7. Get Hard: The Moment Where Embarrassing Homophobia Still Exists In 2015, Part II
As needlessly, childishly offensive as Hot Tub Time Machine 2 is, Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart vehicle Get Hard is worse. Thats two Kevin Hart films on this list, by the way. Someone needs to have a word. Will Ferrells ecstatically wealthy hedge fund manager James has been framed for embezzlement and has been given thirty days to get his affairs in order before starting a ten year prison sentence. In terror at the idea, he asks Darnell, the guy who washes his car how he survived prison, assuming hes been inside because hes black. Theres the germ of an okay idea in there, especially one that sends up ideas of entitlement and privilege, satirising the ignorant racism of the rich white guy as well as the politically correct assumptions that run in the other direction. Unfortunately, this is not that film. Darnell is as clueless as James, and both men labour under the impression that its possible to prepare for potentially being raped in prison by practicing having sex with men so were treated to a long, agonisingly unfunny scene at a supposed gay hang-out spot where James tries and fails to get into guys. Leaving aside the horrible association of rape with gay culture, Get Hard is a film determined to leave you with the impression that sex between two men is weird and disgusting, that gay men are indiscriminate, insatiable and every other stereotype under the sun, and that the dick is literally the worst thing that prison has to offer this idiot. The scene mercifully ends when James, unable to fellate the poor man hes chosen, charges back to Darnell and tearfully agrees to do anything else he asks, as long as it isnt this. Were then treated to a short training montage where James displays superhuman strength, motivated by his fear of other men and their penises. Some people will try to argue that Get Hard is taking the mickey out of attitudes like this, not celebrating them - but like I said, theres no satire here. Both protagonists agree on the films position on homosexuality. The viewer isnt invited to laugh at them, but rather with them, at the pathetic gays and their disgusting sex lives. Its astonishing that so many people colluded to let this crap go all the way to a cinema release in 2015.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
