The Wedding Ringer

 THE WEDDING RINGER

Director : Jeremy Garelick

Year : 2015

Genre : Comedy

Rating : **1/2

Josh Gad and Kevin Hart form the unlikeliest of friendships in 'The Wedding Ringer' a passable but completely by-the-numbers comedy from first time director Jeremy Garelick. In the film, Gad plays Doug, a soon to be groom who fails to find the perfect best man for his upcoming wedding. Luckily he finds help in the form of Jimmy (Hart), a fast talking con-man who runs a 'best man for hire' business. For $50,000, Jimmy provides all the groomsmen, bachelor parties and all of the necessary arrangements to make the perfect wedding day. He only has one steadfast rule -  his clients are just that, clients. Not friends. After the ceremony is over, he leaves and they never trade words again. However as Doug and Jimmy spend more time together on their various escapades and as the big day finally arrives, it may seem that the 'best man' could break his stringent rule after all. You don't have be a genius to work out how the movie culminates.

As is the case with most comedies today, many of the jokes in 'The Wedding Ringer' can be seen in it's trailer and, to be honest, the gags they don't reveal are just as obvious, predictable and unfunny. However, what could have been a pretty miserable movie experience is made a little bit better thanks to the dynamic chemistry between the likable Josh Gad and an unusually subdued Kevin Hart whose shared dialogue and numerous shenanigans give 'The Wedding Ringer' something resembling a comedic soul. It's not great but based on it's cinematic pedigree, there's no doubt it could have been a hell of a lot worse.