{"id":3086,"date":"2014-03-02T21:12:43","date_gmt":"2014-03-02T21:12:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=3086"},"modified":"2014-03-02T21:12:43","modified_gmt":"2014-03-02T21:12:43","slug":"ride-along","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/comedy\/ride-along\/","title":{"rendered":"Ride Along **"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ride-along\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Kevin Hart has fast become a US household name, only recently proving more notorious this side of the pond with his turn in the Stallone-De Niro boxing comedy Grudge Match<\/em>. Now he\u2019s fully exposed \u2013 as apposed to blasts of over-enthusiasm in the latter film, paired with stony-faced Ice Cube in cop comedy Ride Along<\/em> that entertains but never rises above the genre\u2019s usual well-worn clich\u00e9s.<\/p>\n

Fast-talking school security guard Ben (Hart) wants to be a cop and marry his stunning fianc\u00e9e Angela (Tika Sumpter). He gets into the Academy but there\u2019s only one problem; he has to impress his brother-in-law-to-be, James (Cube), in order to gain his girl\u2019s hand in marriage. Tough Atlanta cop James doesn\u2019t exactly like video-gaming addict Ben and doesn\u2019t understand what his sister sees in him. In the hope that he can put an end to Ben\u2019s cop dreams, as well as get rid of him from his sister\u2019s life once and for all, James decides to take Ben on a 24-hour patrol or \u2018ride along\u2019 of Atlanta\u2019s mean streets.<\/p>\n

Hart in full flow is like watching Chris Rock on speed, including every standard Black man quip. There is modicum of chemistry with Cube who\u2019s just too moody to fully enjoy, with the latter holding back an excitable, yapping puppy. Basically, both leads overdo the classic keen-jaded, straight-foolish comedy duo balance that it becomes a caricature and tiring to watch. Ride Along<\/em>\u2019s success Stateside is bemusing and can only be credited to Hart\u2019s \u2018cute\u2019 likeability and the film\u2019s \u2018easy on the brain\u2019 viewing, reminiscent in plot of a 48 Hrs.<\/em> (1982) throwback, say.<\/p>\n

We soon begin to sympathise with Cube\u2019s James though, when the constant Hart\/Ben jabber becomes more frenetic as things heat up. Sadly, this film is no clever reinvention of the genre\u2019s tropes, unlike The Heat last year that tried pairing off two strong female comediennes with success. Ride Along even peddles out the standard warehouse standoff sequence that\u2019s forgettable soon after watching, even with a star turn from Laurence Fishburne.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not all bad as Hart\u2019s Ben sets out to win hearts and minds, like a guinea pig caught up in a social experiment that\u2019s both psychologically and physically demanding. But it\u2019s a tad insulting to real hardworking cops out there that as the film suggests, playing a war video game equips you for life in the force and targeting baddies. If only it was that simple, it would be a damn sight cheaper to train an officer.<\/p>\n

Ride Along<\/em> fills its quota of action-packed moments right from the very first scene, so there is plenty of carnage, explosions and chaotic shoot-outs to feast on. It also fulfils the nerd\u2019s fantasy of getting the gorgeous girl (Sumpter) through sheer gaming prowess. It\u2019s also a reasonable platform to elevate Hart\u2019s career further as he comes off the best. Aside from that, Ride Along<\/em> offers nothing new, however entertaining parts of it are and enthusiast Hart can be.<\/p>\n

2\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n

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