Ride Along
2014 · Directed by Tim Story
Original language: English
- action
- comedy
The story
For the past two years, high-school security guard Ben has been trying to show decorated APD detective James that he's more than just a video-game junkie who's unworthy of James' sister, Angela. When Ben finally gets accepted into the academy, he thinks he's earned the seasoned policeman's respect and asks for his blessing to marry Angela. Knowing that a ride along will demonstrate if Ben has what it takes to take care of his sister, James invites him on a shift designed to scare the hell out of the trainee. But when the wild night leads them to the most notorious criminal in the city, James will find that his new partner's rapid-fire mouth is just as dangerous as the bullets speeding at it.
What it’s like
Bright, flat daylight gives way to sodium-orange streetlight and the cold blue glow of patrol-car dashboards, with the camera mostly locked to the front seat so the city slides past the windshield in ordinary, unglamorous Atlanta. The look is glossy and clean, a studio comedy with saturated colors, tidy compositions, and little grain, and the sound is a steady bed of dispatch chatter, sirens, and bouncing hip-hop cues that keep the energy up. Its vibe is brisk, loud, and comfortably silly, the kind of thing to put on for a lazy Friday or a long flight when you want something to laugh along to without thinking. The pacing is quick and banter-driven, with set-piece chases and shouted one-liners landing every few minutes, and the emotional register stays light: a jittery would-be brother-in-law slowly earns grudging respect from a gruff, hard-nosed cop. Violence is present and somewhat harsh, with gunfire, crashes, and a few sudden injuries, but it's played for adrenaline and mostly bloodless, and there's frequent crude language and sexual innuendo. It suits viewers who want buddy-cop chemistry, fast-talking comedy, and a stinger-friendly cheer rather than anything tender or quiet.
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