(From syracusenewtimes.com)
There are things happening up on the screen in “Get Hard” that, taken at face value, are offensive.
Yet I wasn’t ruffled nearly enough to stand up, do an about face and march out of there as I sat through the Friday matinee at the Regal Cinemas theater in Syracuse mega shopping, dining and entertainment complex Destiny USA.
You can read my review of “Get Hard” on the Syracuse New Times site by clicking the link below.
http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/get-hard-offends-smart-funny-way/
Thankfully, I got through the obvious lines and gags set up around the storyline of a guy facing prison time and all the carnal fears that entails on the screen to realize I was being set up. They were there for a purpose. There was enough insight behind the satire and comedy. It won me over with its overall perspective, in other words.
Which made me think, again, that my initial reaction wasn’t my only gut instinct to trust.
Today’s movie questions:
Do you think there’s room in our world today for general comedies to run with offensive stereotypes if there’s wiser stuff underneath? When’s the last time you’ve skipped a movie because of its basic premise or a title such as “Get Hard,” and what was it? Who do you prefer more at this point, Kevin Hart or Will Ferrell, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
Hmmm… I’ve not yet even heard of Get Hard, much less seen a preview. I gotta go with Will Ferrell, because he’s hilarious, and also because I don’t know who Kevin Hart is!
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Kevin Hart is a rising star. Heck, he’s already here big time, Rachel. Meet him at the movies. 🙂
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I’m not so sure you have me convienced, Chum.
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We’ll agree not to, then, Red.
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I don’t mind offensive as long as it is realistic. The truth is that there is a great deal of racism, prejudice, sexism, rape, violence, etc in our societies. If the movie incorporates these facets of our “civilization” in a thoughtful and real manner, then I am fine with that. i don’t like gratuitous violence or any other negatives, but reality demands that good quality recognize our short comings – warts and all. The Bible, the best selling book of all time, has all sorts of shit in it. Hey, if it’s good enough for God , it’s good enough for me.
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Good point about the Good Book, Paul, though this movie wasn’t always the perfect comparison. It was well-meaning in the end, though.
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I love Will, starting to love Kevin. I don’t mind going to see this kind of humor if it’s in a theater and I know that’s what I’m going to see and why I’m going to see it (as long as MBM tells me it’s worth a looksee). But that kind of humor in certain arenas, like prime time television, I do not care for. I love the references to All in the Family. It sure made us open our eyes and ears and pay attention didn’t it, even though we were laughing while doing it. Humor can get us to pay attention to much needed lessons.
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It has to be done right, as you say, MBC, and taken the right way, too.
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Hey Mark – I do not see a lot of movies – for example, I just saw Frozen this month – lol – so form the limited ones I do see – I will chime in on this question:
Do you think there’s room in our world today for general comedies to run with offensive stereotypes if there’s wiser stuff underneath?
yes, but I think it is sensitive it has to be done with care and skill -and it sounds like this one was….
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Yes, skillfully and carefully blow the stereotype up by the end of the move. Thanks, Y.
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🙂
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Gotta talk about uncomfortable things sometimes. Getting it out in the open is the only way things can change. What a better way then to laugh about how stupid things can be. Makes me think about the Norman Lear shows which pushed the envelope back in the 70’s. We have come far but not far enough!
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Agreed, UpMom, Norman Lear was the king of pushing society to address issues this way in tye 70s. I’m glad I stuck with it then, and now.
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i saw it with mg this weekend and while it pushed the envelope in some areas, i think it’s one of the roles of comedy to address issues and to make people a bit uncomfortable. i like both will and kevin and knew what we were getting into when buying our tickets. it had a lot of laughs, with a thin storyline, but overall we enjoyed it and the mixed age audience seemed to as well.
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I thought it went past the obvious, so I liked it for that, Beth. The crowd in my theater seemed to like it as well.
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I am okay with people poking fun at their own race or stereotypes. This is generally the root of a lot of Sat. Night Live’s comedy. I know my parents liked comedy with innuendo, since they liked Mae West and the Marx brothers. I know they accepted Archie Bunker, knowing he himself, in his real life, was not a bigot. The point behind the jokes and sometimes outrageous things Archie said, was to make us think twice. I think Kevin Hart and Will F. are just fine, but I enjoyed Will’s role in “Bewitched,” with its calmer and sweeter style of comedy. I laugh out loud at the American Pie series, as well as the “Wedding Crashers.” There are so many worse things to get offended about, Mark!
