Some people say the best way to watch and review a movie is to go in with no expectations. After all, expectations can ruin a movie before you even watch it. It’s easier said than done however. Expectations can hit you from many different directions. Sometimes its the trailer that makes you believe certain things. Other times it’s actors who have been stereotyped into certain roles. Or maybe it’s the film’s genre. The problem is, expectations are hardly ever right. Trailers lie. Actors can sometimes stretch themselves and play a different role. And some films can be hard to classify a genre to. Code 3 is the type of film that defies expectations because nothing you think about it going in is right.

Code 3 follows three paramedics on a 24 hour shift. Randy (Rainn Wilson) is the veteran paramedic. He wants nothing more than to find a new job because he’s been working in the field much longer than the average paramedic. He’s bitter and sarcastic, but he knows his job well. Mike (Lil Rel Howery) is his partner. He usually drives the ambulance, and helps assist when needed. He’s the only one who actually likes Randy, and can put up with him. Jessica (Aimee Carrero) is a student, learning the ropes and hoping to help people along the way. Part way through the shift Randy finds out that he gets a new job, so the shift he’s on will be his last one. Of course he’s not ready for what is coming up before it’s time to go home.

Code 3 is described as a comedy, but while it does have it’s funny moments, it’s not really a comedy. With Wilson and Howery you’d expect more laughs than what you get. The film is better classified within the slice of life subgenre, with some heart warming moments. Something that shows you the ins and outs of a career that at times can be thankless.  Yes, some of the things portrayed in the movie are more than likely exaggerated, but it does make you think about the stress paramedics go through, and the lack of respect they actually get.

Wilson is great in the role, and it’s nice to see him playing something more than a comedic foil. His character may be ornery, but you see the good side of him as well. That’s all on Wilson, and not easy to pull off. The film would not be as good as it is, without his strong performance.

Going on Code 3 felt like a different movie than it ended up being. It’s not a comedy, it’s not action, and it’s not even a drama. It’s something else, which is exactly what it needed to be. While it’s not perfect, and there are some plot points that it could skip, it does help make for an entertaining evening. The slightly over an hour and a half runtime suits it well too. It’s just the right kind of movie most people will enjoy.