“Sad Dog. I think that’s a strategy that could work, don’t sexually harass me I’m already sad… While that may be a line from the new film “Get Hard” it also could be the explanation on why some of Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell’s movies get made. Now don’t get me wrong, when either is on their game, usually the whole theater is laughing, but when they are off, man it’s a painful thing to see. So what kind of ride would we be in for this time, are we getting “Sad Dogged” or are we getting the reason why we keep paying to see these two on the big screen?
James (Will Ferrell) is what you call a guy who has it made. He works in the finance world, which gives him plenty of money, plus his fiancé Alissa (Alison Brie) is hot, and the bosses daughter. When James thinks it can’t get any better, his boss Martin (Craig T. Nelson) makes him partner, so in other words its good to be James. Then the table is pulled out from under James, and he is arrested for fraud and is sentenced to ten years in a maximum-security prison. It’s safe to say it’s the kind of place a guy like James wouldn’t last very long. Knowing that, James asks Darnell (Kevin Hart) for lessons about life behind bars, because judging Darnell from his appearance, he must have served time. Needing money to buy a house, Darnell plays along and attempts to help James ‘get hard’ (get it?) and get ready for the big house, even though he has know idea what he’s doing.
It was really hard to know what to expect with this movie, and because you never know what you will get with either Hart or Ferrell, I think it is easiest to expect the worst. Well the good news is it is sort of entertaining, in that ‘some things work while others don’t’ kind of way. I mean the story written by what seems like an army of writers is pretty generic, but who cares about a story when you have Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart in a movie. The real entertaining comes from Ferrell as he generates a lot more laughter than Hart. Both actors do what they do best, Ferrell being Ferrell and Hart being Hart, but in this case Farrell is perfect for his character and that is what makes the movie sort of work. Now when I say sort of work that’s what I mean, there are just as many jokes that fall flat than hit. So the question is will Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart fans like this film? Probably yes, but if you are someone looking for a good comedy, you need to keep looking, because while the title is “Get Hard”, they only actually get “some” of the movie right.
Brian Taylor
