3 out of 5 stars
What do you remember from high school? Was it the highlight or low point of life? Everyone may have different answers to these questions. The same can be said of Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) and Robbie Weirdicht (Dwayne Johnson) who had very divergent high school memories. Calvin was voted most likely to succeed and Robbie was bullied because of his size. After graduating from university and marrying his high school sweetheart, Calvin finds himself in an unfulfilling accounting job and living a life of filled with regrets. As the 20th high school reunion approaches, he is contacted by someone who says he is an old classmate named Bob Stone. After meeting up with Bob, Calvin realises that this stranger is the former bullied classmate, Robbie, who has transformed himself into a physical colossus. As they get reacquainted and build a friendship, Bob asks Calvin for some help with an international accounting situation. After agreeing to assist his strange new friend, Calvin realises that he has agreed to help in an international security issue and that Bob is actually a CIA agent. What initially seemed like a small gesture of help pulls Calvin into an internal battle within the agency and he has to determine if he can trust this blast from the past.
This quirky comedy from Rawson Marshall Thurber the director of Dodgeball is a nod towards the 80’s where buddy films were uniquely redefined. His inclusion of iconic films from that era allow audiences to look to a time when action comedies were light on story, but loaded with action and fun. Like the films of the past, he capitalises on the chemistry between the central characters, Hart and Johnson, which truly are entertaining and believable despite the far-fetched premise.
Kevin Hart’s style does not vary much from film to film and he is reliant on a strong partner to complement his over-the-top manner. This pairing with Johnson is one of the best to date. The Rock proves to be the perfect foil to Hart’s antics and manages to buoys the film with his winsome persona and gentle giant performance. The plot holes and lags in the story are forgivable due to the strength of the big man’s multi-layered character. The action and comedy are finely balanced in amongst a narrative that is a statement against bullying.
Download the Reel Dialogue discussion guide for Central Intelligence
Thurber proves that the buddy-cop genre is a celebration of outrageous concepts and improbable pairings that come together in the end. His film does not break any new ground, but shows that this well-worn concept can produce fresh ideas when it involves the right cast. Like the buddy films of the past, the dialogue does lag at times, the antagonists prove to be horrible marksmen and the action exceeds the laws of physics and logic. The script unnecessarily relies on sophomoric sexual jokes and course language to propel the story along, but it is tame in comparison to many of the other films on offer this season. Central Intelligence does provide the laughs, but after leaving the theatre it may be hard to remember what was really funny which relegates this film to the category of fun, but forgettable.
Reel Dialogue : What is the value of friendship?
What can be seen in the Bible is the value of relationships with others. Friends do provide laughs, sounding boards and accountability. These things are all good, but the real gift of friendship is merely knowing that someone is there for you. God has designed this wonderful component of the human experience for our benefit. How are you at being that God-given gift to others?
What the Bible has to say about friendship: Proverbs 18:24, Proverbs 27:17, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, John 15:13
