Get Hard

Buddy films have always had a place in Hollywood, and it has always come down to one thing: Chemistry. There has to be a complementary relationship. One is a slob, one is clean. One is uptight, one is crazy. One is rich and white, one is poor and black. But in the end, there has to be change and growth through their shared experiences to make it work. The mixed-racial buddy genre (Lethal Weapon, Men in Black, Beverly Hills Cop, White Men Can’t Jump, Trading Places, anything with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor) seems to be a perennial favorite. Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart surprisingly have strong chemistry, so you can’t fault them for trying.

Get Hard is the latest in this long line of buddy comedies, and it is every bit as irreverent and detestable as you might expect. Racial, homophobic and classist stereotypes are fodder for this feeble attempt at a humorous film. Millionaire stock mogul James King (Will Ferrell) is living the high life in Bel Air. He has a beautiful, gold-digging wife (Alison Brie), dozens of personal staff members (all racial minorities) tending to his every want and need, and a career just on the brink of superstardom, thanks to his upcoming nuptials to his boss’ daughter. Then it all falls apart. He is tried and convicted of securities fraud and embezzlement and is sentenced to ten years of hard time in San Quentin. Enter Darnell (Kevin Hart). Darnell is James’ car washer, and just wants a better life for his family. Because he’s the only black man that James knows, he is given an offer he can’t refuse, and begins training James for prison. Over the course of thirty days, the two of them fumble their way toward an unlikely friendship, with too many references to prison rape and “kiestering” to count.

I was expecting a bit more humor from writer/director Etan Cohen (Tropic Thunder, Idiocracy, Men in Black 3) but what I found was that the gags couldn’t transcend the story. Maybe it’s just me, but there isn’t anything funny about the prospect of prison. Not even if Will Ferrell, in his typical naïve, big galoot teddy bear self, is trying to sell its humor. Or if Kevin Hart is pretending to be an experienced convict, when he’s really a fast-talking family man without much spine or street cred. It’s almost a Cliché within a cliché of stereotypes.

On the bright side, Will Ferrell’s way of mincing cuss words with nonsense is entertaining as always, even if it’s blatantly contrived. And Kevin Hart is a brilliant comic who keeps growing in success through his jabber-jawed persona and whip-quick impressions. Someone take away his Red Bull, please. The two of them together in a different story would have been comedic gold. Unfortunately, the mood of Get Hard is just too heavy to enjoy the jokes, and the characters are far too one-dimensional.

Most people will see a Will Ferrell film simply for his natural comedic presence. He’s a bankable headliner, no doubt. Most of his films delve into the realm of raunchy, but he’s such a clown that it’s forgivable. This film, however, relies too heavily on the notoriously violent homosexual prison culture as its crutch, and that’s unfortunate.

Get hard could have gained enhancement from a focus on either comedy or prison, but not both. It moves along limply toward the inevitable happy ending that you know is coming but ultimately can’t possibly care about. 4/10.