It's been a long time since I saw the 1986 romcom "About Last Night ..." and even longer since I read its source material, David Mamet's play "Sexual Perversity in Chicago." Consequently, I can't really speak to how faithful this reboot is; judging from the Los Angeles location and seemingly ad-libbed bits, I can guess not very. I'm not sure why this "About Last Night" is necessary at all, but it's a pleasant enough way to spend an evening.
Set over the course of one year, the film explores the relationships of four friends, who become two couples (with varying success) after as many one-night stands. Restaurant supplier Bernie (Kevin Hart) meets dental hygienist Joan (Regina Hall) for drinks the night after their wild tryst, only to watch their pals Danny (Michael Ealy) and Debbie (Joy Bryant) couple up after, yes, their own one-nighter. Bernie and Joan alternate between screaming at one another and getting it on, while Danny and Debbie take a more traditional route, quickly transitioning from sex buddies to cohabiting boyfriend and girlfriend, complete with dog. But what happens after happily ever after? If you've seen even one romantic comedy, I bet you can guess!
I don't have a problem with predictability in romcoms: as I've probably stated in multiple previous reviews, the genre's structure is part of what makes it so appealing. Sometimes one just needs some fun escapism with eye candy, a catchy soundtrack and a satisfyingly saccharine resolution. Nothing wrong with that.
There are some genuinely nice moments, the surrogate father-son relationship between Danny and friendly bar owner Casey McNeil (Christopher McDonald) most of all. "About Last Night" has the peppy soundtrack (mostly Bruno Mars), pretty locations and even prettier men (Ealy is forever easy on the eyes) of a good romantic comedy, but they're almost overridden by at least two gaping plot holes and Hall's incessant screeching. When they're not being borderline abusive, Hart and Hall have good chemistry — completely believable as feuding lovers who rely on sparring to up the sexual tension. Ealy and Bryant try to match this energy but don't quite get there. And Paula Patton is so over-the-top as Ealy's ex, I was never sure if her campy performance was intentional or just bad.
I'd classify this "About Last Night" as "catch it on TBS while lying on your couch on a rainy/lazy/hungover Sunday afternoon" rather than "make it a point to see it in the theater." It's not a terrible Valentine's Day option. Most likely, you can do better.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMCuobuLao8]