February 7, 2014
 
Ah. January movies. Not that great, but still are time fillers when you need something to do. Ride Along starring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube is no exception. It’s not winning any awards any time soon, but it got a lot of laughs. Had it had the R rating, I feel like Ice Cube and Hart could have really let loose, but I feel like they were trying to draw a younger crowd, despite the violence.
 
Ben (Hart) is a school security guard with big dreams about proposing to his girlfriend, Angela (Tika Sumpter). However, he needs to stop playing video games and get his act together to enter the Atlanta police force. Oh, and he needs to win the approval of Angela’s brother, James (Ice Cube), which isn’t going to be easy, since he doesn’t think very highly of Ben.
 
But Ben tries so hard. He goes on a ride along with James to see what it’s like on the force. James, on the other hand, puts Ben through hell, only taking the really annoying calls, all the while trying to get clues to a big bust. Ben quickly figures out what’s going on and surprisingly uses his gaming skills in real life to help James solve the case. Of course, not without getting into a few fights, almost getting killed, getting shot and blowing up a huge warehouse. Not to mention, a huge fight and getting Angela kidnapped by the kingpin, Omar (Laurence Fishbourne). In the end, Ben gets James’ approval to marry Angela.
 
As I mentioned, it’s a quirky film that showcasing Hart’s physical comedy. I thought both men were stifled with the R rating, but it didn’t really take too much away from the plot. The plot was pretty predictable, unfortunately, but it was still entertaining. I really liked the scene where Ben tries to save James from the group, claiming to be Omar. And just in typical dramedy fashion, get caught right before leaving the building. Hart and Ice Cube work well together. I could see a sequel in the future, which probably won’t be as good, but might still be entertaining.