A reworking of the '80s Mark Harmon fave Summer School, Kevin Hart's Night School scores relatively high marks on the strength of a sharp supporting cast. Hart leads the proceedings as bar-b-que grill salesman Teddy Walker. His world collapses during one disastrous evening—in the midst of proposing to his longtime girlfriend Lisa (Megalyn Echikunwoke)—after managing to blow up his boss' showroom. It's silly, sure, but it sets the plot in motion and allows the ensemble to riff.
Newly out of work, Teddy agrees to attend night school in order to obtain his GED. His buddy has a job for him at a financial firm, provided he can graduate. The laughs are consistent as Teddy interacts with his teacher Carrie (Tiffany Haddish) and fellow students, among them Rob Riggle (SNL), Mary Lynn Rajskub (24), and Al Madrigal. Another SNL alum, Taran Killam, is on-hand as the wannabe-tough guy principal of the high school where he and Teddy were once classmates.
With no one involved breaking a sweat, the laughs roll in steadily. It's all PG-13 (though the Blu-ray edition includes an "unrated" cut) and some of the sophomoric hi-jinks get pretty dumb (puke jokes and the like). Tiffany Haddish has been seemingly ubiquitous since her career took off with Girls Trip. Here she is more reserved than usual and it's a welcome change of pace. She even has a few tender moments with Teddy as she slowly realizes that her student has some legitimate learning issues.
Universal's Blu-ray offers a generous array of mostly short but funny extras, highlight by deleted scenes, gag reel, alternate opening, and a commentary by director Malcolm D. Lee. Night School isn't likely to make anyone's all-time Top Ten Comedies list, but it's good enough for an evening of steady chuckles.
Newly out of work, Teddy agrees to attend night school in order to obtain his GED. His buddy has a job for him at a financial firm, provided he can graduate. The laughs are consistent as Teddy interacts with his teacher Carrie (Tiffany Haddish) and fellow students, among them Rob Riggle (SNL), Mary Lynn Rajskub (24), and Al Madrigal. Another SNL alum, Taran Killam, is on-hand as the wannabe-tough guy principal of the high school where he and Teddy were once classmates.
With no one involved breaking a sweat, the laughs roll in steadily. It's all PG-13 (though the Blu-ray edition includes an "unrated" cut) and some of the sophomoric hi-jinks get pretty dumb (puke jokes and the like). Tiffany Haddish has been seemingly ubiquitous since her career took off with Girls Trip. Here she is more reserved than usual and it's a welcome change of pace. She even has a few tender moments with Teddy as she slowly realizes that her student has some legitimate learning issues.
Universal's Blu-ray offers a generous array of mostly short but funny extras, highlight by deleted scenes, gag reel, alternate opening, and a commentary by director Malcolm D. Lee. Night School isn't likely to make anyone's all-time Top Ten Comedies list, but it's good enough for an evening of steady chuckles.
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