Laura McDonald
Release Date: September 28, 2018
Running Time: 1 hour and 51 minutes
Grade B-
Rated PG-13
Directed By: Malcolm D. Lee
“You are one big mixed drink of learning opportunities”
Teddy Walker drops out of Piedmont High School in his senior year due to his inability to take tests. Due to his intense charisma, he does well in life as a salesman at Joe’s BBQ City. So well that Joe tells Teddy that he plans on giving the store to him when he retires. Somehow he convinces his girlfriend, Lisa, that he has more financial security than he really does. So with the impending promotion, he gathers the nerve to propose to her, but he inadvertantly sets Joe’s BBQ City on fire. As a result, Joe takes the insurance money and proceeds to his retirement leaving Teddy unemployed. Teddy’s friend, Marvin, tells him that he would love to have Teddy’s sales skills as a financial analyst in his firm, but his boss won’t let him hire a high school drop-out.
In an effort to get the job, Teddy goes to Night School to get his GED. Surrounded by fellow students who all have various reasons for getting their GEDs, Teddy still struggles with classwork. He thinks that the only way to get through the semester is to steal the mid-term test. After being caught by his teacher, Carrie, he drops out of Night School to focus on his job at Christian Chicken. Carrie agrees to let him rejoin the class as long as he takes disability tests to find out why he struggles so much. When she finds out that he has dyslexia, dyscalculi, and a processing disorder. Undaunted by the tremendous challenge, Carrie gets creative in teaching Teddy so that he can get his GED and the woman of his dreams.
Are you trying to get your GED?
Just when I thought that the Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson (Central Intelligence) duo was the best combination for comedic magic, along comes Tiffany Haddish to break the glass ceiling. I loved Tiffany Haddish in Keanu and was thrilled when I heard that she had teamed up with Kevin Hart. I walked into the screening thinking that this was going to be another one of Kevin Hart’s funny movies, but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw, in addition to Tiffany Haddish, that he was surrounded by a very talented cast. Rob Riggle (21 Jump Street), Taran Killam (The Heat), Romany Malco (The 40 Year Old Virgin), Mary Lynn Rajskub (24), and Anne Winters (Sand Castles) had me laughing so hard that I thought that I might fall out of my seat. Malco’s introduction to the class was priceless along with Rajskub’s scene where she was diverting Killam’s attention during the mid-term test heist was hilarious. Rob Riggle’s humor was sprinkled thoughout making me chuckle with each scene that he was in.
The plot, although a little unbelievable, was derived by six writers, including Kevin Hart. The story itself, however far fetched, works because the cast delivers its incredibly funny lines with impeccable timing, facial expressions, and the expertise of seasoned professionals. Overall, I laughed 10 times the amount that I thought that I would and have been highly recommending the film to everyone that will listen to me. I know that I’m not alone because the audience that screened the film with me all walked out of the theater with positive things to say about their experience as well. Please give this one a chance. You may not need a GED, but I promise that you will be schooled! ~Movie Buffette
Starring:
Kevin Hart as Teddy Walker
Tiffany Haddish as Carrie
Megalyn Echikunwoke as Lisa
Ben Schwartz as Marvin
Taran Killam as Stewart
Rob Riggle as Mackenzie
Romany Malco as Jaylen
Mary Lynn Rajskub as Theresa
Ann Winters as Mila
Fat Joe as Bobby
and Keith David as Gerald Walker
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