Road Hard

Unlike many here, I had never heard of Adam Carolla before I happened on this movie.

I liked it. Yeah, it's a little formula. But it does the formula well. Would it have worked as a big-budget Hollywood rom-com? Who cares? The home movie feel of it is a character in its own right. The performances are all good, the main plot is brilliant (stand-up who's so-so on-stage but hilarious in real life; good set-up for a portrait of a guy busting his head to make it in show-biz), and Howie Mandel kills as himself in a bit part that's simultaneously reality-TV immediate and probably not him at all.

Bottom line: this guy did good with what he had. It's watchable. You'll wish the character well. You'll understand his predicament. You'll be glad you rode along on his roller-coaster.

My quick rating - 6,0/10. I know this may be biased since I do remember the days of being in junior high and staying up late to listen to Drew and Adam on Loveline late at night before bed. Adam Corolla was always and still is a very witty comedian which is basically what this movie is about. I am not sure just how accurate this movie is but I know a lot of it is his story. That being said, his acting is just him being, well, him. The additional characters in the movie do a good job in support, even to the point of ridiculous (Larry Miller stole the show here as Baby Doll) Even when there was time to show a bit of emotion it still was believable. Overall a funny drama about the stand up world that I am sure is very true for some and worth a watch to fans of comedy.

First off, I think that Adam Carolla is hilarious and listen to his Podcast almost daily. However, when watching this movie, I felt as though I was watching his Podcast playing out in cinema form. Now, this probably wouldn't be a bad thing for viewers who do not listen to his Podcast. Almost every bit/joke in the movie I have literally heard over and over from his podcast.

The funniest bits from the movie are when Adam is telling jokes during live stand up shows in the comedy clubs. I know it's a comedy but some things are just over the top, like the portrayal of his quirky Agent Baby Doll. How many wig jokes can you make in a movie? This movie was very disappointing and in my opinion not very funny regardless of every joke already being heard on his podcasts. I know Adam is not an actor per say, but he's bad in this movie. He shows almost no emotion and he's very stiff throughout the entire movie. The supporting actors are also not very funny.

I really wanted to like this movie because I think that Adam Carolla is a comical genius, but in reality, he needs to stick to his Podcast and TV shows because being an actor in movies is not in his wheelhouse.

A few years ago, Adam Carolla starred in a great little movie called "The Hammer" and as I recalled it, he was this nice underdog boxer that you'd just want to root for even though part of you is saying that he probably didn't stand a chance. Now, Carolla has come back from his years of doing his usual podcast or radio personality gig, to deliver us yet another movie, marking his directorial debut, "Road Hard" and it has that same charm again, he plays a comedian whose world around him seems to come spiraling down when his movie and sitcom career has run dry, he's doing his best to hold his head above water and you want so badly to root for the guy to make a comeback but part of you is wondering if he'd stand a chance. And that same charm is what makes ROAD HARD another great little movie in my book.

Adam Carolla co-directed, co-scripted and starred in this comedy that's more or less inspired by his own experiences as a stand up comedian. Carol has had a great career but his character in this film, Bruce, hits a point in his life asking what the hell is he still doing out on the road while all of his other comedian friends seem to be getting good gigs either on TV or in movies. His old teammate now has his own talk show but Bruce has to keep traveling from one hotel room to the next. He's divorced and struggling to provide for his daughter who loves him. ROAD HARD really is mid-life crisis seen through the eyes of Adam Carolla and his writing partner, Kevin Hench. They pretty much did all they could to create this very miserable character, you can't hit a lower rock bottom than the one Bruce is experiencing, but as they say, when you're at the bottom, the only way to go is up and I think Carolla and Hench did a good job of slowly but surely constructing that light at the end of the tunnel again for Bruce, by letting the character prioritize first, listing things that matter to him in his life, before the hopeful conclusion.

I think ROAD HARD is fascinating in that it gives you a non-glamorous picture of the life of a comedian, it's not all laughs and giggles, you would think that because they're funny on stage, they could easily just brush off their day-to-day problems with a couple of jokes but they're just as doubtful and as frustrated, sometimes furious, as the rest of us. ROAD HARD is funny but also surprisingly heartwarming.

I don't think that this is a movie that kicks you when you're down, if anything, I think the level of misery is just the right amount for the audience and the character Bruce himself to see angles and openings either around the corner or ahead of you. And once again, Carolla brings that approachable sense to his character, something that I think Carolla doesn't have to try too hard to exude, because he's the kind of guy who may at first seem like you wouldn't want to gamble on him or take a chance on him, but if you do, it pays off.

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Ok! I love stories about artists - writers, poets, artists, musicians, comedians - but I really didn't expect to like this. Two of the writers are also the directors and one of the writers is also the star! Recipe for disaster!

Except it's not quite. It's billed simplay as a comedy but it's more a delayed rom com.

The progression through the story is engaging. Adam Carolla (who I have never heard of, unlike some reviewers here) plays an excellent part and Diane Farr is simply brilliant as the love interest. The other actors are excellent, too, even those in bit pats and there are far too many to mention.

It may not be a laugh-out-loud movie - that depends on your frame of mind when watching it - but it is 'amusing' and it did keep me watching. It's a solid piece of work and if you enjoy a touch of rom with your com or simply like to see a little of the world of stand up then this will be worth your while.