Get Hard 2015

As the lavish lifestyle of James King (Will Ferrell), a self-made hedge fund mogul, begins to unravel, his car washer, Darnell Lewis (Kevin Hart), and his family are struggling to make ends meet. The stark contrast between their circumstances is highlighted when James, oblivious to the financial struggles of those around him, inadvertently frightens Darnell in a parking lot encounter. This chance meeting sets off a chain of events as James, convinced that he can impart his wisdom on Darnell, delivers an impassioned speech about the importance of seizing opportunities and striving for success.

The engagement party hosted by Alissa (Alison Brie), James’s stunning but cunning fiancée, serves as the backdrop for his downfall. As she presents him with a token of their impending union - an electric guitar - John Mayer takes center stage to perform. However, the celebration is cut short when the FBI arrives to arrest James on charges of fraud and embezzlement. Despite the urgings of his lawyer, Peter Penny, to plead guilty, James remains resolute in his innocence and insists that he will be vindicated.

As the consequences of his actions unfold, James’s assets are frozen, and he is placed under house arrest. Desperate to clear his name and regain his freedom, he makes a series of reckless decisions, including attempting to flee the country by cutting off his ankle monitor. His plan is foiled when he arrives at Alissa’s family estate, only to be met with her rejection and a newfound independence.

As James’s world crumbles around him, he finds himself face-to-face once more with Darnell in a parking lot encounter. This time, he confesses his fears about facing the harsh realities of prison life and begs Darnell to teach him how to toughen up. In exchange for this guidance, James agrees to pay Darnell $30,000, marking the beginning of an unlikely mentorship that will set the stage for a transformative journey ahead.

As Darnell struggles to project an air of tough authority, he attempts to instill a sense of realism into James’ preparations for his impending stint behind bars. His approach involves a show of force, as he pepper-sprays James upon arrival at their home, prompting the latter to respond with a more pitiful display. Darnell’s efforts to toughen James up involve creating scenarios designed to test his resolve, initiating pointless altercations at the local park, and even orchestrating a series of humiliating defeats. Meanwhile, James reaches out to Martin, only to discover that his supposed mentor is actually the mastermind behind the trouble they’re facing. Martin, convinced that James has caught on to his schemes, orders Peter and the enigmatic Gayle to take care of the situation.

As the clock ticks down and James’ prospects appear bleaker than ever, Darnell sets his sights on a new challenge: teaching James how to perform oral sex in prison. In a misguided attempt to toughen James up, they visit a gay hook-up spot, where James is expected to find a willing participant. However, the prospect of engaging in such an intimate act proves too daunting for him, and he instead vows to do whatever it takes to “get hard.” James subsequently redoubles his efforts, devoting himself to intense physical training, crafting makeshift shivs, and mastering the art of “Keistering” – a clever method for smuggling contraband into prison.

As tensions escalate, Darnell stages a simulated prison raid, enlisting the aid of James’ personal workers to play the roles of inmates. In the ensuing chaos, James finds himself with a shiv lodged in his skull. Darnell rushes him to Rita’s home, where she attempts to extract the offending object. After dinner and a made-up story about Darnell’s own prison experiences (reminiscent of Boyz in the Hood), James departs, only for Makayla and Rita to express their doubts about his involvement in the trouble and urge Darnell to take more concrete action.

In the days leading up to James’ incarceration, he and Darnell concoct a plan for him to join the Crenshaw Kings, a local gang that promises to offer protection behind bars. James dons an outlandish outfit, only to attract unwanted attention. Russell (T.I.), Darnell’s cousin and the gang’s leader, remains skeptical about James’ ability to contribute, sensing that Darnell is spinning a web of lies about his own prison experience. Despite this, James does manage to bring some financial acumen to the table, sparking interest in stocks and investments among the gang.

As Darnell drives James to a notorious hangout spot for the Alliance of Whites gang, it becomes increasingly apparent that James’s attempt at playing the role of a racist is woefully inadequate. The white supremacists’ suspicions are piqued, mistakenly believing him to be a law enforcement official. A hair-raising close call ensues as they nearly subject James to the fiery wrath of a motorcycle tire, but Darnell intervenes with a dramatic flourish, brandishing a flamethrower and rescuing his friend from impending doom. Upon closer inspection, Darnell realizes that James is indeed innocent and together they deduce that Martin is the mastermind behind the embezzlement scheme. They sneak into Martin’s office, where they uncover incriminating evidence on his old computer. However, their triumph is short-lived as Gayle appears, snatches the computer back, and reveals a shocking truth: Darnell has an unblemished record, never having served time behind bars. James feels betrayed by this revelation and abandons the parking lot.

James later returns to the Crenshaw Kings with the intention of joining their ranks. However, his initiation requires him to commit a heinous act - murder. Darnell arrives just in the nick of time to stop him and persuades James to focus on exposing Martin’s deceit instead. The duo sets out to track down Martin, sneaking onto his luxurious yacht in search of evidence. They manage to get their hands on the incriminating computer, only to be confronted by Gayle and a team of hired guns. As the situation spirals out of control, James unleashes a series of impressive Capoeira moves to take down the thugs while Darnell protects the valuable computer files. Martin makes a confession, revealing his involvement in the scheme, as Alissa steps forward, admitting her own complicity. The trio attempts to sway James with promises of escape and riches, but he refuses their advances, opting instead to join forces with Darnell on the life raft.

As they attempt to make their escape, Gayle opens fire on the raft, prompting James to produce a concealed weapon - a gun stashed away in his rear. With the law closing in, James holds Gayle at bay until police reinforcements arrive, responding to James’s unauthorized foray beyond county lines. The authorities apprehend Martin, Gayle, Alissa, and Peter, while James is also taken into custody for his reckless handling of the firearm. After serving a relatively light six-month sentence, James dedicates himself to helping the police recover the stolen funds and decides to reward Darnell’s loyalty by investing in his car wash business and facilitating his relocation to a more prosperous neighborhood.

Upon James’s release from prison, Darnell arrives to collect him, and the two friends set off into the sunset.