RIDE ALONG
Director : Tim Story
Year : 2014
Genre : Comedy
Rating : ***
Year : 2014
Genre : Comedy
Rating : ***
Playing like an instruction booklet on how to make a successful buddy comedy, 'Ride Along' does nothing to expand or develop the sub genre it is clearly leeching from but still manages to keep it's head above the water thanks to the chemistry and counterpoint between it's two charismatic stars and a fun, if not generic directorial style. Directed by Tim Story and starring Kevin Hart, Ice Cube, John Leguizamo and Laurence Fishburne, 'Ride Along' tells the story of a wannabe cop played by Hart who is desperate to prove to his potential brother in law, a stoic and no nonsense cop played by Ice Cube that he is worthy of his beloved sisters hand in marriage. To test this, Ice Cube invites him on a ride along and over the course of the day, Hart is subjected to embarrassing situations, compromising circumstances and a heaping helping of abuse from his 'mentor'.
If you read my review for 'Grudge Match', you will know that I find Kevin Hart to be unbelievably annoying and once again, his seemingly uncontrollable energy can prove to be tiresome at times. However, the contrast between his personality and Ice Cube's trademark hard man persona provide 'Ride Along' with most of it's admittedly little comedic value. Many of the jokes fall flat and Tim Story's sometimes pedestrian direction fail to encapsulate the true madness and farce of the entire situation but to their credit, both actors hold their own and do their best with a less than mediocre script and what little character development they are given. Best known for the awful 'Taxi' and the utterly diabolical 'Fantastic Four' double bill, Tim Story is a filmmaker of little repute in Hollywood and not a favourite of the general movie going public. 'Ride Along' is his certainly his best film to date but that really isn't saying much at all. Not as bad as it could have been, 'Ride Along' is a perfectly adequate time at the cinemas and if the American box office figures are anything to go by, there is a definite audience out there for it. I'm just not so sure I form a part of that select demographic. Actually, I know I don't.
If you read my review for 'Grudge Match', you will know that I find Kevin Hart to be unbelievably annoying and once again, his seemingly uncontrollable energy can prove to be tiresome at times. However, the contrast between his personality and Ice Cube's trademark hard man persona provide 'Ride Along' with most of it's admittedly little comedic value. Many of the jokes fall flat and Tim Story's sometimes pedestrian direction fail to encapsulate the true madness and farce of the entire situation but to their credit, both actors hold their own and do their best with a less than mediocre script and what little character development they are given. Best known for the awful 'Taxi' and the utterly diabolical 'Fantastic Four' double bill, Tim Story is a filmmaker of little repute in Hollywood and not a favourite of the general movie going public. 'Ride Along' is his certainly his best film to date but that really isn't saying much at all. Not as bad as it could have been, 'Ride Along' is a perfectly adequate time at the cinemas and if the American box office figures are anything to go by, there is a definite audience out there for it. I'm just not so sure I form a part of that select demographic. Actually, I know I don't.
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