White Men Can’t Jump
★ ★★ ½
I miss the simplicity of films like White Men Can't Jump. It's a very self-contained comedy that immediately throws you into its world and never looks back. Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson are perfectly cast against one another and help showcase each other's banter. The hurling insults are both hilarious and relentless. Direction in comedies is overlooked, and director Ron Shelton does a masterful job of blocking and placement in the vibrant basketball scenes and during the constant back-and-forth dialogue between the players. You are never lost in action and that provides for an experience where you feel like you are absorbing all the energy on the sidelines of these California courts.
The detriment of the film is the runtime. If it was thirty minutes shorter, it would be much more memorable. You can tell that the filmmakers had a great premise and cast, but they didn't know where to go when they realized they had to create a conclusion of some sort. It starts to feel clunky and it loses the magic of its earlier scenes. Despite this, I had a lot of fun with this and I understand why it is so revered. I love the game of basketball and it showcases all the fun and energy that can come out of the sport. Wesley Snipes steals the movie and there is no doubt why he carried movies for as long as he did.
