Central Intelligence

Central Intelligence is currently streaming in Australia on BINGE and Foxtel Now, and in the US on YouTube TV, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 6,397 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Dwayne Johnson is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Available now on BINGE — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason Central Intelligence keeps coming up in conversation. The jokes in Central Intelligence land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Calvin Joyner, a mild-mannered accountant whose high school glory days are long behind him, reconnects with an awkward pal from high school through Facebook. After meeting up, Calvin’s mundane life takes an unexpectedly thrilling turn when he's thrust into the world of international espionage. Between them, Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart carry the comedy without ever forcing it. It was released in 2016. Central Intelligence earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Central Intelligence is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Dwayne Johnson anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.