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For viewers inexplicably hungry to see stars wasted on a desperately unfunny comedy, Me Time might be the movie of the year.

Even if you're a big fan of Kevin Hart or Mark Wahlberg, Me Time isn't worth your time.

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You have to hand it to Kevin Hart for his prolificacy at the very least, keeping the middle-brow, upper-middle-budget studio comedy going on his own terms. After the tortured (but admittedly, quite watchable) “ The Man From Toronto ,” Hart—alongside Mark Wahlberg —headlines another Netflix bromance caper with “Me Time.” Think of it as a grown man’s “ Risky Business ,” in which a respectable Mr. Mom-type scores an unaccompanied week at home, after being a longtime stay-at-home dad in support of his successful wife’s career.

Slide in plenty of booze, poop, and masturbation jokes at your own risk. They come in hoards in “Me Time”—predictably, a few land and the rest of them don’t. Still, there is something endearing at the heart of this farce from writer/director John Hamburg , the scribe behind the popular likes of “ Zoolander ,” “Meet the Parents,” “ Along Came Polly ,” and “ I Love You, Man .” Search this sometimes clunky, sometimes over-plotted story and you will find worthwhile pursuits in it. Among them are a goodhearted portrait of an unconventional heterosexual marriage where the woman is the breadwinner, a celebration of friendship, and a few genuinely funny and unexpected moments that almost make up for the painfully clumsy special effects.

Hart plays Sonny, the aforementioned Mr. Mom. Our introduction to him happens in his 20s on an extravagant and adventurous birthday trip for Huck (Wahlberg), who lives for danger and habitually spends beyond his means. We grasp that the risk-taker Huck pushes the limits of the safety-minded, comparably square Sonny—and in a good way, if their skydiving experience that rejuvenates the initially reluctant Sonny is any indication. But then we cut to years later to find Sonny having minimal contact with Huck after a series of quests together. He’s now settled as a responsible adult with his distinguished architect wife Maya ( Regina Hall ) and two kids for whom he’s the primary caregiver.

Credit to “Me Time” for not portraying Sonny as a “stuck and miserable” guy—the man truly enjoys (and is good at) preparing elaborate meals, eagerly presiding the PTA at his kids’ school, and being altogether a great father, while Maya sometimes struggles to recall her kids’ tastes and medical needs. And make no mistake here: “Me Time” doesn’t ever dare demonize Maya as a clichéd “cold evil career woman.” This is a movie that accepts and understands on a surprisingly efficient level that if it’s societally accepted for a successful working man to fall behind on certain parental duties guilt free, it should absolutely be that way for a woman, too.

Still, the overworked and burdened Maya feels self-conscious about the time she spends away from her family, especially on the cusp of a major deal with the idiosyncratic, tortoise-loving eco-billionaire Armando ( Luis Gerardo Méndez ) and the possibility of launching her own company. So Maya leaves for a countryside retreat with her kids, convincing Sonny to enjoy a free week and perhaps reconnect with Huck. Little do they know that despite having yet another lavish birthday party upcoming, Huck is now unemployed and owes major cash to murderous loan shark Stan ( Jimmy O. Yang ).

Armando lends the movie a few winsome laughs straight out of the Hamburg playbook, bringing to mind Hank Azaria ’s scuba instructor from “Along Came Polly.” And he owns the part as a whimsically handsome and hysterically eccentric rich guy that Sonny is jealous of. How could he not be, when Maya and Armando cozily binge-watch “Bridgerton” on long flights and text each other romantic gifs from the show? Meanwhile, Huck and Sonny’s action-packed escapades range from amusing to cringey (featuring an especially poor CGI of a mountain lion), the most inspired of them including the fearlessly deadpan Uber driver Thelma (a terrific Ilia Isorelýs Paulino) who helps the duo sabotage Armando’s Topanga Canyon estate through an entertaining sequence.

“Me Time” has some structural problems that drag the story, taking too long to reintroduce Huck in the second act, and littering the overall canvas with too many side players throughout. But it comes with enough rewards nonetheless thanks to an idiosyncratic group of lovable people who just need to get a little crazy in order to survive as their true selves.

Now on Netflix.

Tomris Laffly

Tomris Laffly is a freelance film writer and critic based in New York. A member of the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC), she regularly contributes to RogerEbert.com , Variety and Time Out New York, with bylines in Filmmaker Magazine, Film Journal International, Vulture, The Playlist and The Wrap, among other outlets.

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Me Time (2022)

Rated R for some sexual material, language and drug use.

101 minutes

Kevin Hart as Sonny

Mark Wahlberg as Huck

Regina Hall

Tahj Mowry as Kabir

Jimmy O. Yang

Carlo Rota as Alberto

Luis Gerardo Méndez

Melanie Minichino as Azul

John Hamburg

Cinematographer

Kris Kachikis
Melissa Bretherton
Jeff Cardoni

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‘Me Time’ Review: In Search of Lost Dad Jokes

Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg star in this boys’ night out comedy that fails to find its laughs.

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By Teo Bugbee

The hero of the uneasy comedy “Me Time” begins the movie in a flashback, in free-fall. Sonny (Kevin Hart) has just tried to bail on a day of wingsuit gliding with his longtime friend Huck (Mark Wahlberg), but a burst of propelled air has sent him plummeting down the side of the cliff face. Huck dives after, guiding his friend away from certain death. Sonny is saved, but the movie never shakes off this initial sense of panic.

In the present, Sonny is a stay at home dad, whose wife Maya (Regina Hall) is a prominent architect. Sonny fears that he doesn’t measure up to his accomplished spouse, and so he brings an overachiever’s anxiety to parenting. With tension at home, Maya offers to take the kids away for a vacation, so Sonny can take a break from superdad duties.

Sonny uses his solo time to join in his old friend Huck’s birthday celebrations, and he finds himself drawn into Huck’s daredevil ways. Together, they indulge in a boys’ night binge of bad behavior. They break into the house of Maya’s most solicitous client, engage in a bacchanal at Sonny’s home and, most damningly, Sonny lends Huck some of his family’s money.

“Me Time” is written and directed by John Hamburg, and his movie attempts to include domestic conversations that speak to the lives of men who keep house. But this boys’ night out is light on the wisecracks, pratfalls and gags that might produce laughs. There is a flatness that feels apparent in every shot — and not just because the movie is filmed in bright, low contrast lighting. The film’s experienced cast punches their lines in search of jokes that never materialize, leaving the comedy to nosedive.

Me Time Rated R for language, drug references, sexual references and brief nudity. Running time: 1 hour 41 minutes. Watch on Netflix.

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Me Time review – Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg’s confused Netflix comedy

There are some effective comic set pieces in this familiar buddy comedy, but tonal confusion and an unsure Kevin Hart distract

K evin Hart has come so far since last summer, at least on screen. Circa June of 2021, he was adrift on a paternal sea in Netflix’s Fatherhood , which cast the embattled comedian as a suddenly single dad figuring out child-rearing in his own imperfect yet well-meaning way. One year later, and he’s got the Mr Mom thing down in Me Time, the latest and perhaps least dire of Hart’s low-floored streaming era. As put-upon house-husband Sonny Fisher, he does it all in a day’s work: whip up school lunches so clever and picturesque he can brag-post them to Instagram; co-direct his kids’ class talent show with a Fosse-esque iron fist; pop by a science classroom for a quick PTA presentation on the health benefits of getting plant-based milks in the cafeteria. He’s at peace with his dutiful beta-male status while high-powered architect Maya (Regina Hall) is off winning the bread – or so he says.

One ka-razy weekend with an old pal (Mark Wahlberg, set to “affable”) will reacquaint the neutered Sonny with the dormant “big dog” inside, showing him just how benumbed he’s become to life. And of course things will spin out of control, leaving him a changed man and viewers with a confused takeaway on the balance between family obligation and self-actualization. Just as the offspring-friendly primary-colored aesthetic that looks like a PG comedy can clash against the R-rated humor, the image of Hart as super-parent contradicts the evident longing for something else. This muddled, anxious perspective on manhood distracts from a respectable percentage of effective comedic bits courtesy of writer-director John Hamburg (of I Love You, Man fame and, more pertinently, Hart’s co-writer on 2017’s Night School). Invariably, the laughs are cut short by another idle thought about how strange it is that Hart can manage to come off as both sanctimonious and aggrieved at the same time.

Masculinity isn’t in such good shape around the school where Sonny volunteers, its bleakest representative being the hen-pecked Alan (Andrew Santino), a dirtbag who sneaks away from a family trip to Legoland in the dead of night and furtively snorts his child’s attention-deficit medication. On the other end, there’s the dashing Spanish-speaking philanthropist (Luis Gerardo Méndez) a little too interested in his work with Maya. Sonny’s meant to be the shining exemplar of how to do it right, but like American Beauty’s Lester Burnham, he’s inching toward a midlife crisis that’ll reconnect him to his base hunter-gatherer instincts. (Also like Lester Burnham, we know his life is supposed to be depressing because he’s been reduced to cranking it in the shower.) After exhausting the usual boys’-night-out fare of golf, meat and strippers, he takes up the long-estranged Huck on his invitation to a birthday party in hopes of turning back into the twentysomething who skydived right next to him.

The hijinks they share over the course of Huckchella, a desert blowout commemorating “the big four-four” that pivots into an all-nighter of tortoise triage and broken pinkies, crescendo into chaos that’ll threaten the foundations of Sonny’s home both literally and figuratively. Excretory gags notwithstanding, there’s a fair amount to be had along the way, from a welcome Seal cameo to a scene-stealing turn from Ilia Isorelýs Paulino as a down-for-anything driver. Hamburg elevates each scene with his understanding of how to state something commonplace in the funniest possible way; a criminal (Jimmy O Yang, money in the bank) looking to collect on a debt Huck owes him mocks the notion of a 44th birthday bash by deadpanning: “That’s not a milestone of any kind.”

The film would be in the general neighborhood of irresistible if not for the wonky mechanics of story and character that convey a conflicted impression of Hart’s onscreen persona. In some of the more self-aggrandizing moments, he’s a model father with the main flaw of caring too darn much, a standup guy who can’t act in self-interest for the first time without punitively disastrous results. But that faint hint of a persecution complex doesn’t square with the out-of-nowhere conclusion, which disposes of several narrative obstacles on its way to an unearned resolution that sees Sonny finally coming into his own by joining the workforce. This particular form of fulfillment does not quite play the same as it would if applied to a female character, in that it’s hard to root for a husband pushing his successful wife to pick up her slack on childcare and homemaking. An otherwise agreeable buddy romp asks too much in its glowing framing of its main character, a saintly everyman on whom we could all stand to take it a little easier. He’s doing his best, faint praise that the film doesn’t realize only damns.

Me Time is available on Netflix on 26 August

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Me Time Review – time well spent

We review the 2022 Netflix film Me Time, which does not contain spoilers or any significant plot points.

I’ll put my cards on the table; I’ve never really been sold on Mark Wahlberg ‘ s on-screen persona. He has shown himself at times to be a more than capable actor and in the right hands, has the ability to produce genuinely interesting work ( Boogie Nights and The Departed in particular spring to mind) but very often, and especially in comedic roles, he can stray into self-parody and be, well, a little obnoxious.

So as you can imagine, I was a little sceptical about Me Time , a Netflix comedy that pairs Wahlberg with Kevin Hart and on paper, seems to embody so much that can be distasteful (middle-aged men behaving like puerile teenagers, mostly) about modern Hollywood comedy.

So imagine my delight to discover that across its 1-hour 45-ish minute runtime, Me Time won me over.

Me Time Review and Plot Summary

Kevin Hart is Sonny, a stay-at-home Dad who has taken parental involvement to the highest of heights; he volunteers as chair of the PTA, talent show director, classroom TA — you name it, he’s coordinating it. He’s a great Dad but he’s also very tightly wound, meanwhile his wife Maya (the always excellent Regina Hall) is a successful architect but is very busy with work and misses time with her kids.

To give everyone a chance to reset, Maya suggests that she takes the kids for Spring Break to her parents and give Sonny the chance for some well-deserved me time. Sonny ends up reconnecting with his free-spirited childhood friend (Wahlberg) to celebrate his 44th birthday and hijinks ensue

Me Time has as its centre some well-functioning relationships. All of the characters are flawed in their way, but they are all rooting for each other. The relationship between Sonny and Huck is genuinely warm, with both men bringing the best out in each other. This is similar to Sonny’s marriage to Maya, they make a great team.

READ: Best Netflix Movies of All Time

It would have been easy to paint each of these as caricatures but Me Time manages to make them all likeable, without anyone having to be the butt of the joke constantly. Wahlberg brings a lovely touch of humanity to his character and in particular, I enjoyed spending time with his Huck.

That’s not to say all the gags landed for me, there were a few that are a bit too broad for my taste, but in that regard, your mileage may vary. Some of the supporting characters grated a touch, and things seemed to tie together very neatly at the end for everyone.

READ: Kevin Hart: Reality Check Review

Me Time caught me off guard with its warmth and is well-anchored by some genuinely likable performances. It’s far from a perfect comedy, but it certainly won me over, and I enjoyed spending time with Hart and Wahlberg in particular.

What did you think about of the 2022 Netflix film Me Time? Comment below.

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‘Me Time’ Review: Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg Make Trouble in Netflix Dud

A pair of immature adult men try to their groove back in an erratic comedy about modern manhood from the director of 'Along Came Polly.'

By Amy Nicholson

Amy Nicholson

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In practice, Sonny is reluctant to attend Huckchella, the desert rave Huck is throwing in his own honor (hashtag: #letsgethuckedup). He’s uncomfortable around the other guests, nearly all twentysomethings who dabble in beekeeping, herbalism, nudity and slackline gymnastics, and downright panicked when Huck hands everyone a matching track suit and a machete, sends them off to forage a communal supper, and, that night, howls in slow motion under a statue of himself. (Production designer Theresa Guleserian’s wry way of externalizing Huck’s ego lands the best jokes in the movie.)

The film feels as though it was put together the way a tumbleweed snatches up stray leaves and feathers. 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. In one scene, Hart and Wahlberg are tasked to give mouth-to-mouth to a tortoise. Later, a child who is thoroughly unrelated to the story halts the plot to perform Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” (At least the singer, Kayden Alexander Koshelev, is good.) No story beat lingers for longer than a few minutes, even the ones centered around fun performers like Shira Gross as a finger-breaking goon, Luis Gerardo Méndez as a wealthy toothbrush influencer who wants to lure Maya to a private island hideaway, or Diane Delano as a volunteer crossing guard introduced as a warning of what Sonny might become — his Ghost of Schoolyard Future — and whose backstory is accompanied by a pathetic tinkling of piano, composer Jeff Cardoni’s cleverest flourish.

The disarray is baffling for the audience, and downright punishing for Hart, whose lead character is forced to shape-shift between scenes, veering from milquetoast to petty to tyrannical to pushed-around. In a movie where Hart projectile vomits, defecates on a bed and is cradled like a pet, his greatest indignity comes at the climax when, for five whole minutes, he’s forced to pretend this is an emotional drama worthy of a big speech about the life lessons he’s learned. “I did a lot of stuff that I’m not proud of,” he says. Sentimental music putters in the background. A crowd of parents audibly awwws. And the film breezes onto the next bit it hopes will get a laugh.

Reviewed online, Aug. 22, 2022. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 101 MIN.

Production: A Netflix release and presentation of a Particular Pictures, Hartbeat production. Producers: John Hamburg, Kevin Hart, Bryan Smiley. Executive producers: Patricia Braga, Joe Gatta, Lauren Hennessey, Mark Moran.
Crew: Director, writer: John Hamburg. Camera: Kris Kachikis. Editor: Melissa Bretherton. Music: Jeff Cardoni.
With: Kevin Hart, Mark Wahlberg, Regina Hall.

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‘me time’ review: kevin hart and mark wahlberg in sub-par netflix buddy comedy.

Regina Hall also appears in the film written and directed by John Hamburg ('Why Him?').

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Kevin Hart as Sonny and Mark Wahlberg as Huck in Me Time.

Middle-aged men acting stupidly has sadly become a cinematic staple in an era marked by the celebration of refusing to grow up as a way of life. Any doubts that the new Netflix comedy starring Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg will buck the trend are immediately dispelled in the opening moments featuring daredevil stunts (not performed by the stars, natch) and broad pratfalls that wouldn’t have been out of place in the silent era. Sadly, Me Time doesn’t get any more sophisticated from there.

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‘Me Time’ Review: Kevin Hart And Mark Wahlberg Star In Netflix Comedy That’s Laugh And Chemistry Free

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Maya decides to leave him home alone while she takes the kids on vacation and encourages him to enjoy life. He goes to the golf course, out to eat with friends, and to the strip club, but he’s not satisfied. When he finally links up with Huck, Sonny decides to join the birthday celebration. Huck hasn’t been truthful, though: He’s having money problems and has dangerous people trailing him. After being so cavalier about his party lifestyle and frivolous money spending, he brought it on himself. This is when Sonny finds that the party life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Me Time is one of those coming-of-age stories for middle-aged men. Sonny doesn’t know who he is outside the family, so he begins to explore what that might be. He embarks on a journey of discovery that should be hilarious but instead is the same old shtick we’ve seen repeatedly from Hart and Wahlberg. There are a few funny moments, but it all feels like déjà vu — you’ve seen these same performances elsewhere in another movie, and it leaves Me Time feeling unremarkable. There is no substance, just vibes, and it wouldn’t be such a chore if the movie was fun. Sure, there is something to be said about the film’s overall theme of not judging a book by its cover or how one doesn’t have to look far for happiness, but it’s buried under outdated gags and fart jokes.

Look, I don’t walk into Kevin Hart films expecting anything serious, but would have liked to laugh once or twice. With Hamburg’s script and the flimsy performances from the main cast, Me Time is another film existing in the Hollywood vacuum soon to be forgotten. It’s pretentious, dry, and it’s 1-hour and 44-minutes of “me time” I can’t get back.

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Raunchy buddy comedy has language, drinking, sex.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Dads can be primary caretakers. Accept others no m

Sonny loves his kids and his wife and is a dedicat

Main characters are Black, White, and Latino. A lo

Violence is mostly played for laughs and includes

A man and a woman get ready to have sex and discus

"F--k," "s--t," "ass," "jackass," "damn," "goddamn

Lots of brands mentioned or seen, including Instag

Adults drink alcohol in large quantities at partie

Positive Messages

Dads can be primary caretakers. Accept others no matter their race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Being responsible is not boring, it's healthy. Don't jump to conclusions about people. True friends are there for you.

Positive Role Models

Sonny loves his kids and his wife and is a dedicated caretaker, though he has trouble saying no to his kids or letting them follow their own passions. He's also jealous of other men in Maya's life. Maya is a top-notch professional who's often absent from home. Huck's life is messy because he hasn't accepted adult responsibilities. Huck and Sonny get into trouble together.

Diverse Representations

Main characters are Black, White, and Latino. A loan shark is Asian and his henchwoman is Israeli; there are gay and lesbian parents at the school; other supporting cast members are racially diverse. Main character is a stay-at-home dad.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Violence is mostly played for laughs and includes near-death experiences involving cliff-jumping and wild animals. A loan shark known as the "butcher of Beverly Hills" has his henchwoman smash someone's finger with a hammer and set a campsite on fire. A man overeats and vomits profusely. People fall and get punched. Two men prank-vandalize another man's home and they accidentally injure his pet.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A man and a woman get ready to have sex and discuss positions and "lasting longer." Men talk about masturbation and one is seen preparing to do so, including by putting on porn, until his wife and daughter walk in. Discussion of condoms, a string of euphemisms for masturbation, "hitting that," and a program to distribute condoms in India to eradicate AIDS. A grandma publishes an erotic novel and talks about some of its content, which her husband says he "lived." Men go to strip clubs, which one refers to as a "t-tty bar." A man is seen in his underwear, and people's bare bottoms are shown.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"F--k," "s--t," "ass," "jackass," "damn," "goddamn," "hell," "bitch," "p---y," "balls," "penis," "d--k," "pee," "t-tty," "dump," "heck," "idiot," "stupid." "Jesus Christ" as an exclamation and also "oh my God." A kid shows his middle finger to an adult. Some crass humor (lots of pooping, farting, and other anatomical references).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Lots of brands mentioned or seen, including Instagram, Tinder, Yelp, iPad, FaceTime, Mac, iPhone, SoundCloud, Spotify, Etsy, Lyft, Uber; Honda, Mini Cooper, Infiniti, Dodge, Nissan; Citibank, WeWork, QuickBooks, Crossfit, Starbucks, Legoland, LA Weekly, PS5, Doritos, Burning Man.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adults drink alcohol in large quantities at parties and in bars. A man sniffs a substance that looks like cocaine but turns out to be his son's ADHD medication.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Me Time is a buddy comedy starring Kevin Hart with some raunchy humor, sexual references and situations, drinking, and language. There are also scenes of violence, but these are played for laughs, including when a man flies off a cliff and gets his pinky hammered flat, and when a woman cannonballs into a pool but misses the water. Adults drink large quantities of alcohol, and a man sniffs his son's ADHD medication at a party. Sexual situations involve a married couple getting ready to have sex, a man going to strip clubs, a man caught by his wife and daughter masturbating to porn, and some sex talk. A man is seen in his underwear, and people's bare bottoms are shown. There's also some crass humor (lots of pooping, farting, and other anatomical references). A lot of contemporary brands are mentioned or seen, and language includes "f--k," "s--t," "ass," "jackass," "damn," "goddamn," "hell," "bitch," "p---y," "balls," "penis," "d--k," "pee," "t-tty," and more. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (6)
Kids say (7)

Based on 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Sonny ( Kevin Hart ) is a stay-at-home dad totally dedicated to his kids in ME TIME. When crazy best buddy Huck ( Mark Wahlberg ) reaches out to invite him to his 44th birthday party, sure to be a wild time, Sonny is encouraged to go by his wife, Maya ( Regina Hall ). She and another parent at the kids' school convince Sonny he needs some fun "me time." But he has no idea the hijinks in store once he hops on the party bus with Huck and his crowd. Meanwhile, Sonny is also worried that his wife's millionaire client, Armando (Luis Gerardo Mendez), might have a crush on Maya.

Is It Any Good?

Don't expect any major life lessons or philosophical messages from this buddy movie, but it's silly fun and Hart is amusing and good-natured from start to finish. Wahlberg is also in good form in Me Time as the clueless 40-something partier who refuses to grow up. The film sneaks in some messages about valuing stay-at-home parents (in part so that they don't look for validation by pressuring their kids to be perfect) and gender-swaps a familiar genre of moms letting loose. Some of the humor here is pretty crass (lots of pooping, farting, and other anatomical references). But the film has a big heart and lands some funny moments, mostly involving Hart getting hurt.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the lives of stay-at-home parents, especially dads like Sonny, in Me Time . Do you think stay-at-home parents are sometimes valued less for their work and dedication than adults who work outside the home? Why?

Why do you think Maya wants Sonny to go to Huck's birthday party? Why doesn't Sonny want to go at first?

What other buddy movies have you seen like this one? How does this one compare?

Movie Details

On DVD or streaming : August 26, 2022
Cast : Kevin Hart , Mark Wahlberg , Regina Hall
Director : John Hamburg
Inclusion Information : Black actors, Female actors
Studio : Netflix
Genre : Comedy
Topics : Friendship
Run time : 104 minutes
MPAA rating : R
MPAA explanation : some sexual material, language and brief drug use
Last updated : February 17, 2023

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Writer-director John Hamburg ( Why Him? ) is known for movies that exploit unlikely friendship and relationship pairings to provoke resounding comedic effect and underlying growth opportunities for his characters. In his latest, Kevin Hart acquires a sense of spontaneity while Mark Wahlberg learns to take responsibility for his actions. Though Hamburg’s story doesn’t hold a candle to his past work, viewers can rely on Hart and Wahlberg to make the most of the script through great comedic timing. Nothing particularly extraordinary happens in Me Time , but there are plenty of simple laughs to be had for a slow Friday night.

Sonny Fisher (Hart), proud “Super Dad” to his two children Ava (Amentii Sledge) and Dashiell (Che Tafari) and supportive husband to his successful architect wife Maya (Regina Hall), is desperately in need of some alone time. Sonny spends his days as a dedicated stay-at-home father, director of his kids’ school talent show, and PTA president. When Maya offers to take the kids away for some quality mom-children bonding during their spring break, Sonny finds himself alone without anything to do. Left with no responsibilities or dad duties to keep him occupied, Sonny reunites with his former best friend Huck Dembo (Wahlberg) . What begins as a relatively tame 44th birthday celebration for Huck slowly evolves into a wild weekend that threatens Sonny’s reputation as a family man.

Related: Kevin Hart & Mark Wahlberg Wear Wingsuits In Hilarious Me Time Trailer

Within Netflix’s latest chaotic comedy adventure lies a story about self-discovery and reconnection. Along this journey, Hamburg’s film emphasizes the importance of having a life outside a career — whether that be a stay-at-home parent or a successful businesswoman. It’s a nice touch to an otherwise ridiculous script, which offers a balanced watching experience when the comedy becomes too overbearing and unfunny. Through the character Sonny, the message is clear in that life is too short to be a prisoner in one's home. These are the moments when the movie exceeds expectations; but unfortunately, they never last long enough to leave lasting impressions.

In Me Time , Hamburg also attempts to explore indecisiveness relative to adulthood and exploring career options through his character Huck. But instead of diving deep into these relatable concepts, he uses Wahlberg’s Huck as the reason for Sonny’s impending troubles. Leaning more into these ideas would have benefited the story, especially in order to capture the juxtaposed livelihoods of the two leads. Sonny is boring yet has his life together, while Huck has difficulty giving up his status as party animal and perpetual bachelor, which ultimately keeps him in trouble. The execution isn’t always there when it comes to capturing the dynamics of Huck and Sonny, but Me Time offers reliable laughs and sincere moments when it needs to.

Though written with every intention of humor and fun, there are times throughout Hamburg’s feature when the script becomes dry and dull. These sequences don’t give Hart or Wahlberg many opportunities to put out their best work. As a result, their chemistry tends to stiffen, ultimately leading to awkward moments that could have easily been funny or even heartwarming. At times, this is also due to weak attempts at humor that were created out of contrived circumstance instead of evolving naturally. It’s not entirely certain that Hart and Wahlberg’s chemistry would have been better given an improved script, but it would have helped.

While Netflix’s latest doesn’t offer anything new or exciting to the comedy genre, viewers can expect a decent watching experience that should entertain just enough for a boring Friday night. Even though it barely scratches the surface of important topics like stay-at-home fatherhood or indolence well into adulthood, Hamburg’s messages about self-care and discovery are loud and clear through the characters of Sonny and Huck. Me Time may not be a groundbreaking entry into Netflix’s catalog, but it offers reliable laughs for anyone needing an escape from their own hectic reality.

Me Time released on Netflix Friday, August 26. The film is 102 minutes long and rated R for some sexual material, language, and brief drug use.

Our Rating:

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Me Time’ on Netflix, In Which Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg Fart Around, Buddy Comedy Style

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Netflix’s Me Time casts Mark Wahlberg as the latest co-star for Kevin Hart, who’s amassing buddy comedies like a squirrel stuffing a hole full of nuts for the winter. In recent years, Hart has palled up with Woody Harrelson ( The Man from Toronto ), Dwayne Johnson ( Central Intelligence ), Ice Cube (two Ride Along s) and Will Ferrell ( Get Hard ) for goofball romps that were perfectly content being hit-and-miss mediocrities. (Funny, how Hart’s best work was Fatherhood , which he carried on his own. Hmm.) So will the Wahlberg pairing be the magic combo to put this Hart formula over the top, or is it just more cinematic farting around?

ME TIME : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: MOAB, UTAH, 15 YEARS AGO. Sonny (Hart) is NOT going over that cliff. Even in a wingsuit. His best buddy Huck Dembo (Wahlberg) and their other pals can BASE jump into that oblivion, but Sonny ain’t gonna follow. Yes, his name is Huck Dembo, an even stupider name for a Mark Wahlberg character than Cade Yeager, Bob Lee Swagger or Dirk Diggler. Huck Dembo. No. No no no no no. No. Huck Dembo – you’ve already formed all kinds of pictures of the guy in your mind, and all of them are types you’d want to Hulk-toss into a fathomless crevasse. But we have to move on. We have to get past Huck Dembo, nine letters that could push a person over the edge. Which is where Sonny stands, remember, and of course he goes over it, when a big gust of wind makes the choice for him, and he screams and flails, plummeting in front of godawful greenscreen effects.

He survives, of course, because it’s the very first scene in the movie. In the PRESENT DAY, Sonny is happily married to Maya the Successful Architect (Regina Hall), and is a super-duper stay-at-home dad to Dash (Che Tafari) and Ava (Amentii Sledge). He makes the perfect school lunches, gets the kids and wife out the door and only manages to slip twice in shit left on the kitchen floor by their pet tortoise. It’s a good day. He fields a call from Huck Dembo, who invites Sonny to his 44th birthday party. Sonny hems and haws. All single-guy Huck does is party party party, and there’s no keeping up with or relating to that anymore. Sonny’s a bit culturally isolated, fixated on being PTA president, directing the school talent show and writing his kindergarten blog. He looks across the school dropoff zone and wonders if he’s becoming poor sad lonely Crossing Guard Lenore.

Even Maya thinks Sonny should enjoy some time to himself, so she throws the kids on a plane to her parents’ house and he gets out the lotion and porn and you know how this scene ends – no, not the logical conclusion of such things, but like you’d get in a predictable broad R-rated comedy. A few more goofy-ass scenes of Sonny being not entirely comfortable doing things for himself and by himself occur before the movie finally, finally brings back Huck Dembo to infuriate us, and he’s naked – but don’t get excited, because do you think Wahlberg would show his real, non-prosthetic junk on screen? This is only the beginning of the outright lunacy Huck Dembo brings to Sonny’s minivan life, because every Huck Dembo in the history of cinema has, without fail, been nothing but an agent of chaos.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Alas, Me Time is just as middling as all the aforementioned buddy-Hart comedy romps.

Performance Worth Watching: And as always, Hart is the best thing about these romps. He brings uptempo energy and an unerringly relatable, sympathetic component to these boilerplate roles. He shows enthusiasm where the writing lacks inspiration.

Memorable Dialogue: Some decontextualized words of encouragement from Huck Dembo to Sonny: “I know you’re upset about Maya, but when she sees the Honda Odyssey, she’s gonna fall back in love with you!”

Sex and Skin: A decent medium-shot eyeful of Mark Wahlberg’s bare ass.

Our Take: As ever, Hart is the great leveler, giving an enjoyable performance within the confines of a lackluster screenplay, resulting in a middling shrug of a comedy that inspires a few smirks before it ends and we never watch it again. This is a Mad Libs insta-screenplay: insert random wacky nonsense and pray for laughter. It’s down-to-the-bone formula. The Usual Crap can be just fine, if it’s frequently funny, but Me Time whiffs more than it hits.

Hart and Wahlberg indulge the boring guy/crazy guy dynamic and share two sentimental moments accompanied by delicately tinkled piano music. Supporting players steal a scene here and there (Tafari as the wannabe-standup comic son, Ilia Isorelys Paulino as a slightly unhinged cab driver). Writer/director John Hamburg ( Why Him? , I Love You, Man ) drums up marital conflict between Sonny and Maya via a goofy hipster rich-guy character who builds tortoise sanctuaries. Sonny gets attacked by a mountain lion. A musician who used to be more popular than they are now drops in for a surprise cameo. Sprinkle liberally with farts, barf and turtle feces. Drop a reference to another Netflix property, and be sure to mention that one specific name-brand manufacturer of coolers, twice. Rinse, stir, repeat and serve lukewarm.

Oh, and Huck Dembo should’ve been named something else. Like Hondo Bondo Clementine or Pitt Glampington. Something more realistic.

Will you stream or skip the star-studded buddy comedy #MeTime on @netflix ? #SIOSI — Decider (@decider) August 29, 2022

Our Call: Huck Dembo. Get. The F—. OUT. Of. Here. SKIP IT.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com .

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‘Me Time’ Review: Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg Reconnect in This Exhausting Buddy Comedy

This ostensible comedy is as sluggish as the tortoise the two friends steal.

In one of the early scenes of Me Time , the latest Netflix comedy, we see a conversation between a husband and wife that tiptoes around an argument. Regina Hall ’s measured Maya is encouraging Kevin Hart ’s uptight Sonny to loosen up a bit. Despite this, he is fixated on his own insecurities as a stay-at-home parent and keeps circling back to how he was uncomfortable with an interaction that happened at a dinner they just attended. At one point, Hall utters a simple “what?” in response to the rambling bit Hart is attempting to get out. This one word, with how genuinely perplexed it feels, ends up being infinitely funnier than anything else that takes place over nearly two hours. Though Maya was responding to the convoluted way that Sonny was attempting to justify his controlling tendencies, she very well could have been commenting on the baffling and unfunny film itself.

