Rent About Last Night (2014)

About Last Night review by George Hooper - Cinema Paradiso

There are many films that chronicle the journey of multiple couples from the first date to something meaningful and important, in fact this year started with one, That Awkward Moment, and while that film was less about the relationships and more about the idea that friendship doesn’t have to inhibit them, About Last Night is more about the pitfalls and joys of the journey itself and while sometimes the film relies a little too heavily on its comedy it has just enough catharsis to make the wild ride worth while.

About Last Night follows Bernie (Kevin Hart) and Danny (Michael Ealy), two best friends who find themselves on the precipice of relationships with Joan (Regina Hall) and Debbie (Joy Bryant) respectively. As they start moving towards the next stages of their lives and their relationships they must deal with their own problems and find a way to make their lives mean more than just what they are doing.

Much like with this years Ride Along, About Last Night features a tour de force performance by Hart and he is supported by an equally excellent Hall as they struggle through their relationship as the rambling, bumbling Bernie tries to figure out what the hell he is doing. However the film is one of two halves, Hart and Hall make for excellent characters but Danny and Debbie feel tagged on and while Ealy and Bryant are not awful they lack the kind of setup that Bernie and Danny have.

However the real treat of About Last Night is its ending, a mixture of welcome realism with a hint of the fantastical in each conclusion and while the film may cut down on the comedy the films serious moments work better than the comedic ones and watching Hart flex his dramatic chops shows he is capable of plenty more than the fast talking, joke slinging persona he has fostered over the years. All in all, this is an excellent rom com that will be well worth anyones time.