Get Hard (2015)

Directed by Etan Cohen. Starring Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart, Edwina Findley, Craig T. Nelson, Alison Brie, Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris, Paul Ben-Victor, Greg Germann, Christopher Berry, T. J. Jagodowski, Ariana Neal, Ron Funches, Joshua Joseph Gillum. [R]

Supercilious investment banker Ferrell is convicted for a series of embezzlement and fraud charges, so he hires a struggling entrepreneur (Hart) to toughen him up and prepare him for prison, a decision based solely on Ferrell assuming that because Hart is black, he has have served hard time before. A dispiriting string of racial jokes broken up by fits of gay panic and overworn observations on class; with edginess and a point of view, this could’ve worked, but everything in sight is lazy and haplessly assembled. Too witless to be truly offensive, but hackwork is unmistakable, and in the realm of comedy, that’s just as insulting. Despite having flimsy chemistry together, the stars do manage to milk a few chuckles, but too little to make it worth the effort. The filmmakers’ assault on good taste even trickles down to the walk-ons—John Mayer cameos.

35/100