Kevin Hart is a businessman with a brilliant plan in “The Wedding Ringer.” The comedian stars as a man who hires himself out as best man for guy’s in need. But when Josh Gad hires him, it looks like this might be one of those stories where the two unlikely men thrown together gain a mutual respect and become best friends.
Luckily, both Hart and Gad are winning personalities in the latest trailer for the Screen Gems film. Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting stars as Gad’s fiancee, who has no idea that his best man and all of his groomsmen are hired strangers only pretending to know and love the man she plans to marry.
While Hart may be a professional best man, the same can’t be said for the guys he finds to step in as groomsmen for Gad.
And Hart offers more than just best man service at the wedding, telling Gad, “It is my job to make you look good on your wedding day.” This includes teaching him how to dance, creating exciting life adventures completely with fake photos, and throwing a bachelor party to remember for all time.
It also includes accidentally setting grandma on fire, in a scene that is clearly designed to let viewers know that while this film may have the feels, it’s also got edgy humor.
“I want my real life to be as fun as the one I pay for,” Gad said at one point, setting up the heart of the film. Gad is a great guy with a great heart who’s just socially awkward. So it’s just a matter of time before Hart starts to see him more as a friend than a client, and then decides they’ll be besties forever.
“The Wedding Ringer” was directed by Jeremy Garelick from a script he wrote with Jay Lavender. Adam Fields and Will Packer produced the Screen Gems film, which will be released in theaters on Friday, Jan. 16.