Bullied as a teen for being overweight, Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson) shows up to his high school reunion looking fit and muscular. While there, he finds Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart), a fast-talking accountant who misses his glory days as a popular athlete.

Stone is now a lethal CIA agent who needs Calvin’s number skills to help him save the compromised U.S. spy satellite system. Together, the former classmates encounter shootouts, espionage and double-crosses while trying to prevent worldwide chaos.

Review

“The Chairman” – I will start off by saying that I can’t stand Kevin Hart. As a lead he is grating and overbearing, but We’re the Millers (2013) director Rawson Marshall Thurber has the ability to help actors play against type, which works wonders in this instance. Kevin Hart plays the straight man (serious role) and Dwayne Johnson is the light-hearted comedic relief.

Kevin Hart has kind of fallen into the typecast role of the Tyler Perry of Comedy – same character for different movies playing a stereotype of Black people. This is the same problem I have with Rebel Wilson, she is great but in small doses. Pitch Perfect (2012) v Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) are worlds apart in quality and tone, this I put down solely to the role of Fat Amy.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie, it is well written with all jokes having some great punch. The acting of Dwayne Johnson is possibility the biggest surprise, as it reminds me of his performance in Be Cool (2005) where he plays the gay bodyguard of Vince Vaughan, who has acting aspirations. Bob Stone is a very effeminate hero-worshiping character with an inferiority complex, due to bullying. Does that sound like a normal Dwayne Johnson role?

There are a couple of standout cameos, and there are no hints as to who they are…BITCH! ;-).

The chemistry is great between these two, and I see a sloe of movies in the pipeline…the modern day Schwarzenegger and De Vito. I can see a Twins (1988) remake in the works, but let’s see if Jumanji (2017) works out first. This is a must see for comedy fans. 7.5/10

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