Are you a fan of comedy films? If the answer is yes, then White Men Can’t Jump would be the perfect fit for your taste. However, here you must know that there are two films by the same name. One was released in 1992. Well, the film which we are talking about is the one which was released in 2023 and is a remake of the former film from the 1990s.
The earlier version of the film was a hit and had everything it takes to be a great film. So, naturally, there was a lot of craze surrounding the remake. Now that it is finally out, it’s time to take a closer look at it. So, if you wish to know more about the film, then join us in the article.
White Men Can’t Jump: A Brief Intro
Before we proceed further to know about the 2023 version of the movie, you must know that in 1992 another movie of the same name was released. So, the recent one is a remake of the earlier film.
This time Kenya Barris and Doug Hall wrote this film and they had as their source another story in which Ron Shelton was their co-writer. This film has Calmatic as its director and is basically a comedy film based on sports.
Production Details and Release
The production history of the film takes us to the year 2017 when Barris started developing the story of the film. The next big update in the production of the film came in 2021 when Calmatic was revealed as its director.
You might be interested to know that rapper Jack Harlow joined the film in 2022 to reprise the character originally played in the 1992 film by Woody Harrelson and in the same year, Sinqua Walls joined the cast to play the equivalent role of Wesley Snipes from the original film.
With other casts joining the project, filming commenced on May 11, 2022, in Los Angeles. In January 2023, the film entered its post-production phase, finally releasing on May 19, 2023, on Hulu.
Popular and Critical Reaction
If we are to believe TV Time, then it became the fifth most-streamed film across all platforms in the United States shortly after its release. However, if we talk about the average reaction to the film, then it was mostly negative.
On the other hand, most critical reviews of the film had the same story to tell. Following its release, the film got an average rating of 4.5 on a scale of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes. Also on Metacritic, the film garnered a 40 out of 100 rating based on the first 23 critical reviews.
The Observer also awarded it a 3-star rating on a 5-star scale. Yet, the film managed to bag a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Performance in a TV Movie or Limited Series at the 2023 Black Reel Awards for Television.
What we Found
The remake of the 1992 film has a smart and agile story. Yet, it seems that the film misses some real firepower that the earlier film had. If you are someone who has watched the earlier version, you would definitely agree that Shelton’s film stunned us with its sharp critique of stereotypes.
But, that does not seem to be true for the recent remake of the film. Though the film made numerous attempts to show its superiority to its predecessor, those claims seem to be empty.
Final Words
Whenever a remake of a film comes to the market, it surely gets weighed against its earlier version. Such has been the case with this film. However, if you wish to laugh your nerves out then the film is a must-watch for you.
Also read: Only Murders in the Building: Story Line, Cast, and Where to Watch
