a surprising blow. Irving gave it all on paper, and non-actors like Webber even showed off their comic skills. The film was far from being a cultural phenomenon like Space jam I was with the fans, but when considering everything that happened in the production, it was the best it could be.
It’s been two years since Uncle drew It hits theaters and its staying power is questionable. However, it is a great study of how something so unlikely could have any merit.
