While Kevin Hart is generally funny, “About Last Night” is wholly lacking, though probably through no fault of Hartâs, or even co-star Michael Ealy. And based on the play âSexual Perversity in Chicagoâ by playwright David Mamet, one would expect the comedic romp to be success. However, âAbout Last Nightâ is sadly debunked by a flat story-line, stereotyped characters, and a lack of emotional maturity and content. The film does have its take-a-ways and heart; sadly they are few and far between.
The film doesnât so much follow the exploits of two bachelors in Los Angeles, but tries, in a floundering fashion, to explore relationships in the big city amidst expectations, past disappointments, and societal standards. Here we meet Debbie (Joy Bryant), characterized by her friend as âboring,â who bonds with attractive Danny (Ealy). The two reluctantly begin a fledgling ârelationshipâ â a word âAbout Last Nightâsâ characters avoid using at any cost. Of course, amidst this lies Bernie (Hart), a determined-to-be-single bachelor who warns his friend about the perils of relationships, those three little words, and giving up single-hood.
What is most disappointing about âAbout Last Nightâ is that none of the characters in the film are unlikeable. However, we donât get to explore this fact, as the four main characters are completely cloaked in cliché. The man who canât say âI love youâ first⦠the woman pushing to define the relationshipâ¦.the obligatory ex-boyfriend who threatens the new guyâs ego. Itâs as if Director Steve Pink and company lifted its characters straight from the pages of Maxim and Cosmopolitan with no thought as to what actual people in these characterâs shoes might act like. While itâs possible Danny might bring an ex-girlfriend feigning intoxication back to his apartment instead of calling her a cab, itâs certainly not likely. Itâs these kind of things âAbout Last Nightâ seemingly canât get enough of, insulting viewerâs intelligence in the process.
Performance-wise, the cast is certainly likeable and entertaining, and the worst part is that we see a depth throughout the film that hints at a better movie lurking beneath the surface that never gets discovered. Hart is hysterical as usual; I could honestly listen to him read numbers from a phone book all day and laugh. Alas, Hart is buried in the filmâs deck, and doesnât get anything that could qualify as depth until the movieâs half over. Opposite him Ealy eats up most of the filmâs first half, and does a decent job garnering sympathy and being wholly likeable.
Itâs worse that some scenes try to vindicate this, such as a naked and honest scene in an elevator between Danny and Debbie that borders on excellent. Bernie and Joan have their scenes too; these are sadly thrown away with more cringe-worthy scenes than sweet ones, such as a New Yearâs Eve party that was so obviously written as a needed plot mechanism it comes off little more than unwatchable. Once again, we have a movie that doesnât know what to be â a comedy or a drama â and drags audiences along its unwitting progression. Some additional characters, such as an excellent Christopher McDonald, give the film life support, but by the time they do, itâs too late.
âAbout Last Nightâ isnât an awful film. It tries to be endearing, is funny, and, though overlong at 100 minutes, does lay down some food for thought on relationships, and, thankfully, isnât raunchy. The film has heart, and its biggest shortcoming is that it seems not to realize it. I felt the film deserved a D, I really did, but in the end I canât do it. The film tries. It just comes up regretfully short. If you want to see a brilliant film based off of a David Mamet play, rent “Glengarry Glen Ross;” that film has the depth and exposition necessary to give its characters the credit they deserve. But âAbout Last Nightâ will at least entertain, even if it doesnât transcend.
