Arsenio Hall: Smart and Classy (2019)

Movie Name/Year: Arsenio Hall: Smart and Classy (2019)

Genre: Comedy

Length:  63 minutes

Rating: TV-MA

Production/Distribution: Comedy Dynamics, Netflix

Director: Brian Volk-Weiss

Writer: Arsenio Hall

Actor: Arsenio Hall

Blurb from IMDb: Arsenio Hall performs his first stand-up comedy special, filmed live in San Jose, California in April 2019.

Selina’s Point of View:

Arsenio Hall is a class act. The title of this special isn’t a mistake. He’s an amazing comedian and he has a spirit to his jokes that feels light, even when he’s joking about something that might sound bad coming out of someone else’s mouth.

Let’s pretend for a moment that I’m not totally bias in favor of Hall. I grew up during the era of the original Arsenio Hall Show (1989-1994). That means that when I was 9-years-old and trying to con my mom to let me stay up, it was his show that I was trying to get to see. I didn’t see as much of it at that time as I would have liked, but I’ve had the pleasure to go back and watch it all from a place of nostalgia in later years.

Going into Smart and Classy, I knew I was going to enjoy Hall’s sense of humor. He would have had to fuck up real bad for me to not be happy. In fact, he was completely on his game and exhibiting all the characteristics you would expect from a titan in the comedy game.

I loved this special. I will also love it in the future when I watch it again.

Cat’s Point of View:

I have really missed seeing Arsenio Hall on my screen. It feels like forever since the nights he entered his talk show stage with his fist-pumping in the air while the audience rhythmically whooped along with him. Okay, so 30 years isn’t really forever – but it might as well be in Hollywood.

As I think back through the various performances and appearances that I’ve seen, I can’t think of any that I haven’t enjoyed – this one was no exception.

Hall’s style in this show almost felt conversational. Regardless of the size of the actual audience, the way he interacted with them made it feel like an intimate setting. I was laughing and hanging on almost every word.

I found Hall’s material relevant and on point as he walked the fine line of social commentary and explored various topics with the ease of one seemingly dancing through a minefield without getting a scratch.

Some of the same elements that have felt taboo and offensive when handled by other comedians didn’t seem as harsh, unpleasant, or cringe-worthy. It’s clear that Hall’s performance came from a place of desire to entertain rather than provoke his audience.

You don’t have to be a die-hard Arsenio Hall fan to get his comedy or enjoy this show. I wouldn’t recommend it for younger audiences due to language and some content; but other than that, think there’s a little bit of something for everyone with this special. I will likely be watching this again very soon, myself.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 25%

Metascore – None

Metacritic User Score None

IMDB Score – 6.0/10

CinemaScore – None

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

Movie Trailer: