About Last Night
Director: Steve Pink
Actors: Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Joy Bryant, Michael Ealy
Release Date: Monday 30th November -0001
Running time: 100 minutes
A remake of a 1986 cult classic (of sorts) that featured some of the Brat Pack alumni such as Demi Moore and Rob Lowe, we doubt that anybody was clambering to see this movie get remade, nor did they kick up much a fuss when the remake was announced.
Kicking things off, we meet Bernie (Kevin Hart) and Joan (Regina Hall) on their second date, having had some serious sexcapades first time round. Unsure if round two will go well, they each bring along a friend, Danny (Michael Ealy) and Debbie (Joy Bryant), who also hit it off, which results in some rumpy pumpy at the end of their first date. The remainder of the movie follows these two relationships through their ups and downs, and how the boundaries between friendships and relationships can affect each other.
The original movie was directed by Edward Zwick - he of The Last Samurai and Courage Under Fire fame - whereas this time around, on top of the more comedic cast, we get a more comedic director with Steve Pink, who recently brought us Hot Tub Time Machine. That’s not to say that a more humorous touch to proceedings is unwanted, but any time we get into some Serious Conversations, it feels apparent that Pink is WAY out of his comfort zone, so plasters over them with a lengthy montage. Of which this movie has about a million.
However, any time Hart and Hall are let off the leash, they almost completely save the movie. That’s right, the really annoying guy from Ride Along and the really annoying girl from Scary Movie are actually pretty funny here. But the central couple of Ealy and Bryant don’t shine quite so well. They do get some insightful, realistic moments, but he seems to always be in the wrong, while she is so dull that it’s difficult to imagine anyone falling in love with her.
So while it’s unlikely that this remake will end up a cult classic (of sorts) like the original, it’s not the worst way to spend an hour and a half. And make sure you stay for the closing credits for more Hart and Hall madness.
