The Wedding Ringer stars funny-men Kevin Hart and Josh Gad, in a over-the-top and crude – yet sentimental comedy film.
Gad plays Doug Harris, a friendless, well-off tax attorney who has managed to land and marry the girl of his dreams (while punching completely above his weight). With a week left to his wedding day, Doug is in desperate need to find a best man and several groomsmen, especially after telling his fiancé Gretchen (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) and her family that they will definitely be at the wedding. Enter Hart’s character Jimmy Calahan, aka Bic. Jimmy provides a successful best-man-for-hire service to men in the same situation as Doug and hilarity ensues.
Josh Gad and Kevin Hart both provide standout performances in the film. Gad plays the role of the awkward Doug as if he had already lived the part of the character in real life and Hart is perfectly suited to play the fast-talking and likeable role of Bic. Both actors are great on their own, but they really shine when they share screen time. They’re unique comedic strengths compliment each other to provide a flowing repertoire of laughs. The entire support cast can also be commended, especially the seven misfit groomsmen. While they’re mostly made up of lesser-known actors, they each bring something comedically different to the film.
The Wedding Ringer combines elements from various comedy film sub-genres, including rom-coms and gross-out humour. While some of those sub-genres might not be everyone’s cup of tea, there are elements in this film to please a variety of different audiences and whether you like it or not, the film is funny.
First time director Jeremy Garelick delivers the goods on the comedy front of the film, but also manages to sneak in a heartfelt tale of friendship. Even though it is pretty obvious from the beginning in which direction the film is headed, the ride is entertaining, which is all you can really ask for from a ridiculous comedy like The Wedding Ringer.
Fun Fact:
At the 2015 Golden Globe Awards, Kevin Hart went on record saying this film was his best work to date and is most representative of his work on-stage as a stand-up comedian.
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