By CHRISTINA QUACH
VISUALS EDITOR
With its hilarious comedians and dry humor, Night School manages to succeed with a passing grade.
The film premiered on Friday, earning $28 million during the opening weekend.
The comedy follows the life of Teddy Walker, a high school dropout that managed to achieve his dream: have a successful job, a beautiful girlfriend and an amazing car. However, after accidentally setting his workplace on fire, Walker decides to obtain his G.E.D (General Education Development) in order to get a better job so he can stay with his girlfriend. Unfortunately for Walker, going to night school isn’t as easy as it seems.
Despite receiving a whopping 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, Night School manages to surprisingly capture the reality of school, while simultaneously making the audience tear up from laughter.
One of the major reasons why the film received poor critic reviews is because it is predictable, but that does not necessarily mean it is a bad thing. Think of it like this: you go to a restaurant you always frequent, scan the menu for five minutes and then you proceed to order the same thing and you still end up enjoying the food. That is one of the most charming parts about Night School. Yes, the characters and the storyline are not anything original, but then again, there’s only so much room for comedy movies to be different.
Nonetheless, what the film lacks for in originality, it makes up for in, not surprisingly, humor. The leading roles of the film are Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish, do I need to say anymore? The two manage to bounce jokes off of each other so effortlessly. Not only that, but the supporting cast adds a few wisecracks here and there at the perfect moments, which altogether, creates a perfect blend of comedy.
Additionally, while the main focus of the film is comedy, Night School explores more serious topics. Even though Teddy Walker may seem like another prankster that simply does not care for his education, in actuality, he has learning disorders that discourages him from trying in school. Paired with teachers that didn’t care, Walker ends up dropping out of high school, slamming the doors and yelling, “I’m not gonna be anyone’s sheep.” However, once he finds the right teacher, he ends up thriving: he is understanding the material that is being taught, he is applying what he is learning in day-to-day situations and he perseveres even when times get tough. Essentially, the film showcases the importance of the relationship between teacher and student. It conveys the message that teachers should be dedicated and passionate about making sure every student understands the lessons and the students must put in the effort in order to do well in class.
All in all, Night School unravels what students feel most vulnerable about in school while also successfully combining comedy in a way that does not overpower the meaningful message. Long story short: Night School earns an A from me.