Kevin Hart is known for his frequent collaboration with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, as well as his close friendship with Shaquille O'Neal. Now, it looks like he's forming another bromance with Mark Wahlberg after working together in Netflix's new comedy, Me Time.
Kevin Hart & Mark Wahlberg's Film, Me Time, Was #1 On Netflix After 24 Hours
Me Time made it to the top just 24 hours after its premiere on August 26, 2022. Still, it received critical reception and only got a 29% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and 5/10 stars on IMDb. "The film feels as though it was put together the way a tumbleweed snatches up stray leaves and feathers," Variety's Amy Nicholson wrote in a review. "It bounces from location to location, gag to gag, adding side character and cameos (including the pop singer Seal) with next to no narrative momentum."
Many netizens agree with the review. On Reddit, one said: "Anything with Kevin Hart, Mark Wahlberg, The Rock, Tom Holland, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot feel like films that a Hollywood AI robot created now. Can’t think of the last interesting choice any of these actors made. Whenever they team up its doubly generic." Another also called the movie a "time filler" we've all seen in many movies before. "I thought it was ok. But it was just a copy and paste of so many similar movies," they wrote.
"Swapping The Rock for Mark W doesn't change much. Kevin plays the same character over and over," they continued. "It's getting tiring. A few chuckles and an easy switch your brain off kinda time filler." Still, some defended the film with one saying: "It's more of a 'let's get drunk and shoot the s--t while watching' kind of movie" and that critics are "expecting too much from silly films."
What Kevin Hart & Mark Wahlberg's Feel About Their Roles In Me Time
Hart has some pretty insightful thoughts about his character Sonny, a stay-at-home dad struggling to find balance between work and his me-time. "Well, I think it's about not knowing that you've lost a piece of yourself. You know, in Sonny's case, embracing fatherhood, the level that he has, his personal life has taken a major downfall," the actor told Coming Soon. "It's not until it's presented to him or brought up that he has some type of understanding of that."
He continued: "So when he does get an opportunity to kind of step outside of that world and have a little fun, that fun is a discovery. And as for anybody else in the world, that discovery can have peaks, hills, and valleys in it. And that's what it does for Sonny, but ultimately, it ends in a place of great friendship and a nice alignment between him and a friend of old."
As for Wahlberg, playing his character Huck, Sonny's YOLO buddy was a fun experience, especially after starring in the action film, Uncharted. "I came into this movie and it was just so much fun,"said the actor. "I showed my family, they had no idea. I never told them about the intro to the character, that I was naked, just all my kids were just dying, laughing. It was a complete shock to them." He added that "a lot of laughter" is just "what the world needs" these days.
Are Kevin Hart & Mark Wahlberg Friends In Real Life?
Though it was Hart and Wahlberg's first time working together in Me Time, the two enjoyed spending time with each other. The latter even raved about the DC star's comedic skills. "It was so much fun. I mean, working with this guy," Wahlberg said of Hart, "I don't want to gas him up any more than he is already gassed up, but this guy is fantastic. And he is just a really nice guy."
The Man from Toronto star also expressed his admiration for Wahlberg's work ethic. "Seeing Mark come to work, sit in his chair and talk to the cast and crew, this is a guy who's been doing it for years!" Hart told Variety. "I've been fortunate enough to work with good people that respect and love the craft, and I hope that never changes."
It also helped that the movie's director, John Hamburg "created an amazing environment for everybody," said Wahlberg. It allowed them "to be at their creative best and try things."