Remakes, reboots, and reimaginings are happening all the time in film and television. But, they are a risky business, viewed by some as completely unnecessary, depending on the story. Of course, that doesn’t stop them from happening. If you’re anything like me, when you first hear that a film you’ve been enjoying for years is being redone, you might ask the question, “Why?”, especially when the original still has a place in the current world. This was definitely my feeling when hearing about Hulu’s White Men Can’t Jump, starring Sinqua Walls and Jack Harlow.
Walls stars as Kamal — a former high school basketball star who was on track for the NBA thanks to the training and management from his father, Benji (Lance Reddick). After his emotions land him in trouble, that dream shatters and his life becomes much more ordinary. Now married with a son, Kamal works as a delivery man struggling to make ends meet. Still skilled on the court, he plays pick-up games at the gym with his friends Renzo (Miles Bullock) and Speedy (Vince Staples).
This is where he meets Jeremy (Harlow). Also a former high school basketball star, he spends his days training the next generation due to injuries to both knees and peddling his energy drinks to make some cash. After an exchange on the court, Jeremy and Kamal have a shootout challenge. Thinking this will be easy based on Jeremy’s appearance, Kamal agrees, and the bet is set. But, he greatly underestimates Jeremy, who ends up winning. After Kamal’s temper lands him in trouble at work, he seeks Jeremy out to partner with him and hustle their way through street games to get enough money to enter a tournament for a huge cash prize.
Aside from the race of the lead actors and the tournaments, this version has very little to do with the original. Written and directed by Ron Shelton, the 1992 sports comedy was grittier and much more bold in its storytelling and did a better job at showcasing the world of streetball. Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, and Rosie Perez gave peak performances leaving a lasting impression some 30+ years later. The stakes were high for screenwriters Kenya Barris and Doug Hall (Grown-ish). While the banter on and off the court was enjoyable, the overall story lacked the same energy as the original and didn’t highlight as much of the streetball culture.
Walls and Harlow were fun as Kamal and Jeremy, especially on the court. Their chemistry works well within this story. Being Harlow’s first acting gig, Jeremy was a good character for him. His seemingly dry delivery fit pretty well within the confines of who Jeremy was supposed to be. I do feel like our leading ladies didn’t get enough to do. Teyana Taylor and Laura Harrier are fine in their roles, but I would’ve liked to see them as less cliched characters.
This remake marks the second attempt for director Calmatic, whose feature debut House Party came out earlier this year. With help from cinematographer Tommy Maddox-Upshaw, White Men Can’t Jump does have a vibrancy to its visuals. All of the best scenes take place on the courts of Los Angeles, and Calmatic does a good job capturing the feeling of being on the sidelines watching your friends play.
While expectations for this remake were not high, White Men Can’t Jump turned out to be enjoyable. No, it’s not better than the original. There are some rough edges, and the flow is on the predictable side, but there are also some laughs to be had and heartfelt moments to be felt. Some of the performances are lacking, but the cast’s overall chemistry works well enough to keep you watching. If you’re looking for something easy to watch, White Men Can’t Jump might just fit the bill.
White Man Can’t Jump is now streaming on Hulu.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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