Plot: What’s it about?
Jamal Jeffries (Miguel A. Nunez, Jr.) is one of the most talented players in professional basketball, but he also happens to be the most troublesome. His antics on and off the court have landed him in hot water on countless occasions, leaving him known as the baddest bad boy of professional hoops. But his skills remain at an elite level and the fans pack the house to see him on the court, so the league has overlooked his behavior until now. After being flagged for a call he disagreed with, Jeffries heckles the referees and lands himself a technical foul, to which he goes off the deep end and is ejected from the game. This is not the end of the incident however, as he hops onto an announce table, throws off his short, then his shorts and while in only his sneakers & jockstrap, taunts the audience. Then in one final act of total insolence, he removes his jockstrap and shows the crowd his manhood, all the while continuing his verbal assault. This leads to him being released from the team, losing his contract due to a morals clause, and finding himself unwanted by any team, thanks to his actions. Left with no other options and a fierce drive to return to the game, he hatches a plan that could get him back in the game, though in order to do so, he’ll have to pose as a woman, Juwanna Mann. Will his outlandish plan allow him to score some cash, ogle some ladies in the showers, and return to the league that made him a star?
We’ve seen this kind of movie many times before, where a man impersonates a woman for some kind of gain, so how could Juwanna Mann stand out from the crowd? As I said, this is by no means an original premise, but Juwanna Mann manages to make it all work, thanks to some new twists, solid writing, and some enjoyable performances. The dramatic side falls rather flat in most instances, but as a light comedy, it is fun to watch and provides ample laughs, if you’re into crude, but mostly harmless humor. The film gets good marks for moving the premise into the sports world, where players close to Jamal’s status are frequent and that makes it seem very fresh, since it seems almost believable at times. Miguel A. Nunez, Jr. is solid in the lead role, but it is his supporting cast that amps up the picture, with such costars as Vivica A. Fox, Kevin Pollak, Kim Wayans, Tommy Davidson, and even some famous professional basketball players. The writing remains consistent, though as I mentioned, the drama doesn’t come through as well as the comedic moments, so those scenes are a little rough around the edges. But even so, Juwanna Mann is a fun movie that has some great moments, so it is more than worth a look. Warner has even dished out a great disc to boot, so this release is recommended to all those interested.
I don’t think anyone would believe he was a woman, but even so, Miguel Nunez, Jr. is solid here and carries the film quite well. As the film begins, he is a rather one dimensional character and unlikable, but his evolution is well executed and believable. Of course, a few jumps in common sense are called for in order to make the complete transition, but all in all, the move from louse to likable is well done. Nunez has good screen presence, but I think he is better suited to smaller roles and backup characters, as he seems as little reliant on his costars. That’s to be expected really, but it just doesn’t seem like he has the total charisma to make a movie his own, as his fellow stars often steal scenes and outshine him. Even so, his work here is solid and enjoyable, which is about all this material really needs. Other films with Nunez include Slam Dunk Ernest, Street Fighter, Life, The Return of the Living Dead, and Carnosaur 2. The cast also includes Vivica A. Fox (Independence Day, Idle Hands), Tommy Davidson (Bamboozled, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls), and Kevin Pollak (The Usual Suspects, Grumpy Old Men).
Video: How does it look?
Juwanna Mann is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is a superb visual effort and in the end, stands as one of Warner’s best offerings in terms of sparkling visual presentations. The print looks pristine, with no nicks, grain, or debris I could notice, while sharpness is high at all times. The colors are simply awesome also, with intense hues that are so rich, they bounce right off the screen. I saw no blooming or oversaturation however, which is impressive, given how full these colors are. No contrast woes either, as detail is high throughout and black levels are well balanced & refined. In short, this is an excellent visual treatment and I am scoring it with our highest possible grade.
Audio: How does it sound?
As this is a dialogue driven comedy, I had minimal expectations in this area, but the included Dolby Digital 5.1 track is impressive. The mix has much more power and presence than I anticipated, especially during the film’s basketball scenes. These segments immerse the audience in the experience, with on court sounds in excellent form and the crowd noise well presented, it feels like you’re sitting courtside here. The music also makes good use of the surrounds, while dialogue is clean and consistent also. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, should you need those options.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This edition has some nice extras to browse, including a pair of humorous and informative audio commentary tracks. Up first is a track with director Jesse Vaughn and star Miguel Nunez, Jr., which has some interesting stories from the production, as well as nice amount of technical information, a solid overall session. The second track is with star Tommy Davidson and focuses more on humorous insights, which should please some viewers. Davidson leaves some silent spaces, but for a single person commentary, I think he does well enough. If you want behind the scenes materials, you’ll find a twenty minute television special on this disc, as well as a brief look at a press event and some footage from the film’s premiere. This disc also includes a Fat Joe music video, some talent files, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
