Ride Along

It doesn't take much of a story to create a concept to pair comedian Kevin Hart and rapper turned actor Ice Cube. Directed by Tim Story and written by Greg Coolidge, Jason Mantzoukas, and Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi the movie delivers 100 minutes of fast talking mayhem. Opening the same weekend as Jack Ryan, it's probably going to be the 2nd choice when the other shows are sold out the night you hit your local metroplex.

Kevin Hart plays Ben who spends his days playing video games. He's known as a premium player called Black Hammer (it's sexual innuendo is part of the running joke). He works as a security guard at a high school and wants to marry his live in girlfriend Angela (Tika Sumpter). To do that he must get the blessings from her formidable brother Atlanta detective James Payton. James is a bit of a rogue cop who is obsessed with finding the elusive bad guy Omar (Laurence Fishburne) who no one has ever seen. Even his undercover partners Santiago (John Leguizamo) and Miggs (Bryan Callen) and his boss Lt. Brooks (Bruce McGill) try to tell him that he's got to give up his search.

Ben gets accepted to the police academy and thinks this is a good way to impress his future brother in law. James decides the best way to get rid of Ben is take him on a “ride along” to prove that Ben is not cut out for this line of work. He secretly asks the dispatcher to send him on all the crazy calls which he sends Ben out to deal with on his own while he waits in the car. Eventually their adventures with some inadvertent help from Ben leads them to the climactic confrontation with Omar.

This movie is basically a showcase for Kevin Hart's fast talking stream of consciousness ranting. It's amusing at times but after awhile it becomes somewhat annoying. Ice Cube is left to be more stoic wearing a constipated expression wondering why he's in the movie in the first place. Ben's constant whining for James' acceptance and approval and why James gives into him would probably have ended the movie in the first half hour. So they obviously find themselves in the middle of some serious situations with Ben's over confidence, bravado and stupidity pulling them through the entire movie. Sure there were a few laugh out loud moments and this movie will entertain if you have nothing else to do.
(Review by reesa)