Undercover Brother (2002)
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77% of critics liked it
(130 reviews) -
59% of users liked it
(55,370 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
- Directed By
- Gregory Dark, Malcolm D. Lee
- Written By
- John Ridley, Michael McCullers
- Genres
- Comedy
PG-13,
- In Theaters
- May 31, 2002 Wide
- Studio
- Universal Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune
It's breezily entertaining and culturally specific without resorting to gross-out jokes or cruelty.
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Dennis Lim, Village Voice
Much of Undercover Brother plays as a funnier, if similarly addled, Bamboozled.
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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.
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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.
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Desson Thomson, Washington Post
There's not enough to sustain the comedy.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Eddie Griffin
as Anton Jackson/Undercover Brother
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Chris Kattan
as Mr. Feather
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Aunjanue Ellis
as Sistah Girl
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Dave Chappelle
as Conspiracy Brother
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Denise Richards
as White She-Devil
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Neil Patrick Harris
as Lance
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Gary Anthony Williams
as Smart Brother
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Chi McBride
as The Chief
- Jack Noseworthy
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James Brown
as Himself
