“Undercover Brother” promises to give America’s intramural culture clash, the friction between the races, quite a workout.

In this corner, we have Michael Bolton/Celine Dion/’N Sync-listening, Riverdancing, Banana Republic-shopping, “Frasier”-watching, basketball-impaired, WASP America. In the other, the Cadillac-driving, pot-smoking, pimp’n’ho-dressing, Ebonics-speaking, fried chicken-chomping, James Brown-worshipping, white woman-coveting African America.

This can’t-miss material does miss, that is. And that’s a tribute to a first-time director with no flair for comedy and a star who just isn’t as funny in a starring role as he sometimes is in supporting ones.

Eddie Griffin is Undercover Brother, a do-gooder with a thing for the ’70s.

He’s recruited for the BROTHERHOOD, a top secret organization that fights for “truth, justice and the African-American Way.” The BROTHERHOOD is fighting “The Man,” literally. He’s an evil genius bent on the “whitewashing” of America.

The BROTHERHOOD, led by The Chief (Chi McBride of TV’s “Boston Public”), with Sistah Girl (Aunjanue Ellis), Conspiracy Brother (Dave Chappelle), Smart Brother (Gary Anthony Williams) and intern Lance (Neil Patrick Harris, TV’s “Doogie Howser”), sets out to stop this.

Griffin’s restrained performance kept me wondering what Chris Tucker would have done with this. Chappelle, an over-the-top race-baiting conspiracy buff, is the funniest thing in the film.

Bits and pieces of this Afro-Austin Powers work. But there’s a funnier movie in this, starring a comic who can riff better lines than the script gives him, directed by somebody with a better sense of humor.