Undercover Brother (2002)

77% of critics liked it
(130 reviews)
59% of users liked it
(54,390 ratings)

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… More 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 convertible and huge Afro, who uses gadgets and disguises to steal from the rich and give to the poor. His activities are discovered by the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D., a spy organization devoted to subverting The Man (Robert Trumbull) and his henchman, Mr. Feather (Chris Kattan), who use their power over the media to demean black people and destroy racial unity. The spy organization is run by The Chief (Chi McBride), who is constantly screaming at his subordinates. They include Sistah Girl (Aunjanue Ellis), a beautiful martial artist, Conspiracy Brother (Dave Chappelle), who sees white supremacist plots everywhere, and Smart Brother (Gary Anthony Williams, who provided the voice of Undercover Brother in the cartoon), who supplies the operatives with gadgets and information. When a popular black political figure, General Boutwell (Billy Dee Williams), calls a press conference, presumably to announce his presidential candidacy, and instead announces that he's opening a chain of fried chicken restaurants, the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. rightly suspects foul play, and recruits Undercover Brother to look into it. He goes undercover as an uptight buppie to work for The Man, but his cover is soon blown, and the seductive White She Devil (Denise Richards) is sent in to use her feminine wiles to destroy Undercover Brother. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 26 min.
Directed By: Gregory Dark, Malcolm D. Lee
Written By: John Ridley, Michael McCullers
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: May 31, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Jan 14, 2003
Studio: Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune
It's breezily entertaining and culturally specific without resorting to gross-out jokes or cruelty.
Dennis Lim, Village Voice
Much of Undercover Brother plays as a funnier, if similarly addled, Bamboozled.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
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.
Joe Leydon, Variety
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.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
There's not enough to sustain the comedy.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
The smartest bonehead comedy of the summer.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Stereotype-based satire; not for young kids.
Nick Rogers, Suite101.com
"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.
Stefan Birgir Stefansson, sbs.is
funny at parts
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Much funnier and craftier than it had any right to be.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Every little piece of this project fell magically, hilariously in place, even if some of its gags don't quite hit the target.
Eric Lurio, Greenwich Village Gazette
The problem is, that half the time I laughed myself silly, while the other half, I was egregiously offended.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...zips along at a frenetic pace, but the lack of plot does eventually catch up with the rest of the movie.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Melvin W

Undercover Brother: You mess with the 'fro, you got to go. 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… More
Undercover Brother: You mess with the 'fro, you got to go. 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.
Richard C

this movie is hilarious. I love how racist it is. a great comedy. B+
KJ P

I loved how funny this movie was. I could watch this movie everday if I had to!
Tim S

This is a classic!
Lenny M

Nothing really to the movie but I love the music and the cheesy concept, very funky and entertaining.
Aaron N

Like the first Austin Powers, this movie works because it is a parody. A very funny one at that. Eddie Griffin not being annoying. Dave Chappelle yelling, Denise Richards as the black man's kryptonite, and Billy Dee Williams. Also, Chris Kattan doing the best he has. Good stuff.
Stephen E

t's an impressive attempt at blaxploitation, I'll give it that. But it's the same jokes that have been passed around for decades. You've seen this all before. And trust me, it doesn't get any funnier.
Deb S

A very funny spoof of blaxploitation films. Eddie Griffin plays Undercover Brother, a black crusader stuck in the seventies (his hero is Jim Kelly) brought into a secret brotherhood (known as `The B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D.') organized to fight the evil white majority--led by `The… More
A very funny spoof of blaxploitation films. Eddie Griffin plays Undercover Brother, a black crusader stuck in the seventies (his hero is Jim Kelly) brought into a secret brotherhood (known as `The B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D.') organized to fight the evil white majority--led by `The Man,' a mythological white dude who supposedly spearheads a conspiracy to keep the black man down. (I had no idea mayonnaise was a white thing). The Undercover Brother is given the task of trying to stop "The Man" from brainwashing a black general (Billy Dee Williams) who is running for president to instead open a fried chicken franchise. In addition to Griffin, `Undercover Brother' features Chris Kattan, Denise Richards, David Chappelle, Aunjanue Ellis, Neil Patrick Harris, Chi McBride, Billy Dee Williams and even the legendary James Brown playing himself. Hats off to Chappelle as the militant headstrong Conspiracy Brother who steals the show with every outrageous vent of his angry spleen; the sexy duplicity of babelicious Denise Richards as Penelope Snow (aka White She-Devil) - 'the black man's Kryptonite' - whose hellacious curves and pouty demeanor is knowingly spoofed to full effect. Elllis equally hot as the ass-kicking Sista Girl; Neil Patrick Harris is the clueless Caucasian intern Lance and Gary Anthony Williams is excellent as Smart Brother. Be sure to watch it toward the end as Undercover Brother has a dance off against the nefarious Mr. Feather (an over-the-top Chris Kattan) to Michael Jackson's Beat It and of course Denise Richards is sizzling in tight white leather. The guys would love the catfight shower scene between her and Sista Girl.
Yinalí R

Absolutely funny movie!
Stephen E

It's an impressive attempt at blaxploitation, I'll give it that. But it's just the same jokes that have been passed around for decades. You've seen this all before and trust me, it doesn't get any funnier.
Sylvester K

I find this film being extremely racist but utterly funny!!!!!!!!!! Never laughed so much in my life, especially the catfight scene turn into porn scene was amazing
kawai d

Dave Chappelle gives a win performance.
t h o m !

Maybe it was because I was in middle school when I saw this, but this movie made me laugh quite a bit. Eddie Griffin is the only brother that acts like brother without coming off as annoying. You KNOW what I mean. Anyways, this movie albeit a film full of cheap pops was good in the… More
Maybe it was because I was in middle school when I saw this, but this movie made me laugh quite a bit. Eddie Griffin is the only brother that acts like brother without coming off as annoying. You KNOW what I mean. Anyways, this movie albeit a film full of cheap pops was good in the sense that it wasn't a spoof, and it had originality. i'm not into the who whitey is the devil, black people have it hard, type of comedy that is always in films kinda like this, anything from Dave Chapelle or the Wayans, but at least this movie had my kind of sense of humor... for the most part haha. I vaugely remember it but I know that this is my kind of comedy, stupid, but stupid ridiculous, not stupid retarded lol. It's definitely worth at least viewing once (unless you're a certain harpist, then I forbid you to watch this movie!) but it for sure will deliver you some laughs. What, I think this was Chris Kattan's last movie before he fell off the face of the earth? His only good one anyways. Undercover Brother is one of those movies that may seem like a parody, what with all the urban type movies out there, but really it's overall a god theme, funny dialouge(very important), and overall just fun without having to much expensive on any race. You know, maybe it's not even good actually. Like I said, it's been forever since I've seen this movie, haha. Oh well. That bag of chips scene still gets me everytime LOL.
Leo L

Hilarious!
Barry L

pathetic but what would u expect.