Sometimes I wonder what happened to Chris Tucker. Then I realize that he was just a prototype that got mothballed when the smaller, more powerful Kevin Hart was released. Tucker’s career is pretty much defined by “Rush Hour” (1998), a standard, 1990s buddy-cop action flick. He’s in full Hollywood Shuffle mode playing a motormouthed Eddie Murphy for a cheap rip-off of “Beverly Hills Cop.” There are typical international crime hijinks and even a heavyset nemesis detective with a handlebar mustache. Fortunately, layered on top of that mediocrity is Jackie Chan’s incredibly choreographed fight scenes. It’s worth seeing just for those.
Archives for posts with tag: Kevin Hart
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Kevin Hart made a movie called “Central Intelligence” (2016). I can imagine some critics enjoyed playing with the word “intelligence,” as in the movie’s lack thereof. But the story itself has depth: high school loser and homecoming king find roles reversed 20 years later as they team up in a sort-of buddy-cop flick with a complex, and cartoonishly violent, international espionage subplot. Johnson gives a great effort, but Hart’s high-pitched schtick makes me tired after about 10 minutes. It’s similar to my feelings toward Melissa McCarthy, who, ironically, has a funny (and blessedly brief) cameo.
I’ll say this. “Get Hard” (2015) could have been worse. A lot worse. Will Ferrell hires Kevin Hart as a life coach for impending incarceration? I was expecting another lousy Ferrell comedy, and instead I got another solid Hart comedy. With a plot! I’ve said before that Hart understands a little Kevin Hart goes a long way (and I laughed when I said it that time, too). It seems Ferrell followed his lead. They usually were able to stop after I smirked but before I rolled my eyes. Summary: simplistic plot, stupid humor, penis joke, but not a waste of time.
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