Film Review: ‘Stuber’

Check out our review of “Stuber”, the hilarious new movie starring Kumail Nanjiani and Dave Bautista!

“Stuber” poster

Vic (Dave Bautista), a half-blind LAPD detective, is on the hunt for Teijo (Iko Uwais), a drug smuggler and heroine distributer.  When a raid against Teijo goes south and his partner is killed, Vic takes it personally.  He blames two people, himself for not being able to perform when he loses his glasses during a fight, and Teijo, for shooting his young partner.  After months of investigating to avenge his partner, he comes up short and now the Feds are taking over the case.  All he can do now is try to let go.  His daughter, Nicole (Natalie Morales), takes him to get Lasik surgery to improve his eyesight, which leaves him with extremely blurry vision while his eyes heal.  She also tells him to come to her art exhibit that same day and shows him how to call an Uber to get there.  Now at home, Vic gets a call; Teijo is doing a drop and there is a time and place where he will be.  Unable to drive, Vic calls an Uber so that he can conduct his “official” police business.

Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) is your average LA resident; He works at a sporting goods store during the day, where he endures his “broey” boss’s constant berating, and drives for Uber at night in his newly leased electric car, earning extra cash while struggling to maintain his above 4-star rating.  All he wants is to have his best friend Becca (Betty Gilpin), the girl that he loves, to fall in love with him, but he lacks the courage to be forward.  So instead he signs a lease to open a women’s only spin class with her, hoping that it will give him a chance.  One day he gets a call from her, asking him to come over and casually hookup after she had just broken up with her boyfriend.  He needs to get back to her, but first, he has to finish this one Uber drive.

Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani in “Stuber”

Over the course of the movie, Vic is constantly roping in Stu, preventing him from leaving by keeping the car keys from Stu and hanging a 5-star rating over his head.  Stu hates being dragged along to wild places, from a male strip club to a gangster’s house in Compton, to an animal hospital shootout.  All he can think about his getting back to Becca, but Vic insists that his mission is more important and that he needs a driver.  While on the tale of Teijo, the two of them constantly argue because neither of them wants to be with each other.  Vic cannot stand how weak and cowardly Stu is, while Stu can’t stand being roped into dangerous situations.  Yet, they are forced to work together through Vic’s desperate need of a driver.

Kumail and Dave are an unlikely but fantastic duo.  As characters, Vic and Stu are as different as can be.  Stu is a quippy man who really just seeks a normal and safe life and often sits idly waiting for life to hand him the perfect moment.  He is often criticized by Vic for never taking action and being too afraid, whether that be during a shootout in an animal hospital, or in his own life.  Vic, on the other hand, is a man completely engulfed in his job

Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani in “Stuber”
Photo Credit: IMDb

and feels no fear or pain.  He is a “Man’s man” who is criticized by Stu for being too macho and for holding in his feelings which has led him to be a terrible father.  Of course, as the movie comes to its climax, they both learn from each other to become better men.

As a comedy, the two of them have great chemistry.  Dave has proven his comedic skills playing Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy and Kumail is always hilarious.  They work off each other really well and they have some really great moments together.  The comedy isn’t goofy, but it can be silly at times.  Much of it is tied in with the action as the characters have to overcome absurd situations, like Vic being blind during a shootout or Stu handling a “baby gun” and accidentally shooting a handcuffed gang member in the back of his electric car.  The story is fairly simple and takes a small step back to let the audience enjoy the comedy.  Really, it’s everything you’d expect from a movie about an adept cop who can’t see and an inept Uber driver who can’t fight.

Overall, “Stuber” is a hilarious movie and is definitely worth watching.  The movie comes to theaters on July 12^th.