Review: “The Wedding Ringer”

There’s a surprisingly amount of Hart, er.. heart, in this hilarious bromance.

Kevin Hart must have a great agent.  He’s popping up everywhere these days.  Besides a few commercials, and his standup, he was in SIX 2014 movies!  This is the first time he’s had a leading role, (unless you count “Ride Along”) and the first time, according a recent interview, that he’s been able to “let it all out.”  Believe it.  This is Hart at his very best.  With a great supporting cast filling the shoes of oddball characters and a strangely touching script, this is one of the best comedies in a long time.

In the sad, yet hilarious, pre-credit scene we meet Doug Harris (Josh Gad).  Doug is a successful business man, a nice guy, but without any friends.  He has his job and his fiance, Gretchen (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting), but really nothing else.  After a panic attack a mere 10 days from the wedding, he is introduced to the services of Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart)  For a price, Jimmy will provide “Best Man Services” which include schmoozing with the family and delivering the best best-man toast outside of a Nicholas Sparks film.  But with only 10 days to go, and 7 groomsmen needed, Jimmy will have to accomplish the impossible, “The Golden Tuxedo Package.”  Can they pull it off without being caught? Will Doug return to being friendless by the end of the film?  While you may be able to guess how everything turns out in the end, there’s no way you’ll be able to predict the crazy routes the story will take to get there.

The humor in the film at times will border on the cruel but quickly pulls the reins back to a kinder side, which parallels the narrative.  Moments that seem a bit harsh or cold, like when Jimmy lashes out claiming all these men he’s helping are losers, are tempered with kindness and sacrifices.  There’s a wonderful exchange later in the movie between Hart and his office assistant that discusses the difference in the nature of men and women, and why many times good men are lacking in the friends department.

Surprisingly funny, lots of fun, touching, this is a great film all around.  Yes, the humor can be offensive at times, but as what may be described as a “Fairy tale for grown men”, it’s to be expected.  Don’t miss what could be the greatest Bromance in the past few years.