Writer of ‘Undercover Brothers’ knows how to squeeze laughs out of material
The PG-13 comedy was co-scripted by Michael McCullers, a contributor to the “Powers” series and a writer who obviously knows how to squeeze laughs out of broad material. McCullers teamed with talented 35-year-old John Ridley, a former stand-up comic whose writing credits include “Stray Dogs” (turned into the hard-boiled Oliver Stone film “U-Turn”) and “Three Kings” and who created “Undercover Brother” two years ago as a pointedly political animated series for Urban Media’s Web site at www.urbanentertainment.com. During this bouncy 83-minute live-action comedy, a black secret agent (Eddie Griffin of “The New Guy”) working for a black organization known as the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. briefly trades his leather slacks and platform shoes for khakis and penny loafers. The preppie clothes help him infiltrate a sinister underground movement headed by The Man, a mysterious racist devoted to stopping the campaign of a black presidential candidate.
Chris Kattan (TV’s “Saturday Night Live”), Dave Chappelle (“Half Baked”), Denise Richards (“Wild Things”), Aunjanue Ellis (“The Caveman’s Valentine”) and Billy Dee Williams (“The Empire Strikes Back”) co-star in this fun-to-watch spoof, which pokes fun at blaxploitation favorites from the 1970s, stereotyping, conservatives, martial-arts movies and being “cool.” Soul legend James Brown enjoys a terrific cameo in the satire, which was directed by Malcolm D. Lee (“The Best Man”), the cousin of famed director Spike Lee.
The filmmaker was inspired to get behind the camera and create “Undercover Brother” due to his great affection for black martial-arts champion Jim Kelly, who used his combat skills to create a screen career.
Kelly’s credits include “Enter the Dragon” with the late, great Bruce Lee, “Black Belt Jones” with Gloria Hendry, “Hot Potato” with Irene Tsu and “Three the Hard Way” with Fred Williamson and former football great Jim Brown.
Griffin’s character wears the type of Afro, stylish shoes and tight leather garb that Kelly always favored on screen.
The comic-actor – who’s anxious to turn “Undercover Brother” into a franchise – carries off the role with just the right attitude by turning an Internet cartoon character into a fun-to-watch action hero.
Some fun facts about “Undercover Brother” include:
– Costume designer Danielle Hollowell examined old issues of Ebony magazine, viewed episodes of the CBS sitcom “Good Times” (1974-79) and studied the backup singers in a scene from the film adaptation of “Jesus Christ Superstar” for inspiration.
– Production designer Bill Elliott watched “Shaft” (1971) with Richard Roundtree and “Cleopatra Jones” (1973) with Tamara Dobson while developing the look of the film.
– Griffin was highly enthused about the polyester clothes worn by Undercover Brother.
The comic actor also loved the 1972 Cadillac with a 375-horsepower engine, custom-designed leather seats and fuzzy balls hanging from the rearview mirror driven by his character.
“It’s just his style,” Griffin said of the clothes and car.