Parents' Guide to Emergency

This funny, touching dramedy begins confidently with some big laughs before veering cannily into a commentary on race and identity while still maintaining balance. Emergency, which feels cut from the Superbad cloth, starts well with the off-kilter relationship between Kunle and Sean: They may seem like a mismatch, but their strong chemistry comes through. They thrive in each other's company, and their differences create a hilarious friction that keeps them both on their toes. Carlos -- he's the McLovin of this movie -- adds another level. He's a ridiculous goofball, someone the guys don't want around for fear he'll make them look bad, but his heart is in the right place, and he becomes a necessary cog in this machine.

As the movie goes on, it becomes clearer and clearer that the source of the conflict centers on race. If the friends had felt able to call the police, they might have been able to go to their parties as planned, but the fear of their own arrests -- or worse -- is too high. It's all about perception: Every situation they get into, no matter how well-intentioned or ill-conceived, ends up looking bad from a racist point of view. What's more, Emergency -- which was adapted by writer K.D. Dávila and director Carey Williams from their 2018 short film -- adds extra levels of commentary, as in the scenes involving a White couple who threaten to call the police on the hapless main characters ... just before the "Black Lives Matter" sign on their lawn is revealed. Ultimately, this movie makes you care -- and rewards you for it.