About Last Night

The only reason I watched this film was, I'll admit, because of Kevin Hart. I really liked him in Ride Along, and wanted to see him on the screen again and was interested in seeing him in an ensemble type movie such as this was. Well, I just finished watching this film at the theater and this is what I'll say; it was a funny film for sure, Hart was funny as expected and he was coupled up with the extremely hilarious as well, Regina Hall. Together they were comedy gold and an extreme delight to watch. This film isn't just about humility though, it has a dramatic, serious side shown through the relationship of Michael Ealy & Joy Bryant, who I love on the NBC television show Parenthood. Both of these Actors were great to see as well, and from their story I found myself thinking about my own past relationships and how they all turned out. So defiantly a more relatable experience for sure. With all that said, I don't believe this film added anything new to this type of film genre, but that doesn't make it bad, just that it was entertaining and easily forgettable. I recommend renting this if you have to see it. Cheers!

It was okay, really kind of bland. To paraphrase the supporting actors' words ---"you two are BOOOOORING" when describing the leads. This is why you should pass on seeing this in the theater. They are some funny moments. But the tension in the main characters' relationship makes no sense, there isn't any. No story line or development to the rise and fall of their relationship. This is only worth seeing if you really love and/or are crushing on any of the four actors starring in the movie. That said Kevin Hart and Regina Hall are hilarious, but it's not enough to save this movie. Okay date movie if nothing else is playing. Skip it, you've been warned.

Kevin Hart's level of comedy is one you either get or you don't get. If you don't get it, then you'll still like this film because he isn't really the central character. This movie is written as a romantic comedy, but I saw much more romantic than comedy, but was funny enough nonetheless.

Let's talk about what I liked. I liked Michael Ealy's effortless charm and his chemistry with actress Joy Bryant. I liked Regina Hall and Kevin Hart in their ridiculously dysfunctional relationship. I liked the directing, because in some scenes, the seemingly "awkward" or "different" camera angles that my girlfriend was complaining about were actually very artistic and well done. I liked the soundtrack as well.

The only off-putting feature of this movie is that Kevin Hart's acting seems almost nonexistent. The guy is just playing himself in every film. I seriously think the guy doesn't even know he's an actor.

If you watch his stand up specials, and then a few of his very early film appearances, he seems to incorporate a level of acting. Up until his film breakout in Think Like A Man, not too many people knew of him. Now, a household name, he reaps in the benefits of being a funny man.

Throughout the film, it actually just felt like Kevin Hart was just talking to a bunch of actors. Not often did I feel like I was watching a movie. Over time, through multiple viewings of Kevin Hart's works, it seems to get repetitive and unfunny.

A good movie for the romantic yet predictable story between Michael Ealy's character and Joy Bryant's.

About Last Night could have gone in two directions: Play it safe and make easy money like 2012's Think like a Man; or gamble the R rating, become more realistic, and resemble the likes of Best Man Holiday.

The gamble was taken, and the payoff is far better than expected. About Last Night finally allows Kevin Hart off the leash and the results are amazing. He also has a comedic rival in the female category with Regina Hall, who stands toe-to-toe with his insanity and doesn't back down. The end result is a romantic dramedy that despite lacking in laughs in favor of drama delivers an entertaining movie that will go down as one that took risks, just not enough of them.

The main risk was the well-earned yet respectably mature R rating. Your best movies about relationships usually tend to be those that do not shy away from the more mature subjects and aren't afraid of baring it all physically and emotionally. The Before Sunrise trilogy and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are the better modern examples. About Last Night never exaggerates to earn the rating, instead exposes one-night stands, relationships, sex, emotional growth, and all the complications amongst these subjects with no red tape to stop it—ultimately establishing itself as a more mature film in its usual cinematic genre.

It wasn't just the honesty that gives About Last Night its edge above its usual contemporaries. It boasts a great (besides Bruno Mars' latest album) soundtrack that incorporates a healthy dosage of jazz and blues, employs a script with good dialogue, and is directed and edited nice and tight for that it never really overstays its welcome. Most importantly, the chemistry amongst the leads is off the charts. Regina Hall and Kevin Hart are nearly flawless together, as their banter and angry love provide the most laughs and some of the best moments in the movie. Not to be undone, the more dramatic relationship between Joy Bryant and Michael Ealy was very much believable and carried the emotional weight of the entire film.

What ultimately bogs down About Last Night is that it doesn't quite dig deep enough into the psyche of modern-day relationships. The 1980 version of About Last Night and the play that it's based on were both brutally realistic as well as critical of the time period and the views of relationships amongst the culture. With this version, we see the who, the what, and the where, but don't enough of the why. It lacks the subtle commentary like what we saw in Her, it lacks the explanation as to why it's become more difficult nowadays for marriages and long-lasting relationships to survive.

One of the quietly scary trends nowadays is the deterioration of the American marriage, especially amongst minorities like Hispanics and Blacks. This movie could have broken even more ground if this had been explored and expanded upon the concept of Sexual Perversion in Chicago, the original stage play. The play is 40 years old, maybe its time for an update?

Mediocre movies remain in shallow waters. Riskier movies swim deeper. And the best of the best fully dive in and risk all the consequences. About Last Night lands somewhere in the middle, but nonetheless is an entertaining movie with good performances and good chemistry. This movie will not embed itself in romantic drama history, but will leave a nice impression throughout the year—especially from rising star Kevin Hart and the underrated talent of Regina Hall, Joy Bryant, and Michael Ealy.

Bernie (Kevin Hart) tells his best friend Danny (Michael Ealy) about last night with Joan (Regina Hall). She's also telling her roommate Debbie (Joy Bryant). They go out on a double date. Bernie and Joan are the wild ones. Danny and Debbie are jaded from all the bad relationships. They hook up anyways and despite reservations, they fall into a relationship.

Kevin Hart and Regina Hall are hilarious together. Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant are a bit bland together. Their romance is rather boring. So the movie is half good. It's lot of fun to have Hart and Hall have their all out fights. I just wish that Ealy has some more energy to pump up his relationship. The sidekicks are better than the leads.