Central Intelligence is a Whip-Smart Buddy Comedy That Will Have You in Stitches

Central Intelligence: Rated “PG-13“ (1 h. 26 m.)

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Amy Ryan, Aaron Paul, Danielle Nicole

Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber

We’re a big fan of buddy flicks. It’s true, we feel that, when done right, a pair of diverse personalities that are tossed together to go on an adventure (any adventure), it truly is a sight to be seen, and a story well worth telling. Check out any of Bing Crosby, Bob Hope roads films. The Lethal Weapon films with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover were always fun to watch, as was the 2013 film The Heat staring Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, was a load of fun, and we recall that the Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell film Tango and Cash being something of a guilty pleasure. Finally, we personally believe that the first Toy Story movie is one of the best buddy films ever made.

Now, for our story.

Calvin Joyner (Hart) is a much-beloved member of his high school. Joyner is that kid you love to love almost as much as you love to hate him. The reason for this is that he is, quite simply, good at everything. In 1996, his senior year Joyner was voted the guy most likely to succeed, as he was good both in sports as well as academics. Plus, he was dating the best-looking girl in the school. Now it is 20 years later and instead of having set the world on fire with his stunning brilliance, he’s, well, an accountant. Well, now, as his high school reunion approaches, he isn’t so much interested in going, even though his high school sweetheart, Maggie (Danielle Nicolet) wants to go.

As can be expected, Cal’s nervous about returning for the reunion because his life didn’t turn out as scathingly brilliant as he had hoped or believed it would, so he totally doesn’t want to go to the event. While he is sitting at work, someone named Bob Stone contacts him via Facebook with a friend request. Cal accepts the friendship not realizing that the person is actually an old classmate named Robbie Weirdicht (say Robbie’s last name out loud, no really, go ahead). So, as Cal remembers Robbie, he recalls an incident that occurred at the final assembly in senior year. that Robbie (a fat, nerdy, but harmless doofus) was habitually picked on by the class bullies. In fact, at the final assembly these bullies played an extremely nasty prank on Robbie, in that they grabbed him up from the boys’ locker room in the shower, and pitched him — stark naked — into the middle of the packed gym. Rushing to Robbie’s aide, Cal lent him his letter jacket and Robbie scurried from the gym.

Embarrassed beyond belief, Robbie he left school. When Rob and Cal do meet, Cal is surprised by how much he has changed. He has gone form a fat tub of lard to, well, to Dwayne Johnson. From here the pair get caught up in some CIA-related hi jinks as Cal comes to find out that not only is Bob CIA, but that he is wanted for espionage. Well, what really makes this buddy flick truly work is the pairing of Hart’s manic personality and the sweet doofus that Johnson plays in this film (and if anyone tells you that Johnson can’t act, you just send them to see this film). Johnson is so all over the place in this role, you are never quite sure if he is a clown, a double agent, or simply the smartest, savviest, coolest, most capable agent you’ve ever seen.

The film really is a treat. It is funny, fun to watch and thoroughly entertaining, as it makes its way through its paces and keeps us thrilled all the way throughout. This really is a buddy picture that is well worth watching and we highly suggest that you go and check it out.