Mocking the acting skills of Keanu Reeves is like hurling insults at the galloping pace of a three-legged rocking horse. Though financially set for several lifetimes and one of Hollywood’s most recognizable names, Reeves and his dramatic skill sets have never been accused of being stellar. Whether it’s acting or not, one role Reeves has been able to master is that of the aloof and seemingly inept comical lead as he does in the 1988 piece “The Night Before.”
“The Night Before” follows the perspective of high school junior Winston Connelly (Reeves) identified as a lower echelon nerd (though if a heart throb surfer stud like Reeves is a geek I assume the popular jocks at this school must be nothing short of titans) as he has forgotten the details of an unforgettable night.
As the movie begins, Winston, dressed in a prom tuxedo, wakes up in an alley surrounded by the sketchy streets of East Los
Angeles. Winston has no idea where he is or how he got there. A hot coffee in an all-night, roach infested diner summons his first memory and the film is then told through a series of flashbacks, all triggered by various characters, signs, or words that bring the viewer to the day before, piece by piece leading up to the predicament Winston finds himself in at the beginning.
The day starts out in a seemingly innocent fashion as Winston is preparing to take Tara Mitchell (Lori Loughlin of “Full House” fame), the prettiest girl in school, to the junior prom due to her loss on a bet with a friend. A nervous Winston is mocked by his little brother who chastises how out of his league Tara really is. “She’s captain of the pep squad, homecoming princess, and teen model of the month. And then there’s you, who after three years of high school you’ve worked your way up to Vice President of the Astronomy Club.”
When Winston picks up Tara her over protective father (Michael Greene) – who is also the Captain of Police – warns him to be safe and have his daughter back by midnight. As Winston awakes from his unconscious state to start the movie, there is no sign of his father’s sports car, his wallet, or Tara. If that’s not enough he is constantly reminded that a mysterious man named Tito, who is feared by every thug, lowlife, and hood he encounters, is looking for him.
“The Night Before” is a comical tale told with two of my favorite devices; flashbacks, and events that occur in a single night’s timeframe. The adventure and mishaps Winston and Tara find themselves in are completely outlandish, which seems to go hand in hand with any Reeves character, but the movie is funny and well paced at 85 minutes.
If you like “The Hangover,” give “The Night Before” a shot since it basically stole the entire premise from it.
– by Matt Christopher
