Movie review: 'Emergency' tries to do so much with so little

On the eve of graduating, a ‘black excellence’ student and his lay-about best friends are set to have one of the best nights of their lives. Then, suddenly, a number of events conspire to ensure that their perfect night becomes a perfect hell.

Before I feel the need to say “Spoiler Alert”, I will say that this movie is essentially about friendship as three students with contrasting personalities are on a mission to party, only to find their friendships are tested in ways that will make them closer.

Sean, Carlos and Kunle had one hell of a night Pulse

The three friends are straight-A student Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and his stoner/slacker friends Sean (RJ Cyler) and Carlos (Sebastian Chacon).

The three are enjoying another day in paradise, until they find a white girl passed out in their living room.

She evidently has had too much to drink and Kunle, being the only responsible person in the room, tries calling the emergency services to pick up the girl.

However, Sean believes they will get shot and arrested (yeah, in that order) if the police turn up. Since they are two black guys and a brown kid (Carlos is a Latino, of course).

To make matter worse, they have all been smoking or drinking something that elevates the mood to the realm of wrong decision making.

In this situation, racial tensions born of an all-or-nothing narrative leavened with situational comedy brings out themes of contemporary racial politics as well as the absurdity of the characters who live it.

Things got real, fast Pulse

Some scenes are powerful, others less so as the emotions which run high also run aground with a lack depth in the way Emergency treats it themes, such as racial prejudice and injustice, with a misplaced levity here and an awkward silence there.

Also, the movie had a hard time navigating its motley mix of unofficial corruption and the official manifestations of the same, while failing to effectively combine its funny moments with its messaging.

On the whole, however, it is a watchable movie that is worthy of your two eyes, and two cents.