Emergency

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2:01

Emergency

R

2022

1h 45m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

160 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and his best friend, Sean (RJ Cyler), are both seniors in college about to embark on an epic night of Spring Break parties. Sean has the whole night planned out, including every party they will hit on their "legendary tour." Kunle is down, yet mostly concerned with finishing up his mold experiment in his lab, as his acceptance to Princeton is hinging on the results. They return to their apartment to pre-game, yet find that their roommate, Carlos (Sebastian Chacon), left the door open. As they enter with trepidation, Sean and Kunle discover a drunk, semi-conscious White female they don't know on the floor and an oblivious Carlos, who didn't hear her come in over the videogame blaring in his ears. Kunle wants to call the cops but Sean vehemently opposes the idea concerned how it will look when the cops show up (two Black men, one Latino man and a passed out White woman). Together, Carlos, Sean and Kunle load the girl -- who they nickname Goldilocks, but whose real name is Emma (Maddie Nichols) -- into Sean's van, with the intention of taking her somewhere safe rather than calling the police. Meanwhile, Emma's sister, Maddy (Sabrina Carpenter), has realized that Emma left the party they were at, and begins to search for her in a drunk panic using Emma's phone's location. What ensues is a chaotic, hilarious, and tension-filled chase all over town as our trio grapples with their differences while attempting to bring Emma to safety.

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Critics Consensus

Taking the form of a classic college comedy while adding some socially relevant function, Emergency is as smart and disturbing as it is hilarious.

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Mark Kermode

Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube)

01/11/2024

This would've worked better as a short film.

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Dylan Roth

Observer

12/14/2022

Director Carey Williams and writer K.D. Dávila ably balance the film’s gross-out humor with its commentary on racial double standards...and lead actor RJ Cyler steals the show with movie star charisma.

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Danny Leigh

Financial Times

06/10/2022

4/5

Director Carey Williams is a gifted multitasker. Emergency never loses the flavour of comedy; it can also be deeply astringent.

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Francesca Steele

iNews.co.uk

12/11/2024

3/5

This is an excellent, nuanced film about brotherhood, but the sisterhood takes a back seat.

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Brittany Patrice Witherspoon

Pop Culture Reviews

07/23/2024

3.5/5

If you’re looking for an uncomfortably revealing film about the layered dangers of being a person of color in America, this film is for you.

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Manuel São Bento

MSB Reviews (Ghost.io)

07/25/2023

B+

Emergency intelligently blends impactful social commentary with an occasionally unbalanced dark humor, but it's the extremely tense, captivating, frighteningly realistic story that ultimately grabs the audience's undivided attention.

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Marshall

05/25/2022

this movie had me on the edge of my seat and in my feels the whole time. they made it perfectly

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nick

05/22/2022

this movie had it all. comedy, drama, heartbreak, intensity, i 100% recommend you see this. powerful stuff.

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Richard m

05/21/2022

Such a fun movie with a powerful message.

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Jarrin R

1d

Emergency was a film where race is always at the forefront but not thrown in your face. This story seems like it has happened before too many times. Cautionary tale that should be seem by everyone. Well written and acted with an needed that will have you holding back tears. Fantastic story of friendship during college.

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Nakia N

@Knew42 Dec 27

Overall good movie, although the premise was a bit exaggerated. Yes, young black and brown people have good reason to be afraid of the cops. Not so afraid not to call the cops in that situation. Now if she was battered and bleeding I could definitely see a reason for hesitancy. Like if she truly looked assaulted. I also think they could have just called 911 there and simply be away from the house before they arrive. Sit her outside and call the cops. Lastly the not having white friends premise was way exaggerated. Any college outside of HBCU’s are hecka white. You can’t help, but have white friends, plenty of them.

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Alvin C.

@taijiren Oct 29

Come for the laughs. Stay for the emotion.

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Carey Williams

Director

RJ Cyler

Sean

Donald Elise Watkins

Kunle

Sebastian Chacon

Carlos

Sabrina Carpenter

Maddie

Maddie Nichols

Emma

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Emergency: Trailer 1

2:01

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Synopsis

Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and his best friend, Sean (RJ Cyler), are both seniors in college about to embark on an epic night of Spring Break parties. Sean has the whole night planned out, including every party they will hit on their "legendary tour." Kunle is down, yet mostly concerned with finishing up his mold experiment in his lab, as his acceptance to Princeton is hinging on the results. They return to their apartment to pre-game, yet find that their roommate, Carlos (Sebastian Chacon), left the door open. As they enter with trepidation, Sean and Kunle discover a drunk, semi-conscious White female they don't know on the floor and an oblivious Carlos, who didn't hear her come in over the videogame blaring in his ears. Kunle wants to call the cops but Sean vehemently opposes the idea concerned how it will look when the cops show up (two Black men, one Latino man and a passed out White woman). Together, Carlos, Sean and Kunle load the girl -- who they nickname Goldilocks, but whose real name is Emma (Maddie Nichols) -- into Sean's van, with the intention of taking her somewhere safe rather than calling the police. Meanwhile, Emma's sister, Maddy (Sabrina Carpenter), has realized that Emma left the party they were at, and begins to search for her in a drunk panic using Emma's phone's location. What ensues is a chaotic, hilarious, and tension-filled chase all over town as our trio grapples with their differences while attempting to bring Emma to safety.

Director: Carey Williams
Producer: Marty Bowen, John Fischer, Isaac Klausner
Screenwriter: KD Davila
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Production Co: Amazon Studios, Temple Hill Entertainment
Rating: R (Some Sexual References|Pervasive Language|Drug Use)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 20, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 27, 2022
Runtime: 1h 45m