When Debbie and Danny meet, there is instant attraction. Their best friends, Joan and Bernie, disapprove, but Debbie and Danny dive headfirst into a relationship anyway. The two share a passionate relationship until things move a bit too fast and become complicated.
This version of About Last Night is a bit more dramatic than its 2014 remake. But Elizabeth Perkins and James Belushi, like Regina Hall and Kevin Hart, provide comedic relief as Joan and Bernie. I think the remake handles the humor better, but I think the relationship between Debbie and Danny is far more interesting with Rob Lowe and Demi Moore than with Joy Bryant and Michael Ealy. Their characters seem more fully realized, and Moore and Lowe have a nice amount of chemistry.
About Last Night is a movie about love vs. sex and how men and women respond to commitment. And since this is 1986, the men want sex, and the women want love. That’s… probably still the case in 2023. But there is still a sense of realism between Danny and Debbie, as well as Joan and Bernie.
Bernie is completely disinterested in anything more than a one-night stand. Joan is looking for the right man, but, of course, the dating pool is turbulent. While Belushi’s Bernie is perhaps more obnoxious than I would prefer, he’s at least tolerable. I adore Elizabeth Perkins, and Joan is self-assured and strong, but also completely unsupportive of Debbie’s relationship with Danny. I could never figure out why, unless she was just envious of Debbie having a committed boyfriend.
Moore and Lowe have a lot more opportunity to show off their acting skills here than, say, when they appeared in St. Elmo’s Fire together the year before, in 1985. This is by far a better romantic comedy for the two to shine in, and unlike the 2014 remake, I actually cared about Debbie and Danny’s outcome. Their connection felt genuine, as did their problems. And there is a nice balance between their scenes and the ones they share with Joan and Bernie. You’ve got to have those rom-com besties, after all!
About Last Night is one of the better films starring members of the “Brat Pack,” and I would recommend it if you’re looking for a solid, sexy romantic comedy with some dramatic elements.
Watched: 07/03/2023
Notable Song: If Anybody Had a Heart by John Waite