Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista teams up with comedian Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick) in the fitfully entertaining action-comedy Stuber.
Bautista plays a cop who has been chasing the same drug lord (Iko Uwais) for two years. However, on the day Bautista receives LASIK surgery, he gets a big lead on the case. But he can't see well enough to drive himself, so he highjacks a wimpy Uber driver (Nanjiani) to help him.
Even though Stuber clocks in at a refreshingly brief 94 minutes, there are some dead patches in the film. The plotting is weak even by the standards of the 1980s buddy comedies the film emulates. When the emphasis is on the action, the movie falters. However, Nanjiani remains a talent to watch. His line deliveries are excellent, and he has an impeccable sense of timing. He has some laugh-out-loud lines in the film. Bautista also proved in Guardians that he is a capable comedic performer, and he more than holds his own opposite Nanjiani.
While Stuber is a near-miss with some inspired moments, its director, Michael Dowse, helmed Goon and What If?, two of the more underrated comedies of the past decade. Both are worth checking out.
