This tNo-no-no-no … let me explain! Laugh at my pain, wont-cha!’ Hello moviegoers, in “Ride Along” funnyman Kevin Hart takes us along for the ride in this rehash of the buddy-cop comedy.ime around, our hero is able to find time amidst a standoff in a strip club and a drug deal that’s going down to mix in a standup routine.
Hart plays Ben Barber who pulls double duty as a pint-size security guard at an Atlanta high school and a platinum level player named Black Hammer in his gaming community. But Ben has bigger plans. He just got accepted to the police academy and he is in love with Bouncy Butt played by (Tika Sumpter), whom he would like to marry someday. Things are going swimmingly for Ben Barber… well, except for one thing. What could possibly be the dark cloud in Ben’s silver lining, you ask?
‘Ride Along’ (2 sweet potatoes out of four) Stars: Kevin Hart, Ice Cube, Tika Sumpter, John Leguizamo; Director: Tim Story; Genre: Comedy; Rated: PG-13; runtime: 100 minutes; Opens Friday, January 17th.
That would be James Payton played by (Ice Cube) as a go-it-alone Streetwise Atlanta city cop who also happens to be Angela’s or Bouncy Butt’s overprotective brother. He has his reasons for being the way he is but Ben will have to take the circuitous route in finding out.
Ben wants James’ approval because it would mean a lot to Angela if the two men in her life got along. James doesn’t want any of that and bets Ben if he can’t prove himself on a ride along, Ben would essentially go away. James does this with every intention of making sure Ben fails by taking him on a series of 126’s which are annoying, pesky calls that no one in the department likes to take.
Anyway, when things take a turn toward the serious, Ben’s gaming prowess will come to the fore with the Black Hammer displaying tactical deftness and psychological superiority. This performance goes a long way in helping Ben and James’ relationship evolve – I know.
And of course Angela hangs about the place waiting to be the kidnapped girlfriend. What would’ve really been hell-on-wheels would have been if Ben was the one who was kidnapped, and brother and sister would have to combine their powers to get the little guy back.
Hart does have some real ability as an actor and I for one would like to see him reach a little deeper and tap into that potential. Ride along does have a few laughs. The film leans heavily on Kevin Hart’s quick rap-style delivery brand of comedy. He also does pretty well with the physical comedy, but this just isn’t that high a caliber of movie.
I give ‘Ride Along’ 2 sweet potatoes out of four. This has been your resident moviegoer and I will see you after the movies at moviegoersview.com.
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