RIDE ALONG

SYNOPSIS:
Fast-talking security guard Ben (Kevin Hart) joins his cop brother-in-law James (Ice Cube) on a 24-hour patrol of Atlanta in order to prove himself worthy of marrying Angela (Tika Sumpter), James' sister.

Review by Andrew L. Urban:
The poster, the tagline ('Propose to this cop's sister? Rookie mistake') and the cast tells us all we need to know what we're in for with Ride Along, and if we decide to ride along with the film's escapist mood, it is an undemanding fun ride, ideal accompaniment to popcorn. If not, it's hard labour.

Kevin Hart, the popular stand up and TV comic (Real Husbands of Hollywood), plays the hapless romantic Ben, who is in love with Angela (Tika Sumpter), whose big brother James (Ice Cube) is a detective ... and seriously protective of her. Ben is all talk, but he proves to be good at it. He is also a funny guy, but to be funny he has to self deprecate; heroic characters aren't laughing material. So he's the fall guy, the guy who falls over a few times in pursuit of his goal of convincing James he can cut it as a cop.

That, essentially, is the basis for the comedic action, with Ben getting in and out of sticky situations, with help or hindrance from an earnest James, whose scowl is applied with Super Glue. If you're not a fan of the Kevin Hart schtick, it doesn't work for you.

Tika Sumpter looks scrumptious but has little to do, while Laurence Fishburne makes a late entrance in a menacing role as the uber-baddie, heavy with authority. John Leguizamo as a crooked cop and Bruce McGill as Lt Brooks add colourful characters to a movie already full of colour and movement - and pace.

After Kevin Hart personally warmed up the adoring Sydney preview audience, they lapped up the film and gave it rousing applause at the end. They got what it promised.