Road Hard

First off, I think that Adam Carolla is hilarious and listen to his Podcast almost daily. However, when watching this movie, I felt as though I was watching his Podcast playing out in cinema form. Now, this probably wouldn't be a bad thing for viewers who do not listen to his Podcast. Almost every bit/joke in the movie I have literally heard over and over from his podcast.

The funniest bits from the movie are when Adam is telling jokes during live stand up shows in the comedy clubs. I know it's a comedy but some things are just over the top, like the portrayal of his quirky Agent Baby Doll. How many wig jokes can you make in a movie? This movie was very disappointing and in my opinion not very funny regardless of every joke already being heard on his podcasts. I know Adam is not an actor per say, but he's bad in this movie. He shows almost no emotion and he's very stiff throughout the entire movie. The supporting actors are also not very funny.

I really wanted to like this movie because I think that Adam Carolla is a comical genius, but in reality, he needs to stick to his Podcast and TV shows because being an actor in movies is not in his wheelhouse.

Wow, what a surprise. Wasn't expecting much from this film tonight. Got a free AMAZON PRIME subscription and decided to check out some films this week. Tonight was "Road Hard". I thought, if it sucks i can flip it off after 10 minutes, no hassle - just find another. But after an hour I was still engaged. I'm not engaged easily.

First and foremost, this is a very well written movie. The dialog is honest, true - and funny. That's a hard combination to do and do well. Perhaps it's because I'm a middle aged man searching for all the same answers Bruce Madsen was, or just simply appreciated the honesty in the script, acting and dialog. Whoever cast this film should get a huge pat on the back. You know some films where your 10 minutes in and think "who the hell cast this thing, none of these actors have chemistry or remotely fit their characters!!!". Been there, done that. Not here. No way. This is perfection. Yes, there are several well known actors in this film, but several that aren't - and EVERYONE does a fantastic job. The story flows like a river knowing where it's going - and the actors tug at your heart frequently.

It's films like this that re-instill my faith in Hollywood. That make me more willing to take a chance on a film, even though a major, proved actor isn't a part of it. This film is so much better than so many other films I've seen this year with a budget much larger. What a gem. What a diamond in the rough. Don't hesitate, watch this. You won't be sorry!

"Road Hard" is a watchable, though fairly uninteresting comedy.

Few comedy movies are funny, and even fewer American comedians are. The movie and the protagonist don't break either mould, though Carolla is likable as the lead.

I didn't like this one as much as his movie "The Hammer", which was a lot more interesting. It's a movie about a down-on-his-luck comedian travelling around doing shows with varying degrees of failure. He used to be on a TV show called "The Bro Show" and his co-star, played by Jay Mohr, is now hosting a Letterman-style TV show that is the highest rated in the US.

I think the movie needed more moments of truth. There is one monologue Carolla gives about having to compete with Youtube stars as a middle aged comedian. The movie needed more bits like that; many of the aspects of Carolla's character, like him having an adopted Asian daughter, and his weird, wig wearing manager, seem too obviously fake and forced.

There is something particularly embittered about a comedian on skid row. Being forced to find humour in a dark situation, and being funny on stage when their life off it is anything but. "Road Hard" would have done better to embrace this, rather than avoid it.

I'd love to see this material handled by the likes of Todd Solondz.

A few years ago, Adam Carolla starred in a great little movie called "The Hammer" and as I recalled it, he was this nice underdog boxer that you'd just want to root for even though part of you is saying that he probably didn't stand a chance. Now, Carolla has come back from his years of doing his usual podcast or radio personality gig, to deliver us yet another movie, marking his directorial debut, "Road Hard" and it has that same charm again, he plays a comedian whose world around him seems to come spiraling down when his movie and sitcom career has run dry, he's doing his best to hold his head above water and you want so badly to root for the guy to make a comeback but part of you is wondering if he'd stand a chance. And that same charm is what makes ROAD HARD another great little movie in my book.

Adam Carolla co-directed, co-scripted and starred in this comedy that's more or less inspired by his own experiences as a stand up comedian. Carol has had a great career but his character in this film, Bruce, hits a point in his life asking what the hell is he still doing out on the road while all of his other comedian friends seem to be getting good gigs either on TV or in movies. His old teammate now has his own talk show but Bruce has to keep traveling from one hotel room to the next. He's divorced and struggling to provide for his daughter who loves him. ROAD HARD really is mid-life crisis seen through the eyes of Adam Carolla and his writing partner, Kevin Hench. They pretty much did all they could to create this very miserable character, you can't hit a lower rock bottom than the one Bruce is experiencing, but as they say, when you're at the bottom, the only way to go is up and I think Carolla and Hench did a good job of slowly but surely constructing that light at the end of the tunnel again for Bruce, by letting the character prioritize first, listing things that matter to him in his life, before the hopeful conclusion.

I think ROAD HARD is fascinating in that it gives you a non-glamorous picture of the life of a comedian, it's not all laughs and giggles, you would think that because they're funny on stage, they could easily just brush off their day-to-day problems with a couple of jokes but they're just as doubtful and as frustrated, sometimes furious, as the rest of us. ROAD HARD is funny but also surprisingly heartwarming.

I don't think that this is a movie that kicks you when you're down, if anything, I think the level of misery is just the right amount for the audience and the character Bruce himself to see angles and openings either around the corner or ahead of you. And once again, Carolla brings that approachable sense to his character, something that I think Carolla doesn't have to try too hard to exude, because he's the kind of guy who may at first seem like you wouldn't want to gamble on him or take a chance on him, but if you do, it pays off.

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Ok! I love stories about artists - writers, poets, artists, musicians, comedians - but I really didn't expect to like this. Two of the writers are also the directors and one of the writers is also the star! Recipe for disaster!

Except it's not quite. It's billed simplay as a comedy but it's more a delayed rom com.

The progression through the story is engaging. Adam Carolla (who I have never heard of, unlike some reviewers here) plays an excellent part and Diane Farr is simply brilliant as the love interest. The other actors are excellent, too, even those in bit pats and there are far too many to mention.

It may not be a laugh-out-loud movie - that depends on your frame of mind when watching it - but it is 'amusing' and it did keep me watching. It's a solid piece of work and if you enjoy a touch of rom with your com or simply like to see a little of the world of stand up then this will be worth your while.