Get Hard (2015)
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A wealthy investment bank manager who is framed for a crime must seek help from a car wash attendant to prepare for prison.
The story
James King, a wealthy hedge fund manager, is arrested for fraud and embezzlement during his engagement party. Despite his lawyer's advice to plead guilty, James refuses to believe he is innocent. After being sentenced to ten years in San Quentin, he is granted a 30-day grace period. Desperate to survive incarceration, James approaches Darnell Lewis, a local car wash attendant. Assuming Darnell has prison experience, James hires him to 'toughen him up' for a fee. Darnell, who has never been to prison, agrees to provide training in exchange for money to improve his daughter's school.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
James King is engaged to Alissa, the daughter of his boss, Martin Barrow. During the engagement party, James is arrested for fraud and embezzlement. He is sentenced to 10 years in San Quentin but receives a 30-day grace period. James hires Darnell Lewis, a car wash attendant, to train him for prison life. Darnell, who has no prison experience, attempts to train James using pepper spray and a mock prison house, but fails. To help James 'get hard,' Darnell takes him to a gay hookup spot. James eventually learns to make shivs and 'keister' contraband. During a simulated riot, James gets a shiv in his head. James and Darnell eventually discover that Martin framed James. They find evidence on Martin's computer but are caught by a hitman named Gayle. Darnell reveals he has never been to prison. James joins the Crenshaw Kings gang for protection but is eventually redirected to the Alliance of Whites. James and Darnell eventually sneak onto Martin's yacht to retrieve the computer. They confront Martin and Alissa, who confess to the crimes. James is exonerated but sentenced to six months for an unlicensed gun. He spends his time helping the FBI and guiding Darnell's investments.
- First release year
- 2015
- Runtime (minutes)
- 100
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Etan Cohen
- Writers
- Jay Martel · screenplay; Ian Roberts · screenplay; Etan Cohen · screenplay; Adam McKay · story; Jay Martel · story; Ian Roberts · story
- Cast and characters
- Will Ferrell · James King; Kevin Hart · Darnell Lewis; Tip 'T.I.' Harris · Russell; Alison Brie · Alissa Barrow; Craig T. Nelson · Martin Barrow; Edwina Findley · Rita Lewis; Ariana Neal · Makayla Lewis; Erick Chavarria · Cecelio
- Genres
- crime comedy; buddy comedy; LGBTQ-related comedy
- Themes
- Race relations; Class disparity; Prison life; Identity
- Tone and mood
- Comedy; Satirical; Crude
- Premise and plot tags
- Buddy Comedy; Prison Comedy; Crime Comedy; Race Controversy
- Content notes
- Race-related stereotypes; Gay panic jokes; Homophobia
- Reception
- The film received generally negative reviews from critics, who often cited its use of racial jokes and gay panic humor, but it was a commercial success, grossing over $111 million worldwide.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 28% · review count: 186; Metacritic · score: 34 · scale: 100 · review count: 43; CinemaScore · score: B · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- The film was somewhat controversial for its use of race-related stereotypes.; The production performed extensive testing to ensure humor was well-received.; The film received $12.3 million in tax incentives for filming in Louisiana.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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