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Every year, right around Valentine’s Day, theaters are flooded with new chick flicks. From sappy romantic tear-jerkers to wacky rom-coms, they try to appeal to every kind of hopeless romantic. But while most of these love stories focus on the girls, the remake of About Last Night is all about the guys.
About Last Night follows two friends as they try to navigate the ups and downs of new—and old—relationships. When Bernie (Kevin Hart) meets Joan (Regina Hall) at their favorite bar, they’re instantly drawn to each other. The next night, Bernie brings his best friend, Danny (Michael Ealy), to the bar, where Danny meets Joan’s roommate, Debbie (Joy Bryant). And as Bernie and Joan’s relationship becomes fiery and passionate, Danny and Debbie are more cautious about their own budding romance.
Real-life romance meets outrageous comedy in Hot Tub Time Machine director Steve Pink’s updated take on the classic Brat Pack chick flick.
Admittedly, the story gets off to a rough start. Bernie and Joan make an obnoxious couple—and as their initial drunken encounters play out, you might find yourself questioning your choice in movies. Fortunately, though, sweet and sensible Danny and Debbie manage to even things out.
On their own, each of the two couples could be difficult to watch. Bernie and Joan are fiery in both good times and bad; either they’re madly in love or they’re at each other’s throats. Danny and Debbie’s relationship, meanwhile, is the opposite extreme—alternately cutesy and cold. Put them together, and you’ve got highs and lows, love and hate, and everything in between—but the two extremes balance each other out well.
Surprisingly, though, the film’s heart and humor come from the men. This is really their story—not the women’s. And while Hall’s Joan is generally shrill and over-the-top and Bryant’s Debbie is a little bit bland, the men give the film its personality. Hart has his signature shtick—and although it may be a little overdone at times, it’s generally funny in a crude and crazy kind of way. Ealy, on the other hand, is smooth and charming and sincere—and you can’t help but love him as Danny.
Of course, you won’t find a whole lot of surprises here. The relationships generally fit into the usual chick flick formulas, so you’ll know how things will end as soon as they begin. And the inevitable conclusions are drawn out just a little too long, too. But the honesty, reality, and comedy of these two relationships make for an enjoyable rom-com remake. So skip the schmaltz this Valentine’s Day weekend; if you’re taking a date to the movies, About Last Night will keep you and your Valentine entertained.
Listen to the audio review on Reel Discovery:
