Movie Review- Kevin Hart- Let Me Explain

KEVIN HART: LET ME EXPLAIN- I am a huge fan of stand-up comedy. My parents got me into it by taking me to the Comedy Store at the Sands in Vegas when I was about 15. I had been introduced to the concept on the Dr. Demento Radio show a few years earlier and my favorite was George Carlin (even with all of the bleeps). My first live show was Jimmy JJ Walker. I have since been lucky enough to see George Carlin on the front row during his last tour, Drew Carrey NiCole Robinson (Margaret from the West Wing), Charles Fleischer (who gave the best slap down to a heckler ever), Wayne Brady, Harry Basil, Finis Henderson, my high school friend Dean Evans, and many many others. Usually, my birthday weekend in Vegas includes at least one stand up comedy show.
So, when a stand up comedy film was released into theaters, I just had to see it. I had seen Kevin hart as an actor, but had never seen any of his stand-up. So, the first chance that I got in an extremely busy work week, I went to see Let Me Explain.
Now, let me explain something- the film is only 75 minutes long- and that is with the credits! I was in and out of the theater in 90 minutes exactly- and that was including the previews!
The film starts with a sketch about a party that Kevin is hosting and, while trying to talk to his guests, he is accosted by them demanding to know why he got a divorce and why he hates black women, and how he is nothing but a local celebrity, so, he decides to go to Madison Square Gardens and explain himself.
As he is in his car going to the show, he thinks back to the many places he has toured and, with the help of an animated airplane showing us the next stop on the tour, we are treated to about 15 minutes of seeing him on the road, hearing his fans talk about how funny he is, and doing everything, but showing us his stand up.
Let me remind you, that the film is only one hour and fifteen minutes long, and he spends 20 minutes or so doing a skit and showing us testimonnials from his fans and a travelogue of sorts. While interesting, I was chomping at the bit and wanting to see what we were talking about.
And I was very disappointed…for a while.
Kevin Hart starts his stand up by having fire come up and he says that he is the first stand-up comedian to have fire and pyrotechnics at Madison Square Gardens. He then uses the fire whenever he wants to throughout the show. He then begins his set talking about why he got divorced and discussing a lot of the “differences between men and women”. And he brings nothing new to the table. This is an old fallback with stand up comedians since Henny Youngman did the “Take my wife…please.” Joke.
Once he starts talking about what happens after the break up, he gets very honest and starts telling stories- more like Bill Cosby, but with a very R-rated vocabulary- and then he becomes funny.
He discusses trying to get back together with his wi0fe by taking ecstasy- and becoming a living, breathing version of Al Pacino in ‘Scarface’. He discusses his kid’s imaginations and how they think that the things they do while playing with dad will actually help them in schoolyard fights, and he ends his set by telling a story about taking his kids out for a horse ride. All very funny stories.
He then ends by getting choked up by thanking his audience for supporting him and allowing him to sell out Madison Square Gardens. This is where I came to be on his side. He seems very sincere and appreciative of his fans and does not take for granted where he is and how lucky he is.
And, Fire!!!
During the end credits, we see more fun stuff that he does while on the road and we even get to see a waitress start crying because she is so excited to be serving him and he gives her free tickets to the show that night. A very nice end to the film.
The filmmaking is par for the course. How much can you really do with a stand up comedy concert? They do the minimum, but they don’t reinvent the wheel. I do wonder if it was the director or Kevin himself who kept the opening so long and the relative length so short.
While I enjoyed this for the fun stuff, I wish we could have had more actual stand up instead of the sketch and travelogue. I would recommend this for fans of stand up, with those reservations. Being a fan, I look forward to seeing more of Kevin hart’s performances and see if he falls back on the easy stuff or if he does keep up on his storytelling abilities.
For those who are not fans of stand-up comedy, this will not convert you, I would say to stay away.

Film rating- 3
Movie rating- 4