In ‘Me Time,’ Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Hart make some trouble
Kevin Hart plays a stay-at-home dad to two cute kids who gets some time to himself for the first time in years in “Me Time,” a new comedy streaming on Netflix Friday. After some failed attempts to amuse himself, he ends up back with his wild childhood friend Huck, played by Mark Wahlberg, who has planned an elaborate 44th birthday party for himself and hijinks ensue. Associated Press Film Writer Lindsey Bahr writes in her review that “Me Time” squanders its promising premise, talented cast and enormous budget on frenetic, half-baked jokes. “Me Time” is rated R.
There is a montage in “Me Time,” the new Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg Netflix comedy, where Hart’s character Sonny gets a day to himself for the first time in a long time. For years, he’s devoted himself as a stay-at-home dad to his two kids (the very cute Che Tafari and Amentii Sledge). It’s a job he takes very, very seriously, making Instagram influencer-worthy lunches and managing the home while his wife Maya (Regina Hall) is working. She’s a successful architect, we’re told, but we’ll get to that later.
Sonny has a modest vision for his day off: He wants to golf. He wants to find an underground barbecue spot. And he wants to do a few other things in private. But nothing goes the way he hoped it would. Unfortunately, his underwhelming experience is similar to that of watching the film itself. “Me Time” somehow squanders a solid premise, a stacked cast and a seemingly unlimited budget. It didn’t need to be anything great in this movie comedy drought we seem to be in. But considering who was involved, it really should be better than it is.
“Me Time” was written and directed by John Hamburg, who also did “I Love You, Man” and “Along Came Polly,” and it is as fine a premise as any to pair a standard straight man with a wild and crazy friend from his youth. In this case that friend is Huck (Wahlberg). We meet them celebrating Huck’s 29th birthday. His wild activity that year is BASE jumping, which provides a lively and promising start for the film that then comes to a complete halt. “Me Time” cuts to 15 years later and spends far too much time establishing Sonny’s home life instead of just getting him back with Huck as soon as possible.
“Me Time,” a Netflix release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “brief drug use, some sexual material, language.” Running time: 104 minutes.