Ice Cube, Kevin Hart Ride Along

Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, John Leguizamo, Bruce McGill, Tika Sumpter, Bryan Callen and Laurence Fishburne
Director: Tim Story
Genre: Action, Comedy
Rated: M
Running Time: 100 minutes

Synopsis: Kevin Hart and Ice Cube lead the lineup in Ride Along, the new film from the director and the producer of the blockbuster comedy Think Like a Man. When a fast-talking guy joins his girlfriend's brother"a hot-tempered cop"to patrol the streets of Atlanta, he gets entangled in the officer's latest case. Now, in order to prove that he deserves his future bride, he must survive the most insane 24 hours of his life.

For the past two years, high-school security guard Ben (Hart) has been trying to show decorated APD detective James (Cube) that he's more than just a video-game junkie who's unworthy of James' sister, Angela (Tika Sumpter). 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.

John Leguizamo and Laurence Fishburne join the cast of the action-comedy directed by Tim Story. Ride Along is produced by Will Packer (Think Like a Man), alongside Ice Cube, Matt Alvarez (Barbershop) and Larry Brezner (Good Morning, Vietnam).

Ride Along
Release Date: March 20th, 2014

About the Production

Rev the Engines: The Comedy Begins

Ride Along began its journey to the big screen several years ago when writer Greg Coolidge pitched producer Larry Brezner his idea for a buddy comedy. Recalls Larry Brezner: 'I thought that the time was right for Ride Along because it had been a while since I'd seen an action-comedy like 48 Hours, Trading Places"those classic buddy comedies that work so well with two people in conflicted situations just being funny."

Larry Brezner offers what draws so many of us to the genre and why comedy can juxtapose so well into action: 'The great thing about this type of movie is that the action doesn't necessarily mean that it's faster. It means that there's action going on that provides life-threatening tension. In this world where there's a lot of tension and things are exploding, the most mundane conversation can be the funniest conversation of all."

Although the project was in development for a few years at another studio, it would take just the right combination of cast and filmmakers to reunite several longtime friends with some fresh new comedic faces, starting with actor and producer Ice Cube.

Ice Cube shares how the action-comedy made its way to Universal Pictures: 'The movie had been over at New Line, but it just wasn't coming together. Then we started getting more traction and heard that Kevin Hart loved the script, and I admired his stand-up a lot. So we came to Universal with the movie; then we got Kevin Hart and our director, Tim Story. They worked together on Think Like a Man, and I worked with Tim Story on Barbershop, so we're getting the band back together."

The comedy duo was ready to bring to life the story of a tough detective and a high-school security guard who dreams of becoming the cop's brother-in-law"a tale that had been honed over the years by Coolidge's fellow writers, Jason Mantzoukas and the team of Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi.

An Atlanta school guard by day and video game aficionado by night, Ben fluctuates between reality and fantasy…longing to be an officer of the law and finally wed to his girlfriend, Angela. After being accepted into the police academy, Ben seeks permission from Angela's brother, gruff detective James, for her hand in marriage. However, Ben soon finds that James' 'help" may be more than he bargained for. With every intention of getting rid of this clown once and for all, James is ready to give the 'pre-cadet" the ride along of his life…and scare him away from their family for good.

Ice Cube's longtime production partner, Matt Alvarez, discusses his team's interest in developing the action-comedy for Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, which dovetailed with Larry Brezner: 'There was a void in the marketplace for buddy-action movies. We approached this film by going back to the classics like 48 Hours, Midnight Run, even Beverly Hills Cop. When we dove into this, we wanted to go back to the movies that we grew up on"classics that still resonate with an audience."

Matt Alvarez explains that bringing together Ice Cube and a former cohort was key to getting Ride Along off the ground: 'The first movie I did with Tim Story was Barbershop, and over the course of the 10 years since that film, when certain things would come across my desk, I'd call him and we'd talk about it. I knew from the experience on Barbershop and the performances that Tim Story got out of our actors on that film there was no doubt that he could do this movie. He also had the preexisting relationship with Ice Cube, Kevin Hart and Will Packer, so it was just a family coming together again."

Tim Story's last movie, the blockbuster Think Like a Man, helped launch the film career of successful comedian Kevin Hart, and Tim Story was eager to work with the actor again. The director explains his interest in Ride Along, a film he refers to as a 'comedic take on Training Day." He says: 'The idea was to put Kevin Hart with Ice Cube, and we all loved that. The good thing about it is that when we finally met to discuss the project, they got along very well. You could tell in the room that their humour together would play amazingly well on camera. They have a great chemistry."

Kevin Hart discusses what drew him to this character: 'Ben is a quirky guy who lives in a world of make-believe, with hints of reality. He's that charming guy you root for. You know that his outlook on life is a little different. At the same time, once you get to know him, his point of view actually serves a purpose. But, more importantly, you see that he has a good heart. At the end of the day, he just wants to be liked."

