Undercover Brother (2002)
Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 130
Fresh: 100 | Rotten: 30
Fast-paced and filled with racial gags, Undercover Brother serves up plenty of laughs and sharp satire.
Average Rating: 6.3/10
Critic Reviews: 26
Fresh: 19 | Rotten: 7
Fast-paced and filled with racial gags, Undercover Brother serves up plenty of laughs and sharp satire.
liked it
Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 55,370
My Rating
Movie Info
Undercover Brother began life as an animated series on the Internet. The satirical cartoon was created by novelist and screenwriter John Ridley (Three Kings) for the website urbanentertainment.com. Ridley wrote the screenplay with Michael McCullers, co-writer of the Austin Powers sequels, and it was directed by Malcolm D. Lee (Spike Lee's cousin, and the writer/director of The Best Man). The film stars Eddie Griffin (of TV's Malcolm and Eddie) as Undercover Brother, he of the gold Cadillac
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Cast
-
Eddie Griffin
Anton Jackson/Undercove... -
Chris Kattan
Mr. Feather -
Aunjanue Ellis
Sistah Girl -
Dave Chappelle
Conspiracy Brother -
Denise Richards
White She-Devil -
Neil Patrick Harris
Lance -
Gary Anthony Williams
Smart Brother -
Chi McBride
The Chief -
-
James Brown
Himself
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All Critics (145) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (102) | Rotten (30) | DVD (15)
It's breezily entertaining and culturally specific without resorting to gross-out jokes or cruelty.
Top CriticMuch of Undercover Brother plays as a funnier, if similarly addled, Bamboozled.
Instead of packing an R-rated, politically incorrect punch, the film goes for the easy laughs without getting too raunchy or violent, and the result is mildly amusing but mostly mediocre.
Even during periods when the belly laughs subside, Griffin continues to keep it really amusing with his exuberant flair for physical comedy and mock-serious swagger.
There's not enough to sustain the comedy.
The smartest bonehead comedy of the summer.
Stereotype-based satire; not for young kids.
"Undercover Brother" fares better as a blaxploitation spoof than as silly-spy shtick. Scathing but not scatological, "Brother's" withering insights are equal opportunity: Here, white guilt is as satirically punishable an offense as propping up prejudice.
funny at parts
Much funnier and craftier than it had any right to be.
Every little piece of this project fell magically, hilariously in place, even if some of its gags don't quite hit the target.
The problem is, that half the time I laughed myself silly, while the other half, I was egregiously offended.
...zips along at a frenetic pace, but the lack of plot does eventually catch up with the rest of the movie.
Audience Reviews for Undercover Brother
Super Reviewer
It's an understatement to say that I'm disappointed with Undercover Brother. I had fun for about 20 minutes and then it gets old and it gets old quickly. That would be because it's a one-joke comedy and you can only hear a joke so many times before it's not funny anymore. The movie was way to mild also. If your going to go for a Blaxploitation type movie; then go for it. This being PG-13 destroys it in my eyes. This type of movie can't survive without without tons of violence, nudity, and profanity. That's just how it is.
The movie does have some bright spots. It features a really good soundtrack. Eddie Griffin isn't horrible in the lead role, but Dave Chappelle and Neil Patrick Harris are the two actors to watch in this one. Denise Richards, while attractive, annoys the hell out of me no matter what she's in. I can't stand her.
Basically Undercover Brother doesn't entertain me throughout. Yeah it's going to be stupid and I'm fine with that. But what it shouldn't be is dull and boring. After awhile it does become dull and it does become somewhat boring. It just can't maintain the laughs and that will kill a comedy every time.
Super Reviewer
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- Anton Jackson/Undercover Brother: Blackness confirmed.
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- The Chief: This chicken is the b-o-m-b !
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- Anton Jackson/Undercover Brother: You mess with the 'fro, you got to go.
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Eddie Griffin is outstanding as the title character, and smart brother, conspiracy brother (Dave Chappelle), Sistah Girl, and White She-Devil will leave you in stitches. I didn't like Neil Patrick Harris' character, a lame white boy, much, but loved over the top nemesis Chris Kattan. Billy Dee Williams and James Brown add credibility to this hilarious parody. Its politically incorrect in the extreme so don't get offended by the catfight scene and other, just have fun. Final Advice: Long live the BROTHERHOOD, and stay away from the fried chicken!