Kevin Hart is one of today's most well-known comedians, and even though the majority of his films involve him using the same type of comedy (typically involving making fun of his height), he's managed to star in some really decent films. With "The Secret Life of Pets 2" being released, I took a look at my five personal favorite Kevin Hart films.
**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**
#5
Central Intelligence
Moreso for Dwayne Johnson's performance than Kevin Hart's, "Central Intelligence" is a prime example of Kevin Hart's bread and butter - act alongside another comedian in a buddy comedy (see "Night School," "Get Hard," and so on). Here, the two play adults who were in the same high school, but back then Hart was the popular jock while Johnson was the overweight nerd, and now Johnson works for the CIA and enlists Kevin Hart's help to save the world. The saving grace for this film is the actors' shared chemistry, otherwise it would've fallen to just a typical Kevin Hart film.
#4
Ride Along
The film that solidified Kevin Hart as the eternal buddy-comedy king, "Ride Along" features Hart as a short, more feeble man trying to prove to his girlfriend's policeman brother (played by Ice Cube) that he's man enough to date his sister, and the two embark on a ride along that will test their patience as well as their lives. The film was a huge success that's garnered a sequel (and another in the works), and also made Kevin Hart a household name in cinema.
#3
The Upside
While Kevin Hart again chooses to act alongside another veteran actor (in this case it's Bryan Cranston), what makes "The Upside" better is the fact that it's not a strictly comedic outing, but rather a touching tale of two unlikely friends who come together to help one another through difficult situations. While the film this is based off is much better, "The Upside" does include some great dramatic performances by Hart, who's heightened by the mere presence of Bryan Cranston.
#2
The Secret Life of Pets
It's interesting that one of my favorite Kevin Hart performances comes in a film where we don't see him, just his voice. In the animated hit "The Secret Life of Pets," Hart plays Snowball, a no-nonsense rabbit who's street smart and somewhat diabolical, yet there's also a sweet sensitive side to him as well. Maybe it's because he doesn't rely on his old joke styles, but I found his performance here to be the scene stealer of the entire film.
#1
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Reuniting with Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart manages to shine in "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle." Maybe it's because he's not just working with Johnson, but with Jack Black and Karen Gillen as well, but while he does return to his traditional comedic style, Hart also gives a stellar performance as an avatar of a high school jock, who's thrown into a video game as a short, loud man. So basically he does well at playing to his strength here, but with three other leads in the film, it doesn't become overbearing and stale.
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