Opération funky

I loved "Undercover Brother!" It's the movie "Pootie Tang" should have been! I found it over-the-top, laugh-out-loud funny! Eddie Griffin scores as Undercover Brother, an afrolicious version of Austin Powers. And Chris Kattan is hilarious as Mr. Feather, an evil underling of The Man, devoted to the white man's dominance, but succumbing to hip-hop influence. Other funny performances came from Dave Chappelle as the paranoid Conspiracy Brother, and Neil Patrick Harris as the clueless caucasian intern Lance. Some viewers may complain about the black stereotypes, but you must look at it as black actors and filmmakers laughing at themselves. It's all a "solid" laugh!

UNDERCOVER BROTHER (2002) **** Eddie Griffin, Chris Kattan, Denise Richards, Aunjanue Ellis, Dave Chappelle, Chi McBride, Gary Anthony Williams, Neil Patrick Harris, Billy Dee Williams, Jack Noseworthy, James Brown (as himself). Hysterically funny adaptation of the cult Internet animated hero tailor made for Griffin (finally a vehicle to prove he's one funny guy) – a self-defined hero with a style not unlike Shaft or Superfly (well, at least the funky duds and humongo Afro with pork chop sideburns) – who teams up with THE B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D - an underground secret agency for the African American way of life – out to thwart The Man from whitewashing America. I haven't laughed from beginning to end of a comedy in many a moon and practically every sight gag, one-liner, and/or slapstick works on every level, low and highbrow thanks to the character's creator John Ridley (who collaborated on the riotous script with Michael McCullers) but it's hats off to Chappelle as the militant headstrong Conspiracy Brother that steals the show with every outrageous vent of his angry spleen; the sexy duplicity of babelicious Richards as Penelope Snow (aka White She-Devil) – ‘the black man's Kryptonite' – whose hellacious curves and pouty demeanor is campily and knowingly spoofed to full effect; Elllis equally hot and cool as ass-kicking Sista Girl; rotund nerd Williams as Smart Brother the techno dweeb; McBride as the gruff yet lovable Chief; Harris as white boy intern Lance (who arguably has one of the funniest cinematic breakdown fights ever put onscreen) and finally formidably nutty foil Kattan as right hand flunky to the archenemy. In the same vein as AUSTIN POWERS, ZOOLANDER & POOTIE TANG : quite simply the year's funniest film and one of the funniest films ever made. Solid! (Dir: Malcolm D. Lee)

Undercover Brother is a smart and sassy comedy similar to Austin Powers. Eddie Griffin stars as Undercover Brother a smooth seceret agent type cat who is out to save the world from the Man. He gets help from the brother hood who have employess with names like Conspiracy Brother & Smart Brother and Sistah Girl. The supporting cast of Chi McBride, Chris Kattan and Denise Richards are all very good but Dave Chapple steals every scene he's in. Malcom D.Lee has made a worthy follow up to The Best Man and Unisversal may have a new franchise on their hands.

OK, OK, it's basically a black "Austin Powers," but it's not claiming to be more than that, it's reasonably well made, and a good 65% is downright hilarious. But I agree completely with the member who said this is a movie you have to "get." Meaning that, as a 40-year-old A.A. male seeing this in a downtown Washington theatre with a strong presence of folks my age and slightly above (i.e., old enough to remember when all of the black references were taken seriously), then not only did I get it but so did the rest of the audience -- the perfect conditions in which to see this movie. Chances are most (under 25, non-black) folks who don't fall into at least one of these catagories better stick with "Episode II," even on the 3rd go-around. The member who tried to compare the two films is precisely what I mean by not getting it.

I realize it's an odd concept -- a summer movie that ISN'T made to appeal to absolutely everyone -- but, hey. See for yourself. What it is!

In the 80s there was a film called "i'm gonna get you sucka" about a black gang led by keenan ivory wayans who bring down a white company run by Mr. Big played by john vernon. It was hilarious and "undercover brother" is the same type of movie and equally funny. Whitey has mind-controlled a black general modeled on colin powell, and turned him away from running for president. Instead they have him shill for a fried chicken restaurant that has mind control drugs in their chicken.!! Whitey wants to turn blacks into slaves and the BROTHERHOOD led by our hero UB, is out to stop them. Among the choice bits of silliness is when smart brother develops a vaccine against the drugs but says they can't use it cause it only works on one person at a time!!! Now how can a vaccine only work on one person at a time? HAHAHA. I give this movie a B+.