I stumbled upon a review for the brand new Kevin Hart movie 72 Hours today that was the definition of “out of touch”. An older generation of writer leaning into big words, speaking in an upturned-nose tone to their audience about how much of a disappointment this film was. It couldn’t be further from the truth.
I may not have the same level of education as said reviewer. My grammar, spelling and intellect may not be on the same level, but I know a feel-good movie when I see one, and in some circumstances, beyond the big words and education, you just have to, once in a while, take that stick out of your arse and enjoy a good comedy — and 72 Hours is just that.
Kevin Hart plays Joe, a man who is well and truly knee-deep in a mid-life crisis and feeling out of touch with his audience within a marketing firm. After being accidentally tagged in a group chat for a bachelor party, he decides to go with the flow and use this opportunity to explore youth culture to help him with a project at work that could get him a big promotion.
At home, his long-term girlfriend Jennifer (Teyana Taylor) is considering an opportunity that could change their entire relationship, leaving Joe to consider his personal and professional future.
What transpires is a 40-year-old Joe partying with 20-year-olds with hilarious consequences, as we see two generations going head-to-head with hilarious results.
Joe upgrades the boys’ bachelor party plans, pays for the drinks and quietly begins mining their experiences for material that could save his struggling marketing campaign, whilst unknowingly getting into trouble with a local Miami gang.
What stood out about 72 Hours is that our 20-something-year-olds are actually relatable, despite the age of the audience watching this movie. Marcello Hernández plays alpha-bro Nick, Ben Marshall as hopeless romantic Hunter, Kam Patterson as the wonderfully lovable Freshman, and Mason Gooding as the bachelor at the centre of the festivities who can’t wait to settle down with his soon-to-be wife.
What makes this great is that their group dynamic already feels familiar, and not from those shitty buddy comedies that are ten-a-penny. I’m talking The Hangover levels of casting and chemistry. It’s great when a cast just feels right, but there is one particular weak spot in the movie, and that unfortunately is Teyana Taylor’s character, Jennifer.
Not only do she and Kevin feel worlds apart from being even close to a convincing couple, but her character is so underutilised she may as well not have been in the movie. The lines come off stiff and forced, and there’s zero chemistry there to warrant more involvement in the film. It’s a strange casting and directional choice for me personally in this particular movie, especially when her skillset is far above what this movie gave her credit for.
There are some genuine laugh-out-loud moments within 72 Hours and an epic cameo from veteran comedian Kat Williams that feels like the Kevin Hart Roast got a feature film extended cut (plug away, Netflix).
Kevin is in his element when he riffs with his co-stars, and the bloopers reel at the end shows just how much riffing went on in this movie. That’s what makes Kevin Hart comedies so great: when he takes a character and just runs with it. Joe is one of those characters.
A film like 72 Hours isn’t meant to be dissected and picked apart, who’s got time for that? A movie like this is meant to be enjoyed with your buddies, a few beers and nachos, and just disengage your brain and have a damn good time. I feel 72 Hours hits those points, as it has a solid backbone of writers in Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who know their teen/generation comedies well after penning American Pie Reunion together, along with Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider, who are no strangers to comedy either.
Hand that gold to Kevin Hart and watch him run with it and run with it he did.
I do feel at times 72 Hours could have leaned into the comedy a little more and extended some of the chaos out to help those laughs really hit home, but this was just a fun watch. He’s supported by a good bunch of dudes who all bounce off each other really well in this Netflix feel-good comedy.
Our Rating
Summary
72 Hours lets you switch off and enjoy it for what it is. It never takes itself too seriously and whilst it doesn’t deep dive into friendship and social commentary as much as it teases it delivers in heart and laughs without deep diving into anything more. It’s feel-good and it’s worth a watch. It’s as simple as that.
