MOVIE REVIEW - The Wedding Ringer

Funny men Kevin Hart and Josh Gad star in the new comedy, The Wedding Ringer new this week.

This is a great example of a really good idea that could have, and should have been a whole lot better. Don't get me wrong, there are some good laughs here and actually some really fun and heartfelt moments too. But a few key sell-out moments, and ill-advised scenes take this from really pretty good, to simply OK.

This is the story of Doug (Gad).  He is a goofy, 30 something awkward rich young professional that has inherited his fathers business after his death.  He falls in love with Gretchen (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) and they are going to get married.  Problem is, Doug does not have any friends, and needs a best man, and 7 groomsmen for this huge wedding that is being planned. And Gretchen does not know this fact.

So Doug learns of Jimmy (Hart), who runs a business called Best Man Inc. For a huge fee, he becomes your best man complete with a wedding party and no one is the wiser.  In short, it's all a big lie. So Doug hires Jimmy and the laughs are on. Can they pull this off, and is Gretchen really the one? And is it a good idea that Jimmy and Doug even met? 

This particular movie, is a far better idea than is executed here.  This could have been really funny from start to finish, but the temptation to be like all other modern comedies is just too great.  But yes, there are laugh out loud moments here. This movie will be loved by many of the patrons, and killed by the critics nationally.  But if you watch this closely, you can see the potential here, and feel a bit sad that in the end, it comes down to this product.

There are good moments in this, where Gad, and Hart have really good chemistry, and those are the movies best.  They seem an unlikely pair on screen and that adds to the fun. Gad is a pretty funny guy, and embraces this role as the privileged underdog.  And Hart is who he is.  Although here I did not find him as fatiguing as usual.   As funny as he is and can be, to me his act can get old quick. But here not so much - or I am getting desensitized to his act.

But, a ridiculous muddy football scene that comes out of nowhere and goes nowhere was a real bad idea. Also, a bachelor party scene that could have been funny, sells out to 7th grade humor, and as shocking as it is supposed to be, it doesn't really work.  And there are few other rough patches, that if this was thought out a bit longer, could have been a surprisingly good flick, with the new faces and original idea.

The Wedding Ringer.   A pretty good time, that could have been a really great time.