The seasoned comic and actor admits that he learned a lot after he was cast to perform by Ice Cube's side: 'Seeing how engaged he is with his work, how committed he is to this project"he's a polished actor and a professional. Ice Cube is who you want to be when you evolve to a certain level in your career. For me, it was more of an education."

Producer Packer, who had worked with Tim Story and Kevin Hart on Think Like a Man, agrees with his director on why the pairing was so natural: 'The relationship between Kevin Hart and Ice Cube works so well because of the dynamics. Ice Cube is the ultimate straight man. I don't care what is going on in front of or behind the camera, he has this ability to not crack a smile. We would be shooting a scene, and Kevin Hart was absolutely unhinged. Everybody in front, behind the crew, is laughing and can't keep a straight face. But Ice Cube has the classic Ice Cube scowl. He does not break!"

Comedy proves abundant in Ride Along, whether it is the height difference between Ben and Angela or the incorporation of Ice Cube's iconic rap lyrics into the movie's dialogue. Offers Ice Cube: 'It's a good reminder to the audience that we're having fun and that anything goes in this movie. You never know what you're going to see. You've got to be prepared for anything."

Stand-Ups and Stand-Outs: Supporting Cast

Filmmakers searched for a performer who fit their ideal vision of Angela, the woman at the center of our comedy triangle. Matt Alvarez gives a bit of extended background to the story: 'Ben is dating James' sister, and he's now at the point where he wants to ask her to marry him. In order to do that, he feels like he needs to get approval from her brother because their parents are no longer around. Ben feels he needs to respect that process. Because James doesn't like him and doesn't want him to marry his sister, he invites him on a ride along to try and scare him away. Once we get on that journey, all hell breaks loose."
Packer explains the team's challenge in finding the ideal performer: 'We wanted an actress who we felt like the audience could understand why she would love somebody like Ben"who is a lovable guy, but not in a typical sort of a way"and also who is independent enough that you would believe she's her own woman. Yet, we wanted someone soft enough, and dependent on somebody like James, that she could play the baby sister."

The producer adds that"whether it was enduring the countless jokes or managing the testosterone on set"Tika Sumpter was the ideal choice for Ride Along's female lead. He sums: 'It's an action-comedy, so of course you're going to have a lot of guys being guys. Tika Sumpter held her own. I talked to her about how loose and fun the set was, and the amount of jokes and great camaraderie that happens. Tika Sumpter fit right in; she kept up with the boys."

Tika Sumpter shares that when acting with a comic, you must be prepared for the unexpected. She provides: 'They change things; they're like, -Well, let's try this way.' So you get to exercise your brain through these mental challenges. That said, all I did was laugh most of the time."

A number of factors came together to coalesce the perfectly gelled cast of top-notch comedians. One of the comics, Bruce Callen, caught Packer's attention when he played a small part in the Packer-produced About Last Night, in which Hart starred.

Of the creative process, Bruce Callen shares: 'Now what Tim Story, Will and Ice Cube do is allow us, because we're comedians, to take liberties. So we'd come with suggestions and we'd say, -This might be funny; let's try this.' That's where they use our improvisation skills, and that's what's been so satisfying. I was able to try material off-the-cuff and feel safe to do it."

Similar to his fellow castmates, John Leguizamo wanted to be part of the project from the beginning. He remembers: 'Tim Story gave me the script, and I laughed out loud. I was riding a subway and people were looking at me. I didn't care because it was so freaking funny. I knew it was going to be perfect." Still, according to John Leguizamo, putting so many comedians together in a movie is not always such a smooth ride:

'Usually it's not a good thing, because a lot of comics are a pain in the ass and incredibly competitive, but Kevin Hart is so generous and he's so cool. He has come through the ranks."

As far as Packer was concerned, having comics in the movie was a no-brainer. He explains: 'We wanted to have comedians in the cast, especially guys that do stand-up, because they understand the flow and the rhythms of comedy. That's something very important in a film when you must cut, retake, reset and then you edit all the material together. Even though it's a methodical process, the free-flowing energy that comedians bring shows in the final product."

It was particularly interesting for the producers to watch the many stand-up comics on set ply their trade. Matt Alvarez gives a prime example: 'When Kevin Hart decides to let loose, there's no telling what he's going to do. He'll go really big and completely off the wall with things. It's hard to watch as a crew because you want to start laughing, and we did at times. There's really no way to describe it except for hilarious."

While comedians were of paramount importance, casting the ominous and omnipotent Omar, the man who runs the Atlanta underground with an iron fist, was task No. 2. Filmmakers chose celebrated actor Laurence Fishburne for the role of the perennial thorn in James' side. The mystique of having the celebrated performer in the production reverberated throughout the set. Shares Packer: 'The cast was whispering -Morpheus is here.' It was so cool because he's such an actor's actor. He has such a commanding presence and brings such a gravitas to anything that he does."

