THE STORY – A 40-year-old executive ends up at a three-day bachelor party with twenty-somethings after being mistakenly included in their chat group.
THE CAST – Kevin Hart, Marcello Hernandez, Kam Patterson, Ben Marshall, Mason Gooding, Teyana Taylor & Zach Cherry
THE TEAM – Tim Story (Director), Kevin Burrows, Matt Mider, Hayden Schlossberg & Jon Hurwitz (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 105 Minutes
The story of men stumbling into outrageous misadventures has long been a staple of comedy. From “Animal House” to “The Hangover,” audiences have watched generations of protagonists drink too much, take the wrong drugs (intentionally or otherwise), and spiral into increasingly absurd situations. But after decades of variations on the same formula, the genre has grown oversaturated. Each new entry feels derivative, recycling familiar beats without capturing the anarchic charm that made these films resonate in the first place. Unfortunately, “72 Hours” does little to break that pattern, offering a handful of charismatic newcomers and established stars little more than a spin through a well-worn formula.
Director Tim Story is coming off of last year’s “The Pickup,” a universally panned heist comedy that inexplicably cast Eddie Murphy as the straight man. Story barely learned his lesson with “72 Hours,” utilizing Kevin Hart as the butt of the joke and the centerpiece for the shenanigans his crew gets into. Hart plays Joe Nixon, a 40-year-old advertising executive who is accidentally added to a group chat for a bachelor party made up of 20-somethings. Convinced that tagging along on their trip to Miami might somehow revive his faltering career, Joe joins the festivities because, apparently, that’s how advertising execs turn their lives around. Before he leaves, he makes sure to ruin his relationship with his doctor and live-in girlfriend, played by the restrained Teyana Taylor. So, now he’s off to Miami, his relationship and career on the line, to meet a bunch of strangers and party. But adding to his troubles, he quickly pisses off the local criminal enterprise, and unknowingly ensnares his new friends in some trouble.
If that sounds familiar, well, it is. Each beat of the story is unoriginal and overdone. It hits on Gen Z tropes like emotional check-ins, quips at “elders” (Hart is playing someone approx. 12 years older than the group, so none of these land), dick jokes meant for teenage boys, and of course, Miami-drug smugglers chasing unsuspecting idiots. There are set pieces that look like the production value of WaterWorld at Universal Studios but on film, and worse. They’re illogical and quite ridiculous in nature, but the most entertaining sequences of the film if you don’t look too closely. The party scenes feel like no one in the cast has actually been to a party before, and none know what cocaine actually does to someone (which is probably a good thing). If you put aside the weak storytelling and follow the somewhat funny one-liners by a few performers that can land a joke, it’s a halfway decent ride.
But the jokes hit at a low success rate. Marcello Hernandez and Kevin Hart are clearly the most talented comedians in the cast, and unfortunately run circles around the rest. An unelevated script leaves most of the comedy to the delivery, and Hart and Hernandez generally execute what they can. The film would’ve been better served giving Hernandez more material to work with instead of throwing away one-liners or mini “Weekend Update” bits. Still, it’s hard to miss his talent even with lackluster material. Hart does what Hart does best: brings boundless energy and rapid-fire delivery with exaggerated facial expressions as the confident underdog, but it gets tiresome quickly.
Rounding out the bachelor party are SNL costars Ben Marshall and Kam Patterson, as well as the groom, played by Mason Gooding. Marshall does what he can as sad boi Hunter (not Gatherer), but the others are forgettable members of the entourage. Despite her limited screen time, Teyana Taylor delivers one of the film’s more rooted, level-headed performances, playing a character far more restrained and understated than the larger-than-life personalities surrounding her. It’s a notable departure from some of her recent work (and the antithesis of Perfidia Beverly Hills), showcasing a quiet screen presence that leaves a stronger impression than the role’s brevity might suggest. As a performer, she deserves better efforts.
“72 Hours” is a formulaic party comedy that forgets the most important ingredient: the laughs. Derivative of better-executed films that came before it, the movie aspires to be equal parts “The Hangover,” “Indiana Jones,” and “SNL,” but is unsuccessful in all three. Even Marcello Hernandez and Kevin Hart’s trademark charisma aren’t enough to elevate a script built on recycled gags and predictable set pieces. While die-hard Hart fans or teen boys may find moments to enjoy, “72 Hours” ultimately feels like a comedy long after the party has already ended. The best thing about this film is how it brought Marcello Hernandez on a press tour, and for that we should all be grateful.
