Movie Breakdown: Emergency

Pre-Screening Stance:

The trailer for Emergency made me laugh + I’ve come across a handful of positive comments about the film in my various feeds. Let’s give it a go.

Post-Screening Ramble:

Emergency stretches on a little too long, but that doesn’t prevent the film from being a winner. The story is centered around two college kids, Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and Sean (RJ Cyler), who intend to complete a gauntlet of frat parties (affectionately called the legendary tour) before graduation hits. Before they can get going on all the fun though, the pair discover that their roommate Carlos (Sebastian Chacon) has left the front door open and there’s now an unconscious girl in their living room. Worried that the cops won’t believe that two black guys and a Latino man just happened to come upon a young, probably roofied white woman on their floor, the trio scoop her up and set out to deliver her to the nearest hospital. Naturally, things don’t go as expected.

There’s essentially two sides to Emergency. On one, you have a comedy about some young men entangled in a night of misadventure. On the other, there’s sharp social commentary that showcases the unfortunate reasons behind why the trio couldn’t simply call the police for help. Both are handled nicely by director Carey Williams, who does well to keep the fun going while still ensuring that the film’s sobering ending feels earned. Also, kudos to Watkins and Cyler for taking a basic pairing – the conservative good student and his party-loving slacker BFF – and playing them in a way that comes off as earnest and not tired.

The film is in select theaters today, May 20, and then will hit Prime Video on May 27.

One Last Thought:

It took me way too long to realize/remember that RJ Cyler is the cocky kid from last year’s The Harder They Fall. If you missed that silly-but-fun Netflix Original, you should check it out.