Georgia on My Mind: Production in Atlanta

From the first scene in the movie, many visitors to Atlanta will know exactly where the action is about to take place. With its lush neighborhoods and industrial inlets, Atlanta is home to both ends of the Southern hospitality spectrum. That said, it also brings in the seedy underworld of crime"and international crime at that. Atlanta's industrial culs-de-sac shrouded in darkness are perfect for the surly happenings in this story.

On the flip side are the suburban neighborhoods, quaint and quiet, straight out of Southern Living magazine. Still, Atlanta has a strong urban community and nothing says Atlanta urban life more than a black car with a matte finish, which James rides so effortlessly through the streets of Georgia's capital city.

The streets of Atlanta are accommodating ushers to the foils and follies this adventure entails. Even on the basketball courts where everything goes down in the neighborhood"future all-stars learn the fundamentals of the game, cops shake down potential informants and deals are signed, sealed and delivered on everything from drugs to campaign votes. Packer says shooting in this Southern city was all part of the master plan. 'We wanted the movie to feel real and to utilise our resources the best we could. We wanted to shoot Atlanta for Atlanta and get a feel of the rhythms and the movement and pulse of Atlanta."

Matt Alvarez explains that shooting on practical locations in a city like Atlanta, where both Ice Cube and Kevin Hart have large fan bases, presented crowd-control issues at times. He says: 'You always have to factor in interruptions here or there because the guys are going to give autographs and both of them are very gracious stars and respect and appreciate their fan base. They want to take the time to go sign autographs and take pictures, because they know those are the people that are going to buy tickets to their movies, concerts or stand-ups."
The citizens of Atlanta who were on the sidelines cheered on the cast whenever they had the opportunity. Reflects Kevin Hart: 'It was cool. We were in these neighborhoods. We took the time to stop in between takes and speak and shake hands and take pictures and show appreciation to our fans who are supporting us."

Ice Cube agrees, 'In Atlanta, it's cool to pick the landmarks and let them ride. The people were real cool and receptive and excited that we were there filming. Not too often do you find excited extras on a movie set, but people were very excited that Hollywood basically invaded Atlanta."

Just like any other Southern town, there are the gated communities that cuddle the social microcosms of those who can afford to get in to acquire that house of their very own. Still, with its gun ranges, this is what Atlanta represents"the old-timey Southern culture strolling alongside progressive liberals"living hand in hand.

Old warehouse factories symbolise Atlanta as an industrial leader throughout history. Some of those old factories have been converted to upscale condos and such, and the remaining abandoned ones serve as perfect places for the grand showdown in Ride Along. Story says that although he has directed movies on contained soundstages, being on location always brings another layer to the finished product: 'I looked forward to taking the elements of a city, which are things that we could not art direct or things that we could not create. That made the process feel organic."

Go Big or Go Home: Stunts and Action

The action comes out blazing from the first scene with a shootout and motorcycles crashing through glass. Ice Cube describes James' stunts and action: 'You have to build up the character as that guy who will do whatever it takes to get the job done. It just sets it up for everything that's going to happen in the movie."

Because Ride Along is an action-comedy, there was a lot of wiggle room to go there. Shares Packer: 'We had an opportunity to do some really cool driving sequences. We had guns going off and blew up a building. Even Kevin Hart got a kick out of being able to shoot big guns."

But, according to Packer, sometimes Kevin Hart pulled back. He laughs: 'Kevin Hart was so excited about it. He wanted to do all of his own stunts until it was actually time to do the stunts. Kevin Hart is the guy who says: -I'll do my own stunts. I'm ready, let's go!' Then, when we told him, -Kevin Hart we need you to jump from this car to this car, flip over and land on the ground,' he'd say, -Oh, I'm not doing that. You are going to need a stunt man because I'm not going to do that.' That is a Kevin Hart quote!"

There's so much action in this film even the experienced Tim Story was challenged. 'I must admit, I've never blown up an entire building. I've done it in CG so I looked forward to fire and pyrotechnics," says the director. 'There's only one reason to do this stuff"if you do it big. So we set the entire place on fire."

Although her character isn't a cop, even Tika Sumpter was able to get in on the action. She laughs: 'I get to kick a little butt. I was able to be vulnerable and scared, but I was still able to be strong and to maintain dignity. I did some stunts and really enjoyed the process."

John Leguizamo agrees with his co-star: 'I did a little of everything. When I worked on stunts, I was able to go to the shooting gallery using guns. We all had to be on the ball with this flick."

Production wrapped, director Tim Story reflects on the process of making Ride Along: 'I often say we've got a lot of great ingredients to go make what we're making and hopefully it'll turn out great. With this film, I do believe that we've captured some magic. I'm ecstatic because Cube and Kevin's chemistry is undeniable. Hopefully we've got something really big."

Ride Along
Release Date: March 20th, 2014