The premise is a simple one, as it follows Sonny as he takes a few days to himself while Maya takes their kids on a trip to visit family. It soon becomes clear that he doesn’t really have many friends or anyone to actually connect with during this free time. He initially just gets caught up in embarrassing situations surrounding masturbation, barbeque, and golf (a real holy trinity of insecure masculinity). Eventually, he decides to reconnect with his old friend Huck ( Mark Wahlberg ), who is throwing an expensive birthday celebration for himself. It has been years since they have hung out, something Sonny explains was intentional, as he felt he had outgrown their friendship. An opening flashback scene, via some rather clunky effects, offers a hint of what he means by this when the duo attempts a stunt that goes awry. However, despite his reservations, Sonny decides to finally agree to Huck’s many pleas to hang out as they used to. They each don matching tracksuits and hit the road on a tacky party bus.

The story then becomes about all the shenanigans the two men will get up to. There is an attack by a mountain lion, a run-in with an imposing loan shark, recurring situations involving poop, and an extended cameo appearance. It is everything you would expect from a more mainstream comedy like this, down to the overly sentimental final act that drags on and on in an attempt to instill some sort of lasting lesson. The unfortunate thing is that the film is rarely funny and often feels uncertain about what it actually wants to be. The early scenes of slapstick, something that can be an art form when done well, only end up feeling hollow and noncommittal. An attempt to pivot to be a more wild adventure falls flat as well when the film just takes us right back to where we started with only a handful of recurring gags that it cycles through. It is all formula and no fun, putting us in situation after situation that it stretches to a breaking point in the hope of getting something going to justify a rather lengthy runtime that feels even longer. You soon realize this is a film of rapidly diminishing comedic returns.

RELATED: 'Me Time': Release Date, Trailer, Cast, and Everything You Need to Know

Me Time is written and directed by long-time comedy filmmaker John Hamburg ( I Love You, Man ) though it feels more like it was designed by a committee rather than a person with a vision. While Hamburg’s last film Why Him? was not particularly successful at what it set out to achieve, there was at least a sense that there was some sort of driving force behind it. That is entirely absent here. Me Time just goes through the motions of a wacky comedy without any of the actually funny components. It feels like it is holding itself back from making that necessary leap into absurdity as everything plays out just as you would expect. Above all else, a good comedy requires some element of surprise to it. While there are a couple of moments of this, one involving a tortoise and the other a sudden car crash, they are completely buried under a lot of set-up that all eventually arrive at comedic dead ends.

Oddly, some of the funnier jokes and interactions come when we cut away from the main duo to check in with Maya off with the rest of the family. Much of this is due to Hall, whose wit largely goes wasted beyond these short sequences and her sense of comedic timing. On the other side of this are Hart and Wahlberg, who lack the necessary chemistry to carry the rest of the film on their own. While the material itself wasn’t doing them any favors, the performances they give both feel one note and unimaginative. Even the most straightforward of comedies can be elevated by the committed comedic presence of the actors at the core, though that is never felt here. Instead, we get scenes like the aforementioned cameo where there is no joke for the person appearing to be a part of other than the randomness of them being there.

There are also repeated references to stand-up comedy as Sonny’s son shares how he enjoys watching everyone from Bill Burr to Tiffany Haddish . While it soon becomes clear that this is to set up how the young kid wants to take a different path for an upcoming talent show, where he is supposed to play piano that he hasn’t been practicing, it just served as a constant reminder of how light on actual jokes the film is. While they are vastly different forms of comedy, the jokes from even the most average stand-up special far surpass anything taking part here. Hart is one of those very performers and there are moments in the film where it almost seems like he is doing a bit just as he would on stage. The issue is that it doesn’t ever connect in the same way as it does when it is just him as the film doesn’t have the patience or direction necessary to actually build on them. Each only ends up feeling like little asides, as if Hart was just riffing, and they left it in there when they realized they didn’t have that much else going on in the way of comedy. Perhaps the most unexpected takeaway from it all is that this makes Hart’s prior film on the streamer from this year, The Man from Toronto , look much better by comparison. Then again, this isn’t a compliment to either.

Me Time comes to Netflix on August 26.

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Me Time review: Netflix’s latest comedy falls apart

There is a scene early on in Me Time , the new Netflix comedy from writer-director John Hamburg, that feels like a perfect encapsulation of the film itself. It goes a little like this: After making a series of impulsive decisions, a formerly adventurous stay-at-home dad (played by Kevin Hart) finds himself in the desert with only a bucket for a bathroom. When he goes to use the bucket for the first time, he suddenly finds himself alone in a stand-off with a hungry mountain lion.

The sequence’s premise is effectively simple, and Kevin Hart is more than capable of elevating the absurdity of the situation by leaning into his character’s understandable fear. The scene, therefore, shouldn’t have any problem delivering the laughs that it promises. Unfortunately, the mountain lion that Hart’s Sonny is forced to face off against just so happens to have been brought to life with some of the worst CGI you’ll likely see in any film this year.

And therein lies the disappointing truth of Me Time . The film has all the ingredients that it needs in order to be a successfully absurd farce in the same vein as many of the studio comedies that were released throughout the early and mid-2000s. However, rather than taking full advantage of its talented performers and easy set-ups, Me Time drowns all of its best elements in a sea of half-formed ideas and unfinished gags, none of which truly gel together.

Written by Hamburg, Me Time fits easily within the rediscovering-your-youth comedy subgenre that Hollywood’s major studios used to routinely traffic in. The film picks up with Hart’s Sonny, a longtime stay-at-home dad, when he unexpectedly finds himself alone for a week without his kids or wife Maya (Regina Hall). Feeling pressured to make the most of his time alone, Sonny decides to reunite with his former best friend, Huck (Mark Wahlberg), for a wild birthday celebration that is destined to take more left turns than Sonny could ever imagine.

