Malcolm D. Lee came out of nowhere and had us begging for more after 2017’s GIRLS TRIP. He’s back again with muse Tiffany Haddish and equally-funny Kevin Hart in new Comedy, NIGHT SCHOOL.
The Movie centers on Teddy (Kevin Hart), a successful Barbeque salesman whose plans literally blow-up in smoke after proposing to his fiancĂŠe Lisa (Megalyn Echikunwoke). Without ever having passed his GED, he secretly must get this in order to get the job he truly wants and finds himself in night school. Teddy is faced with the obstacles of concealing this embarrassment from Lisa, angry principal Stewart (Taran Killam) who happens to have been Teddy‘s arch-nemesis in high school and also working together with his band of misfit classmates to avoid failing this dreaded test under the guidance of no-nonsense teacher Carrie (Haddish).
Admittedly things take a while to get rolling in this Comedy co-penned by Hart. While the Second Act of the Film spends time giving us a bit of the backstories of his quirky classmates and building Teddy‘s connection with Carrie, some of that momentum in taking us on his journey and struggle tackling the task at hand are lost. Haddish as much as she is a joy to witness on-screen isn’t given enough to work with and we still don’t feel like we known her at the end. Everything else however, comes together nicely late and finally we feel for our multiplely-challenged hero Teddy and especially delightfully-oblivious Theresa (Mary Lynn Rajskub) and spicy over-age aspiring pop star Luis (Al Madrigal). Hart delivers his signature over-the-top expressiveness which fans have come to love, although we wish tonally that Night School had just a little more heart.
Universal Pictures Canada release NIGHT SCHOOL Friday, September 28, 2018.
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com