COULD it be time for Will Ferrell to try something new with his career? Because it seems to me that he puts forth similar shtick with each new film.
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In Get Hard, Ferrell teams up with comedy “it man” Kevin Hart.
Ferrell plays James King a wealthy, successful but naive financial expert who is caught embezzling at his firm.
When he is sentenced to prison, he employs Darnell (Hart) to harden him up in anticipation of prison life. The only problem is that Darnell has never been to prison and has no experience in what he teaches James.
Fans of Ferrell know he is a clever and funny guy. He is full of talent.
Since he came to notice on Saturday Night Live, Ferrell has been able to get audiences to crack up at his antics.
His list of popular comedies include Anchorman, Elf, Step Brothers, The Other Guys and The Campaign.
Ferrell is also the brains behind the internet-based comedy series Funny or Die. But he also gave us a glimpse into the more serious roles comedians can play in films in the much underrated Stranger Than Fiction.
Get Hard is another chance for Ferrell to play a character who lives in his own bubble and is oblivious to the real world or the people around him.
James King is just another an incantation of Ron Burgandy – inappropriate, stupid and inadvertently racist. The film peddles the same racial stereotypes we have seen from Ferrell in his other films.
Kevin Hart carries a lot of the scenes with his bursts of energy and frustration with James’ efforts to get prison ready.
Hart also provides most of the laugh out loud moments. Ferrell provides teh awkward “I can’t believe he said that” moments and the pair (despite their obvious difference in size) work well when the comedy gets physical.
Behind the lens is Etan Cohen. Get Hard is Cohen’s first full length directorial effort and it shows.
As a writer Cohen has helped get scripts for Tropic Thunder, Madagascar 2 and Men in Black 3 together.
A firmer hand from the director might have got more out of Hart and Ferrell ad improved this film but as it stand, the pair tend to get trapped in trying to top each other’s one liners and it feels slightly stale, which is a shame.
No doubt fans of Ferrell will flock to this and defend the comedy audiences have seen before.
We hope to see more of Hart on the big screen. He is a funny guy as seen in his stand up and minor film roles.
Get Hard (MA15+) is now showing at Bendigo Cinemas. See page 3 of the Bendigo Advertiser for details.
Follow film reviewer Chris Pedler on Twitter @FilmNerdChris
