What do you do when you're in a jam and don't have any friends to ask
for help? In January 2015, Doug found a friend in the strangest of ways.
Directing this 101 minute comedy/romance is Jeremy Garelick.
Bring the laughs is: Kevin
Hart as Jimmy Callahan/Bic, Josh Gad as Doug Harris, Kaley
Cuoco-Sweeting as Gretchen Palmer, Jorge Garcia as Lurch/Garvey, Affion
Crockett as Reggie/Drysdale, Dan Gill as Bronstein/Dickerson, Corey
Holcomb as Otis/Alzado, Colin Kane as Fitzgibbons/Plunkett, Alan
Ritchson as Kip/Carew, Aaron Takahashi as Endo/Rambis, Olivia Thirlby as
Alison Palmer, Mimi Rogers as Lois Palmer and Ken Howard as Ed Palmer.
Doug
has met the woman of his dreams and is getting ready to get married.
That should be the greatest thing in the world for Doug. However, Doug
has a small problem, he has no friends, which means he has no one to ask
to be his best man. Luckily for Doug there's a man named Jimmy who has a
business that can help with with that. Need a best man? Jimmy's your
man! What Jimmy doesn't know yet is Doug's wedding is going to be the
hardest job he's had to pull off.
Writers Jeremy Garelick and
Jay Lavender came up with a pretty decent story. It reminded me of the
Will Smith movie Hitch (2005). Awkward guy has trouble meeting ladies, a
cool guy named Hitch could help with that. Here, instead of needing
help meeting the ladies, it's needing help finding "friends" for certain
situations. Jimmy Callahan can become your best friend and help fill
your empty grooms men slots... for a price. For the most part, it's
funny and has a good script.
The playthrough was good, and it
keeps a steady pace all the way through. I liked most of the flick, but
there were a few spots that I could have done without. I don't mind
montages, heck most of the time they're awesome, but some can go on a
little too long, which is what happened here. Other than that, everything
going on will give you some laughs, but the flick really doesn't stick
with you once it's over.
I thought the cast had some talented
people filling the slots. There's a lot of comedic power mixed throughout the cast, I just wish a few of them had received more screen time. I
felt like there was some wasted potential with some of the people only
getting a few lines here and there. Giving a few of the other comedic
cast members more time could have spread out the laughs a bit more
instead of putting it all on Hart to carry. Not that Hart isn't funny,
or can't handle a lead role, because he can. However, spreading things
could have made room for bigger laughs instead of quick gags, which
would have helped this movie not get lost amongst the other average
comedy flicks floating around.
Overall, I would say this is one
of those films that falls into my one and done pile. I've seen it, and
probably never will again. Hey, not every movie has staying or
re-watching power, it's not to say it's not good, but sadly some flicks
are destined to fade off into the void of forgotten entertainment...
like this one will. So, wait for the rental, get your laughs and go on
with life.