John's Take: About Last Night

Remakes, remakes, remakes. Honestly, I don’t get the hate…if they’re bad you can forget them, if they’re good you get a fresh take on a great story. Thankfully About Last Night, a remake of a 80s romantic (?) comedy starring Demi Moore and Rob Lowe, falls into the latter category. Starring Michael Ealy, Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, and Joy Bryant, About Last Night follows to distinctly different couples in their journey through the complicated world of modern dating. Bernie (Kevin Hart) brings his best friend Danny (Michael Ealy) on a follow-up date with his one night stand Joan (Regina Hall) who, of course, also brings her best friend Debbie (Joy Bryant). While Bernie and Joan pursue partying and wild sex Danny and Debbie, both reeling from previous bad relationships, find each other in a much more sweet and romantic way. Prior to watching the movie I wondered how it would strike the same notes as the original, a saucy film for its time with A LOT of sex and nudity, stuff that doesn’t seem so shocking nowadays. What we get is one of the most honest and downright hilarious, thanks mostly to Hart and Hall, date movies that I’ve seen in a very long time.

Bad things…hmmm….well, I guess the only thing I can say is that it gives a rather unrealistic impression of what we should expect, visually, in the modern dating world. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that everyone is ridiculously good looking. Outside of that the only real pseudo-complaint I have is that when the trouble arises in Danny and Debbie’s relationship it really seems to come out of nowhere. Basically Danny doesn’t think he’s good enough for Debbie and becomes really insecure, but the way it’s played out there is no subtle ramp up…just one day he’s pissed off all of the time and tells her he never loved her.


Now the good stuff, this paragraph will be much longer. Kevin Hart, who has solidified his place as the funniest actor working with this movie, is at the top of his game as Bernie, the cocky party hardy friend who ridicules Danny for falling in love but flips the script as soon as that ball is in his court. We all know that guy, the one who always calls you out for being whipped but gives in completely when his time comes. Now Kevin Hart alone can make a movie, but the real cream in this coffee comes from his pairing with Regina Hall’s Joan, who is basically a female Bernie. We’ve all known Hall as a completely capable comedic presence all the way back to Scary Movie, but seeing her opposite Hart puts her to a whole new level. They are equals on every level and the movie jumps into the stratosphere of laughs a minute when they get going together, when you see it…and you SHOULD see it, look for the Halloween party scene for the best example of why these two should always work together.

Then you have Danny and Debbie, the sweeter side of the story. This is where the real heart of the story lies and the reason it gets a place at the “Valentine’s Date Movie” table. The way the story plays out is simply perfect (aside from the earlier mentioned unearned break-up scene…that’s not a spoiler you knew there would be one), it’s sweet but not sugary and has an honest angle that sets it apart from most love stories. This is that rare occasion where you see a movie love story that feels real and not like an idealized version of some Disney fairytale. As odd as this sounds the credit goes to the little things that Ealy and Bryant do, specifically their body language and facial expressions. A small smile here, a sarcastic joke there, as in life it’s the little things that cultivated true love and this movie gets that. Lastly they manage to work in playful sex without making it feel cheap…that may be the most honest part. Far too often in movies when a romantic couple get down to business it’s always the slow, sweet, lit candles and incense kind of love making. While that’s not devoid from their relationship more often than not it starts with a “Damn girl, you’re looking good in those pants” type situation and, if we’re being honest, isn’t that more real? One final negative aspect that I feel I must include and it’s really more of a compliment to the film itself…just something for the guys to be aware of. Your wife/girlfriend WILL be thinking about Ealy at some point in the next day or two. Not only is he a good looking, in-shape dude, but his character is about as close to the feminine ideal of how a man should be. Not only does he turn down a smoking hot Paula Patton who’s begging for it, but he gets her a puppy for God’s sake, thanks Danny for raising my wife’s expectations.

I can’t recommend this movie enough. Not only is it a touching and honest look at relationships and the different ways people pursue them but it had me laughing, uncontrollably, throughout 80% of the movie. I can’t remember the last time a movie had me like that.

4 out of 5 Guttenbergs

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Review: 'About Last Night' Starring Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Regina Hall, and Joy Bryant

Back in 1986, when Brat Packers Demi Moore and Rob Lowe were having their illicit trysts in About Last Night, it was a totally scandalous thing. It was a different time and one-night stands were viewed differently than they are now, although there's no denying that Moore and Lowe sizzled in their depiction of youthful romantic indecision fueled by raging libidos. But this is 2014 and the African-American led remake, yet another adaptation of David Mamet's play "Sexual Perversity in Chicago", has a modern take on relationships that is funnier and more insightful than the original.

