Ride
Along
Kevin Hart stars as Ben – a High School security guard who dreams
of becoming a cop and likes to spend his free time playing video games.
Yet, for reasons most of us could never fathom, he is dating a sexy,
good-looking woman, Angela (Tika Sumpter), who can do so much better.
Angela’s brother agrees.
That brother is James (Ice Cube), who happens to be a real detective
who doesn’t always play by the rules and might be the toughest
dude on the planet (and he sneers alot to let you know he’s
tough). When Ben gets into the police academy and proposes marriage to
Angela, he wants James to approve, and the detective decides he needs
to put a major scare into the prospective fiancée.
James invites Ben to ride along with him for one day, and, if he can
handle it, James will give his blessing. Of course, James is not
interested in making it easy.
Will James scare Ben away forever?
I think we all know where this plot is heading, but Ride Along
isn’t trying to shock and awe us. Director Tim Story and the four
person writing team are content letting the movie be a completely
formulaic predictable silly-fest.
Hart is doing everything he can get the audience to laugh, and often
does due to his unmatched exuberance. Even when the material is not
there, Hart puts enough energy and effort into it to make you giggle a
little bit, and he shares a decent chemistry with Ice Cube.
They are the odd couple, and each knows his role. Ice Cube is growling
and sneering like the toughest dude on the street and reacts with
dismay, embarrassment and anger towards Hart’s goofiness and less
than manly actions. Meanwhile, Hart finds ways to be a likable
goofball, which gives us an understanding as to why James might be
willing to put up with Ben and welcome him to the family. The two of
them appear to be having fun, so we will.
Sadly, what could have been passable becomes a drag as the plot twists
into a melodramatic direction that might have been designed to add some
action and tension, but just delays the ending and extends Ride
Along about 20 minutes longer than it needs to be.
Ride Along is rated PG-13 for sequences of
violence, sexual content and brief strong language.
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