Night School - Movie Review

I generally enjoy movies featuring comedian Kevin Hart. I had low expectations for his latest film, Night School, which is struggling with poor ratings on IMDb. Critics are generally panning a film, which barely ventures into the favorable realm at 5.6 currently. While concerned about the low rating, I felt like watching a comedy yesterday. Night School was my only choice, I like Kevin Hart, so it was a no-brainer.

Teddy Walker (Hart) struggles with testing. For a high school drop-out, he has done okay for himself. He has a stable job selling grills. His ability to manipulate people makes him the top salesman every month. After inheriting the business from his boss, he accidentally burns it down. The lack of insurance leaves Teddy with few options. His childhood friend, Marvin (Ben Schwartz) offers him a job as a stock broker, but Teddy must get his GED first. Teddy has a girlfriend, Lisa (Megalyn Echikunwoke), who he is constantly trying to impress. He hides the truth from her, hoping to get his GED and transition to a job selling stocks without telling her he was a high school dropout. He struggles with his learning disabilities, a no-nonsense teacher (Tiffany Hadish), a vengeful childhood foe who is now principal (Taran Killam) and the tangle of lies he has spun, to graduate from high school and fix his relationships.

The premise of Night School is kind of silly. But it is a comedy. I have to measure a comedy by how much it made me laugh. There were plenty of sight gags and turns-of-phrase that kept things interesting. The story itself was a bit flat and predictable, but it provided an opportunity to have some fun. Aided by a band of misfits all attending Night School, the lead character manages to find a little bit of depth. There isn't a lot of growth here, but there are some funny folks to help keep things interesting. A principal who likes to "talk black," a fired waiter who wants to become a pop singer, a prisoner who skypes into class, a repressed stay-at-home mom, a "woke" conspiracy theorist, and a guy who works for a moving company. Together, they manage to bond and have some fun along the way. The film lags a bit at the end, but the pacing was otherwise decent.

It seems that Tiffany Hadish is in everything these days. She is a solid comedian with a distinct culturally-rooted delivery. She is a good foil for Kevin Hart, who can usually make me laugh. Another familiar comedian, Rob Riggle joins them, adding a straight man to the comedy. The casting was excellent. It was a nice mix of characters and comedy. The rather flat story was enhanced by some decent dialogue and great delivery. The cast makes this film work.

Night School is rated PG-13 by the MPAA. There is one bedroom scene that could have carried things further, but opted for comedy over sensuality. Good call. There was no nudity, either. There are plenty of sexual references and adult themes in the film, generally geared towards comedy. The film has alcohol consumption, drug references and strong language. Overall, the film relies on some cheap gags and humor to elicit laughs. But I laughed. I think the rating is fair. Teenage audiences, maybe some tweens, and older. The film has a run time of one hour, 51 minutes.

Night School is a silly look at a dysfunctional group of adults attempting to get their GEDs. Focusing on a character with learning disabilities, the film becomes a "buddy film" where the characters bond while focusing on their common goals. Together, they support each other and help each other succeed. It is thin, the relationships tenuous at best, but there is just enough substance there to hold together the elements to deliver some laugh lines. The pacing was off near the end as Malcolm D. Lee struggled to tie together the loose ends. But the film succeeded in making me laugh. It was minimal, but worth recommending. But wait for it to stream. 6.5/10.