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Yes, there are some bad things out there other than comedy movies, for certain. Thanks, Robin.
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Kevin Hart is one to watch. Will F still makes me want to, you know, hork
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Kevin Hart can be really great, I think, Martha. And horking is so individual.
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It sure is, horking
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I like a handful of Will’s works. I liked him most in Stranger than Fiction, if that tells you anything about my taste in films.
I have no interest in this film, but I do think stereotypes are funny, although I’d say breaking them unexpectedly is much funnier.
We’re going to see the new Marigold Hotel movie today — so, more about my film preferences…
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I saw the new Marigold the first weekend it came out, and I do not think your like for Stranger is strange, Joey. So there.
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Good 🙂
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Normally I like Ferrell’s movies, but this one doesn’t look so great. Would skip it for the title alone. Seriously.
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There you go, Liz. We could have a great argument in print about this one if we tried.
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I’m more of a Will Ferrell fan. I believe that a movie can do “offensive” if it’s done in an intelligent and new way. It has to have a purpose, in my opinion. If it’s offensive just for the sake of being offensive, without any direction, then I don’t think it’s successful.
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I agree, Rebecca. Don’t insult the world merely to insult the world.
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Exactly!
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Well, at least you paid matinee price. Or does senior = over 55 like some places? Either way, not full price. Will is “my favorite.” I’m saying that like Elf says smiling is his favorite. But I won’t say he can do no wrong bc some of his movies have been less than entertaining. I saw Kevin host SNL and he is quite the ball of energy. Sometimes I want him to slow down and put his hands in his pockets. You can’t really have a film about prison and not allude to constant male rape. That’s par for the course. And it’s not farfetched for James to assume Darnell has more street cred/knowledgability simply due to his color. Even if that is ignorant, it’s not farfetched at all. Comedy has to make fun of stuff. Nothing will be funny if we are constantly trying to be sensitive and talk through our feelings. That said, comedy can mean diff things to diff folks. I really thought “The Hangover” was going to be great, and I didn’t find it funny at all. I thought they pushed it too far in all directions, but I’m certainly not the majority. I think comedy should be allowed to make fun of everyone, but not run the old stereotypes into the ground. Stereotypes wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t truth to them, but make it fresh.
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I agree with you about “The Hangover.” It was not funny at all, and I gave the original and II a chance. This movie was fresh on the prison theme.
Our matinee price is $9, every day, all showings before 4 p.m. Seniors, 60 and older, is the same price. Regular admission is $11. 3D and the RD Experience is $13.50, no break for matinees.
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Man, I remember dollar Wednesdays for skating and movies. I bet you can remember even better prices.
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Yes, unfortunately, I can, Kerbey. I remember when change bought you stuff without having to bring it in a jar. But please don’t rub it in, OK?
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I don’t mean it like that. I mean it like you have more memories.
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OK, I am cool with that forever, Kerbey. You weren’t really insulting me anyway. I was just joshing a bit.
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I’m not easily offended but I don’t appreciate a movie that just defaults to unintelligent humor for the sake of being shocking. Did this one cross that line?
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Ummmmm. Good question, Marissa. The humor is blatant, graphic and stereotypical, but I wouldn’t call it unintelligent. I think shock was just part of it.
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Okay, I’ll take that answer!
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Reblogged this on Stuff I Like to Blog About.
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Hmmm, I think I will skip this flick.
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It is as advertised, PJ. I think it would upset you, yes, for its graphic details.
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Kevin Hart, though I do give Will Ferrell credit for his Old Milwaukee commercials and surprise newscasts as Ron Burgundy.
I think if the (eventual) wisdom makes the ones perpetuating the stereotypes look wrong for doing such, then I am OK with it. Closest example would be Archie Bunker on All in the Family, or maybe RDJ’s character in Tropic Thunder.
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Yes, the clincher has to be very convincing, Sheena. And Kevin and Will do a good job of making those that blindly hate look wrong.
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