About Last Night (DVD REVIEW)
About Last Night
DVD Review
by Kam Williams
Raunchy
Remake Starring Hart and Hall Released on DVD
Released in
1986, About Last Night revolved around the yearlong effort of a couple of Chicago yuppies (played by
Rob Lowe and Demi Moore) to forge a solid relationship on the shaky ground of a
one-night stand. The movie was adapted from “Sexual Perversity in Chicago,” a
dialogue-driven drama by Pulitzer Prize-winner David Mamet (for Glengarry Glen
Ross).
Loosely
based on the original, this raunchy remake is a romantic comedy ostensibly
serving as a vehicle for popular comic-turned-actor Kevin Hart. After all, his
character, Bernie, the sidekick in the source material, is now the leading man.
Furthermore, the setting has been shifted to L.A., where much of the humor caters to the
African-American palate, since the principal cast members are now all black.
The film
happens to be at its best when over the top Bernie is talking trash. For
instance, he brags about leaving a recent sexual conquest’s “edges nappy,” an
inside joke insinuating that the session was so steamy it had literally
uncurled her straightened hair.
Directed by
Steven Pink (Hot Tub Time Machine), the picture co-stars Regina Hall opposite
Hart as his insatiable love interest, Joan. Rounding out the principal cast are
Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant as Danny and Debbie, the aforementioned twosome giving
serious commitment a go.
At the
point of departure we are introduced to BFFs Bernie and Danny, co-workers at a
restaurant supply company. The former recounts a purely lustful escapade he
shared with Joan, prior to introducing the latter to her roommate. Danny goes
gaga over Debbie, and the cinematic table is set.
Bernie and
Joan remain incessantly in heat, and can’t keep their hands off each other. By
contrast, Danny and Debbie are communicative enough to move in together, buy
furniture, adopt a pet, and generally map out a future.
The plot
thickens when Danny loses his job and ends up tending bar at Casey’s, a saloon
frequented by his stalker ex-girlfriend (Paula Patton). It doesn’t help that
Bernie’s already been pressuring his suddenly-domesticated pal to revert to
sowing his wild oats.
Still, the
resulting relationship tensions take a back seat to lighthearted banter in this
superficial adventure laced with one-liners like, “If this bitch were any
dumber, you’d have to water her.” Look for quickie cameos by NFL great Terrell
Owens as well as by Rob Lowe and Demi Moore courtesy of a clip from original.
About Last Night 2.0, a bawdy variation on
the theme establishing Kevin Hart as a bona fide box-office attraction.
Very Good
(3 stars)
Rated R
for profanity, sexuality, nudity and brief drug use
Running time: 100 minutes
Distributor: Sony
Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: An
“Un-Romantic Comedy” featurette.
To see a trailer for About Last Night, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QEfDr1OE8Q
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