We get it. Ice Cube is the stone-cold straight man and Kevin Hart is incapable of subtly. The first Ride Along was an occasionally fun romp; imperfect, but it knew what it was. As a sequel, Ride Along 2 follows that tried-and-true format by transplanting itself to an exotic location. Here our Atlanta-based heroes James Payton (Cube) and Ben Barber (Hart) are sent to Miami — cue a Pitbull song and a montage of beautiful women in bikinis on the beach. If you’re thinking, “Hey, that sounds like 22 Jump Street,” that’s where the sequel comparisons end.
As a consumer product made for the “Netflix and Chill” demographic verses an actual cinematic experience, Ride Along 2 offers more of the same with diminished returns. In Nicholas Ray’s In A Lonely Place one screenwriter insults another by calling him a “popcorn salesmen.” Here, all involved are less: they’ve created...
As a consumer product made for the “Netflix and Chill” demographic verses an actual cinematic experience, Ride Along 2 offers more of the same with diminished returns. In Nicholas Ray’s In A Lonely Place one screenwriter insults another by calling him a “popcorn salesmen.” Here, all involved are less: they’ve created...
- 1/15/2016
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s clearly the mentality that the writers of Ride Along brought to the table. And I can’t blame them, given the tremendous success that buddy comedies have found in Hollywood, particularly in recent years with action-heavy team-up comedies like 21 Jump Street and 2 Guns. Luckily, there’s more to Ride Along than just a rehash of those hits.
The main draw for most will be watching Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, two talented actors with supremely different personalities, share the screen. Cube, physically imposing and still radiating the same fierce anger that made his rapping work so iconic, fits perfectly into the role of Alabama Pd Detective James Payton, a tough-as-nails cop who relishes the chance to break protocol and kick in some heads.
Similarly, Hart, famed for his manic energy and underdog rep, is well-suited for the part of Ben Barber,...
The main draw for most will be watching Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, two talented actors with supremely different personalities, share the screen. Cube, physically imposing and still radiating the same fierce anger that made his rapping work so iconic, fits perfectly into the role of Alabama Pd Detective James Payton, a tough-as-nails cop who relishes the chance to break protocol and kick in some heads.
Similarly, Hart, famed for his manic energy and underdog rep, is well-suited for the part of Ben Barber,...
- 4/15/2014
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
Neighbours bosses have announced that award-winning actor John Wood has joined the cast of the soap, taking on the part of an Erinsborough doctor. The 64-year-old, best known for playing Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon in police drama Blue Heelers, starts filming with the Ramsay Street drama next week and will appear on screen for six months. Wood's latest role sees him portray strict medical man Martin Chambers, who has a reputation for taking his work very seriously. As new doctor Rhys Lawson (Ben Barber) starts to get settled in at the Erinsborough Hospital, he soon learns that Martin doesn't suffer (more)...
- 6/3/2011
- by By Daniel Kilkelly
- Digital Spy
Neighbours bosses have today announced the casting of actor Ben Barber as new regular character Rhys Lawson. The 27-year-old has already filmed his first scenes as Rhys, a doctor who is tipped to cause a stir in Erinsborough as his arrival will not go down well with some of the locals. Barber started work on set last week, shooting alongside established cast members Jackie Woodburne and Alan Fletcher (Susan and Karl Kennedy). Speaking of his casting, the new recruit commented: "I love the character, he is very determined and focused. I'm looking forward (more)...
- 5/18/2011
- by By Daniel Kilkelly
- Digital Spy
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.