While it doesn't boast much along the lines of originality, Central Intelligence winds up being an above average action/comedy buddy movie thanks to its stars, Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart. The guys belong together.
The plot of the film feels like a bunch of parts from other movies cobbled together to make a whole. It has elements of Lethal Weapon, Grosse Pointe Blank, Just Friends, and even a little Sixteen Candles, all stitched together, albeit capably, by director Rawson Marshall Thurber (We're the Millers). It's a well-oiled movie Frankenstein.
Johnson and Hart wind up being a strong screen duo, with Johnson actually scoring most of the laughs. Hart, who certainly chips in on the laughs front, actually delivers one of the more well rounded, warm performances of his career.
The pre-opening credits sequence gives us Calvin (Hart), the most popular guy in his high school getting honored at a pep rally. In the boy's locker room, obese Bob (Johnson, aided by some pretty funny CGI) is taking a shower to the tune of his favorite jam, En Vogue's "My Love." Mean bully Trevor (Dylan Boyack) and his cronies spy Bob, pull him from the shower, and slide his naked body into the pep rally. Calvin takes pity on him, drapes him with his letterman jacket, and Bob vanishes from school never to be seen again.
Cut to present day, where Calvin is an accountant getting passed over for promotions. He gets a Facebook invite for beers from somebody named Bob Stone, which he accepts because he's bored. He winds up in a bar with a totally transformed Bob, who has gone from being morbidly obese to being somebody who looks a lot like the Rock.
Bob, who admits to worshipping Calvin over the years, turns out to be a rogue agent in the CIA being pursued by his superior (Amy Ryan). He enlists Calvin's help in detecting some codes, or some nonsense like that, and Calvin finds himself in the adventure of his life.
Again, this movie feels a lot like movies that have come before it. Heck, even that recent Netflix Adam Sandler film, The Do-Over, practically has the same plot. What puts this over the top is the chemistry between the two stars. They have a very winning presence together.
Johnson makes his Bob childlike in many ways, making it a mystery whether he is really a man-child, or is it just an act to pull Calvin into his scheme. Johnson plays him overly polite, with echoes of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Twins. Yeah, there's another movie Central Intelligence has something in common with.
Countering Johnson's simple yet centered character is Hart's uptight, unsatisfied Calvin. There are moments in the movie, especially in the opening sequence, where Hart plays the part perfectly, mixing his patented brand of hyper humor with a certain sweetness. He makes it easy to root for Calvin on his road to redemption, while Johnson's Bob is so likeable, you'd accept him as a good or bad guy.
The film ends with the requisite high school reunion featuring some welcomed surprise cameos that won't be given away by me. The producers have managed to score some big guest stars. In a credited performance, Aaron Paul shows up in a small role as Bob's former partner. There's a nod to Breaking Bad that gets a good laugh.
This is the sort of movie that goes down easy in the summertime. I actually watched it at a drive-in, and the movie perfectly suited the drive-in experience. So, yeah, I'm encouraging you to find a drive-in playing Central Intelligence. Close your windows though. Mosquitos can ruin a flick.
This probably won't be the last we see of Calvin and Bob. Central Intelligence has franchise written all over it, and for those of you missing the Lethal Weapon movies, this is a capable substitute.
