Get Hard 2015 Spoiler-Free Review
I heard that Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell were doing a movie together I thought, “You know what? That actually sounds like a good idea.” The title of this movie summed up exactly how seriously this movie was going to take itself. i.e. not a lot at all. And maybe that’s ok.
James King (Will Ferrell) is jailed for fraud and in 30 days he will be going to San Quentin where he is destined to be somebody’s bitch. He turns to car-washer Darnell Lewis (Kevin Hart) to help him “get hard” and not be intimidated when he goes to jail because Darnell is black and has obviously been to prison. So yeah, racist movie logic for the win!
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had an intense love for stupid movies. Movies that are deemed immature, dumb and pointless. Will Ferrell has built a career on this. Anyone remember A Night at the Roxbury? Yes? Is “What is Love?” stuck in your head right now? You’re welcome.
Will Ferrell, at the height of his power, can make anything watchable. And I have to be honest, he wasn’t at his finest in this one. I found his performance a little bit laboured at times. It just didnt grab me. Will Ferrell playing a wealthy and successful businessman? I’ll bite. He played a boring IRS agent and an egotistical figure skater so the guy has range. Plus he starred in one of my favourite comedies of all time: Anchorman. So it pains me to say that he didn’t bring it as hard as I would have thought or as the movie title suggested he would get.
Kevin Hart is taking the Samuel L Jackson approach to making movies. Quite simply, be in everything. I can’t remember the last time he wasn’t in a trailer that I watched while watching something else that he probably wrote or directed or was the sound guy for. That being said, the man is actually genuinely funny. He provided some solid one liners in this movie but again, he played a suburban family man. I don’t see it, guys. But hey, acting!
So what can I say about the movie if the two big stars weren’t believable in each of their respective roles? Well, the answer is that together they worked brilliantly. The chemistry and comedic timing was spot on. The jokes were hilarious and I feel like they pretty much ad-libbed their way through the whole movie.
This movie reminded me a lot of the Rob Schneider “classic” Big Stan. Anyone remember that one? No? Well, that does make sense. I do though and the plot is strikingly familiar to Get Hard. So immediately I started comparing. It’s not often that a Rob Schneider movie is compared to a Will Ferrell movie and comes out on top. And today is not that day. Schneider’s film, although released 8 years ago, is only superior in that it came out first. Get Hard has much more bankable stars and a slightly more believable (albeit incrediby similar) plot.
In summary: a very decent comedy but don’t expect it to be the funniest thing you’ve seen in a while. Some truly excellent side-splitting scenes like when Darnell gives James a free pass to call him the N-word. That whole scene, guys. I can’t. I just can’t. Plus Alison Brie is in it! You did well to avoid seeing it in the cinema, it’s really a lazy afternoon watching a DVD in bed kinda movie. But good fun.
Rating: 6.5/10
About the author: That whole scene, guys! I can’t. I just can’t.
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