MOVIE REVIEWS : Kid ‘n Play Brighten Up Switcheroo Comedy ‘Act’

Kid ‘n Play are a new-style comedy duo, rappers turned movie comics who seem to have the dynamics, interplay and the casual expertise of some of the best old-style teams (Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis, Hope & Crosby) down pat. Kid is the oddball, Play is the smoothie and, at their best, they work together as joyously as their predecessors.

But they don’t necessarily have the best vehicles. The snappy 1990 “House Party,” written and directed by Reginald Hudlin, made them stars, but 1991’s “House Party 2” leeched off the first, and their latest movie, “Class Act” (citywide), starts smartly and then seems to run out of gas.

It’s not a bad film. Brightly designed, slickly paced, it has its cargo of youth elements: laughs, sexual tease, action and music. But, halfway through, you can almost feel everyone relaxing, waiting for the next bit of spiritless slapstick or car-chase to carry them through to the end. The basic idea, on which five writers labored variously, is derived from “Trading Places.” It’s a switcheroo comedy where a class genius (Kid) and a troublemaker (Play) trade names, places and lives.

In “Class Act,” Christopher “Kid” Reid, of the high-top haircut, plays Duncan Pinderhughes, proud achiever of double 800s on his SATs and a 4.0-point average through high school. And Chris “Play” Martin, of the moxie and mustache, is Blade Brown, a super-tough, down dude just out of the slammer. Simultaneously transferred to a new school, their files are scrambled and each assumes the other’s identity, wardrobe, class schedule and probable girlfriend: Alysia Rogers as voluptuous Damita, Karyn Parsons as mischievous Ellen.

Blade is now in a world of Shakespearean quotes and biological dissertations; Pinderhughes in one where guns are pulled, teachers hide under their desks and “dope” and “stupid” are words of praise.

There’s a sense here in which intellectual achievement is correlated with social or economic class: It’s one of several sloppy short cuts screenwriters keep taking.

But the real problem may be that the movie is all set-up and no real pay-off. Kid ‘n Play learn to like each other. Are you surprised? Villainous drug dealers are foiled. Are you amazed? Love blooms. Are you prepared? Pauly Shore shows up and lays an egg doing a retro-hippie bit. Are you interested?

“Class Act” (MPAA-rated PG-13) has a lot of things going for it: Kid ‘n Play and their attractive partners, Doug E. Doug’s sleazy hanger-on, some bright teen argot in the script, Francis Kenny’s shining cinematography, sprightly staging by newcomer-director Randall Miller. But it doesn’t have enough music, character or comedy. It’s not really a class act. It’s just one more movie trying to trade places with another movie. Vainly.

‘Class Act’

Christopher “Kid” Reid: Duncan Pinderhughes

Christopher “Play” Martin: Blade Brown

Alysia Rogers: Damita

Karyn Parsons: Ellen

A Warner Bros. presentation of a Wizan, Black/Gordy, de Passe production. Director Randall Miller. Producers Todd Black, Maynell Thomas. Executive producers Joe Wizan, Suzanne de Passe. Screenplay John Semper, Cynthia Friedlob. Cinematographer Francis Kenny. Editor John F. Burnett. Costumes Violette Jones-Faison. Music Vassal Benford. Production design David L. Snyder. Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes.

MPAA-rated PG-13.