Der Knastcoach

I don't get why people like Will Ferrell. I've seen several of his movies over the last year, and I've laughed maybe just over a half dozen times at the dozen or so films I've seen him in.

And this film, other than the fact that it's about prisoners or criminals, has the worst jokes ever. I can't imagine anyone being in the theatre and seriously laughing at this junk.

Admittedly, I chuckled, and I do emphasize chuckle because I didn't laugh, a few times in this film. It wasn't entirely without humor, but the jokes were so base, the humor so low brow, the comic timing so poor, that one wonders what's happened to the aggregate IQ of the people of the United States of America.

A predictable script / story, some tasteless sexual situations, I wondered if the prisoner population, or people related and relating to prisoners, was such a big demographic that Will Ferrell and the powers that be thought this would be a good film to make.

Everyone I've talked to smirks and thinks Will Ferrell is Luke warm funny, me included. He's not entirely without humor. But he and his films are not the product of comic genius.

Hey look, if you've "done time", need to laugh at your incarceration, then maybe this film is for you, but otherwise give me the Three Stooges or Warner Brothers' cartoons any day over this garbage.

Avoid.

Which is the title the movie got in Germany (for a change it's not an English title, but in German). Considering the comedy talent at hand, I understand that some might be disappointed in this. But it's still decent enough, even with some mediocre jokes thrown in there from time to time. Not to mention the fact, that this is as predictable as it gets (story wise that is).

Not sure if the jokes about homosexuality work most of the time either, but you have to give/cut them some slack for trying (while not dumbing them down too much). The word play is there (see title), which is played out pretty nicely in one particular scene (turning point sort of). Don't expect too much and you'll be entertained

Get Hard was a film I really wasn't expecting to like much, but it was significantly funnier than I expected it to be. Will Ferrell's films have had a tendency to be a bit like Russian Roulette as of late, but this one is fortunately one with no bullet in the chamber. Ferrell plays James, a market trader with (in some people's books) an idyllic life: beautiful house, beautiful fiancée (the boss's daughter) and more money that Trump could shake a stick at.

But the idyll is shattered when he is arrested and then convicted of corruption on a massive scale. Wanting to set a public example , the judge sentences him to the delights of San Quentin and James has 30 days to "Get Hard" before being thrown to the mercy of the inmates. Helping him in the task is Kevin Hart ("Ride Along") who, primarily for reasons of personal financial gain, pretends to be much more 'street' than he really is.

What I enjoyed about this film was the leisurely set up of character and plot before the real comedy (the 'training') kicked in. This is where Ferrell and Hart really work together well, and I thought Hart was excellent in his role. Also good to see Craig T. Nelson ("Poltergeist", "Blades of Glory") back on the big screen as James's boss.

There are few films where I have guffawed out loud so much at certain points: some really good visual slapstick humour. However, the film will be far from everyone's tastes, with some very close to the knuckle jokes. In particular things come to a 'head', as it were, with some mano-a-mano action between Ferrell and Matt Walsh ("VEEP", "Into the Storm"), where the crudometer gets cranked up to "Farrelly". The film is also let down by a weak ending and if there was a joke to be had in the last line of the film, it completely flew over my head.

Recommended for some good belly laughs for the broad minded.

(If you enjoyed this review please see the graphical version at bob-the-movie-man.com and enter your email address to get future reviews. Thanks).

Laughter is the best medicine & a comedy film essentially does that. And 'Get Hard' is among those winning comedies, that despite its crude humor & language, made me laugh hard! Its a fun watch.

'Get Hard' Synopsis: When millionaire James King is jailed for fraud and bound for San Quentin, he turns to Darnell Lewis to prep him to go behind bars.

'Get Hard' is consistently fun. Jay Martel, Ian Roberts & Etan Cohen's Screenplay, though very crude, is hilarious & the camaraderie between its protagonists, works massively. Though a bit lengthier than it should have been, the Writing is mostly packed with good jokes & sequences. Etan Cohen's Direction is decent. Cinematography is richly done. Editing is slightly iffy.

Performance-Wise: Its good to see both, Will Ferrell & Kevin Hart, at their comedic best. Ferrell is no less than a treasure here as the innocent under scrutiny, while Hart, as his guru, oozes tremendous energy. And as a team, they both work superbly! Among others, the ever-dependable Craig T. Nelson, leaves a mark.

On the whole, 'Get Hard' will make you laugh! Watch It!

It has it's moments, but all in all it could have been more, this duo works out quite well, but we never see the real power of them, they never really shine. There are scenes and lines here and there that work very well, but in the end it just gets a bit too superficial and delivers fast easy jokes that doesn't hit the mark for these two.

All is well that ends well and that it does, but we kind of figured that all from the beginning, in many ways this is way too obvious and does deliver what I expected, I know I sound very harsh and not very thrilled about this one and I am very disappointed :)

I did like the two main characters, both pretending to be someone they are not, and really working hard at getting everything to work out, while just being awkward and out of place.