Uncle Drew

Inspired by a Pepsi ad campaign, movies don't get more commercial than "Uncle Drew" (well, unless you're a Marvel tentpole). The underdog sports comedy -- starring Kyrie Irving, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal and Lisa Leslie as geriatric hoopsters who attempt to win a local basketball tournament under the coaching of a hapless schmuck (Lil Rel Howery) -- already has its audience in the seats.

You've got the notable NBA stars and in-jokes about the sport (just listen to the crowd roar when they make a crack about Shaq's character, "Big Fella," being bad at free throws). You've got the hot new comedic talent (Howery, who was a scene-stealer in last year's "Get Out," and Tiffany Haddish, likewise for last year's "Girls Trip"). You've got the broad appeal of a film that, despite some suggestive material and language, is kind of ideal for family-friendly entertainment. The most objectionable this film gets is a shot of Shaq's bare ass, but the kids will indubitably howl at the gag.

"Uncle Drew," quite surprisingly, is a rather good film for what it is. It is lightweight, entertaining and at times hilarious, with scene-munching work by the entire cast (the MVP being Chris Webber as "Preacher"). You'd think the gag of seeing NBA stars don (rather well-done) old people makeup would grow weary, but the film makes the most of its characters and A-to-B story structure to craft a familiar yet fun underdog tale that hits every beat like an ace at the free throw line. The formula works when it's done right, and "Uncle Drew" knows just what ingredients to use.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this silly film is how endearing it ends up becoming, with charming character development all around. Like the great underdog sports comedies of yesteryear, the film gives you a ragtag team to root for. There's the Bad News Bears, the Johnstown Jets and, now, the Brooklyn Buckets. Of course, the implausibility of the whole premise is ridiculous; at one point, the wheelchair-bound "Boots" (Robinson) who hasn't walked in years, rises from his chair after being laced up in his old basketball shoes. Better yet, he delivers a spot-on lay-up almost immediately after. And seeing Irving's titular geezer make moves on the court will have you wondering how the character isn't breaking a hip.

But in the end, it doesn't really matter. "Uncle Drew" knows just what it is, and delivers to its intended audience exactly what they want. For a premise that originated from an inferior cola product's advertising budget, you can definitely do a lot worse than this film.