It helps that this version has the comedic power of Kevin Hart and Regina Hall, who play the bickering on again/off again couple, Bernie and Joan. They don't just steal the show once; they steal it multiple times, overshadowing the primary duo played by Joy Bryant and Michael Ealy. Hart, Hall, and Ealy have starred in multiple films together at this point, and their chemistry together is off the charts, while Bryant sometimes seems like a fourth wheel. That's not to say she's bad, because she isn't. She has an easygoing, embracing personality that works well with Ealy, it's just her character doesn't have the pop of the other three.

The sexual perversion moves to Los Angeles, where buddies Bernie and Danny (Ealy) kick back drinks at whatever bar they happen to be at while discussing their latest conquests. Bernie is a clown, a mighty mite with a big mouth and bigger ego, perfect for Hart in other words. Danny is calm, cool, and reluctant to dive back into the dating scene after a harsh break-up with the mysterious Allison (Paul Patton, in an under-written cameo). But when Bernie starts hooking up with the sexually vigorous Joan, Danny is also warming up to her best friend, Debbie (Bryant). As Bernie and Joan take off like a rocket ship, Debbie and Danny play it slower....well, after the unexpected one-night-stand, that is.

The film tracks both relationships as they run hot and cold, neither ever seeming to be on the same path at the same time. Bernie and Joan are the more interesting duo; an oil and water pair with undeniable chemistry, mostly due to their mutual self-involvement. Their exchanges, both verbal and sexual, are sharp and pretty nasty (there's a chicken suit introduced at one point), but they form the comedic backbone of the film that works better as a comedy than as a romance thanks in part to director Steve Pink. As the "boring" couple, Debbie and Danny go through the rigors any serious couple does. The honeymoon period is fantastic and helps them through their past hang-ups, then things cool down into comfortable domesticity, until soon she is looking for a new dog (as a baby surrogate) and he is looking for any opportunity to hang out with his buddies. Their relationship goes through ups and downs in broad strokes to fit the episodic nature of Leslye Headland's script, which leans heavily on humor rather than deep emotional truths.  When the girls are depressed they indulge in Nutella binges; the guys take their frustrations out on video games.

Hart has been delivering his A+ material since 2012's Think Like a Man, and this film shares a lot of thematic similarities he seems comfortable playing into. He's a little guy with a Napoleon complex who always has something to say, even when others want him to shut up. Again he finds himself in the role of motor-mouthed pal, but what's surprising is how good he is with Hall. The give and take between them is flawless, a joy to watch, and they have real spark as a romantic pair. It's hard to believe Hall is the same actress who played second fiddle to Anna Faris in Scary Movie all those years ago. She's improved by leaps and bounds and is as sexy as she is hilarious. It's the best overall performance Hall and Hart have ever given and hopefully we get to see more of them together soon. How about a Bernie and Joan spinoff?  There probably weren't a lot of people clamoring for an About Last Night remake, but this one is fresh enough to hold up well on its own. About Last Night has a lot of laughs, a little bit of spice, and will make for a great date movie this Valentine's Day.

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New Trailer for 'About Last Night' with Kevin Hart and Regina Hall

Coming off the success of the ethnically-diverse comedy Think Like A Man, Screen Gems was extremely bullish on their remake of 1986 romantic comedy About Last Night. They were so high on it that they released the first red band trailer back in February, a full year before it hit theaters. Now a new, cleaner trailer has been released, and with a cast that includes Kevin Hart, Joy Bryant, Michael Ealy, and Regina Hall, it should be both funny and extremely sexy.

The film centers on a couple who jump into a romantic affair despite their friends' obvious disapproval. As it turns out, going from the club to the bedroom to forging a lasting relationship is tougher than they thought. The jokes don't completely work, but Hart looks like he will steal the show again, just as he did in Think Like A Man.

Co-starring Paula Patton and directed by Steve Pink, About Last Night opens on Valentine's Day.

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New red band trailer for 'About Last Night' with Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, and Regina Hall

Screen Gems scored one of last year's biggest surprise hits with Think Like a Man, taking a fresh-faced cast of mostly supporting players and proving they could be box office stars. While it looks like they'll all be returning for the eventual sequel, the first place we'll see many of them reunite is in another romantic comedy, a remake of 1986's About Last Night.

Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, and Regina Hall hook back up, bringing along Joy Bryant and Paula Patton. The film follows two couples who try to go from random booty calls into forming an actual relationship, and all the hurdles that follow. The rather lengthy new red band trailer seems to be focused primarily on sex and not much else, which makes sense as a hook, I suppose. Kevin Hart again looks like he'll steal the show, and the ladies will get plenty of chance to see Ealy without his shirt (or pants) on.

Still, this is really early for a trailer that shows so much of the story. We're a year away from it hitting theaters, and already we've seen how the entire story lays out. Not sure that's a good thing, or why Screen Gems thought this was a good idea. Whatever, the trailer's solid and the cast impeccable. I certainly don't miss Demi Moore or Rob Lowe. Directed by Steve Pink, About Last Night opens on February 14th 2014.


About Last Night Trailer 1 Redband (VO HD) by Rabusu

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