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The film’s opening flashback to one of Sonny and Huck’s previous adventures quickly — and quite messily — sets up the kind of zany adventures that the duo used to get into before the former decided to settle down with his family. Sonny and Huck’s reunion never provides the kind of high-wire thrills that Me Time ’s prologue sets up, though. Instead, Hamburg’s script zooms through Me Time ‘s plot without ever slowing down to let any of the movie’s set pieces breathe, which renders them all significantly less effective than they might otherwise have been.

The film rushes through its first act, establishing Sonny’s middle-aged life as an elementary school PTA president, as well as his concerns about his wife’s slightly flirtatious relationship with one of her clients, Armando (Luis Gerardo Méndez), within the span of a few minutes. If the film’s second and final acts were better, then the breathless way Hamburg treats Me Time ’s first third might be more forgivable.

The problem is that Me Time maintains its screwball pace for the entirety of its runtime. While doing so allows the film to keep up a constant sense of forward momentum, it also highlights the half-formed nature of so many of Me Time ’s set pieces and twists. What’s even worse is that Hamburg doesn’t even follow through on the promise of Huck’s outsized 44th birthday party. The event is initially set up to be the centerpiece of Me Time , but it’s ultimately abandoned a third of the way through the film’s second act.

Huck’s birthday is then followed by a series of accidents, poor decisions, and surprisingly inconsequential comedic gags, all of which feel disappointingly familiar and clichéd. Additionally, the film’s biggest plot beats are so loosely connected that it’s difficult to remember how Me Time even gets from one to the other throughout its story. Consequently, rather than feeling like a coherently madcap story about one man’s misguided attempts to reclaim his youth, Me Time ends up coming across more like the first draft of a studio comedy you’ve already seen a hundred times before.

The film’s senseless plot leaves its actors utterly stranded as well. Mark Wahlberg, in particular, falls flat as Huck, who easily ranks as one of the most underwritten and thinly sketched characters that the Fighter and Ted star has ever played. Despite ranking as one of Hollywood’s most charismatic and charming actresses, Regina Hall is similarly given little to do as Maya, the successful wife to Hart’s childish Sonny.

The fact that Hall, Wahlberg, and Hart are all wasted in Me Time is ultimately indicative of just how unsuccessful the Netflix comedy truly is. It’s not only a forgettable attempt at doing what hundreds of other movies have already done better, but it’s not even capable of giving Regina Hall and Kevin Hart a single memorable scene together. In other words, don’t let its invitingly short runtime fool you — there are a dozen better ways you could kill a couple of hours this weekend than by watching Me Time .

Me Time premieres Friday, August 26 on Netflix.

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For better or worse, Spin Me Round is a worthy addition to writer-director Jeff Baena’s growing filmography.

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Me Time Review

26 Aug 2022

In one early scene in Me Time , Kevin Hart ’s irritatingly instructive Sonny tells his child to stop watching videos of stand-ups and do their keyboard practice instead. “Enough with the comedy,” he says — a line of advice which this very unfunny film seems to have unfortunately taken to heart.

Hart’s Sonny is a very passionate parent, often to a fault. Whilst his wife Maya (an underutilised Regina Hall ) works as a successful architect, Sonny cooks the meals, carries the bags and helps build the Lego sets at home. Although loving, he’s also a bit of a dictator, controlling as much of his children’s schooling as possible, and even spying on them in their bedrooms to make sure they’re studying. As helicopter parents go, he’s a shoo-in for squadron leader. Enter old friend Huck Dembo (a Mark Wahlberg name that might top his Transformers moniker Cade Yeager), the macho man-child who can show Sonny the errors of his domestic ways, with a week of debauchery.

The film avoids, for the most part, any real probing of the untrusting, power-hungry, unstable dynamics of Sonny’s marriage.

HuckChella, a birthday celebration that’s more Fyre Festival than Coachella, starts the mayhem. The party is soon crashed by a violent loan shark, diverting the story towards a generic plot-thread about debt collection. The focus then shifts to the frenzied jealousy of Maya’s employer; then to a house party with a bizarre cameo from Seal — and throughout, an alarming amount of supposedly funny animal abuse. The film avoids, for the most part, any real probing of the untrusting, power-hungry, unstable dynamics of Sonny’s marriage; instead, spiralling chaos fills the void of any emotional journey.

One highlight is Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, whose intense, anarchic Uber driver steers the film into most of its laughs. But bar those chuckles (as well as one well-placed gag after a performance of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’), Me Time will make you want to clock out.

Me Time Review: Kevin Hart Meets Your Expectations in Netflix Comedy

Kevin Hart plays a stay-at-home dad who reunites with his hard-partying best friend (Mark Wahlberg) in the predictable but lightly fun Me Time.

Me Time is getting bad reviews; that seems to be a given. The Netflix comedy falls prey to the same rhythms and tropes critics have seen thousands of times, and is not crafted with any major distinction. However, it's in these moments that one should turn to a legend in the field of popular criticism, Roger Ebert, who said :

I sometimes find myself the advocate of what might be called a generic theory of film criticism. That’s to say I think movies should be judged, in part, in terms of the expectations we have for them [...] most of the time, when we go to the movies, we go seeking more modest rewards: A decent spy picture, for example, or a passable musical.

The point is this: a critic is tasked with watching a film, while an audience member chooses to. Most critics wouldn't willingly choose to watch a Kevin Hart movie, hence the bad reviews; a viewer who would gladly watch one of his movies, however, will very likely enjoy Me Time . Interestingly enough, Hart meets the expectations of both.

Me Time is About Parenting (and Needing It)

Me Time stars Hart as Sonny Fisher, a father who puts the 'pro' in professional stay-at-home dad. A top gun helicopter parent, Sonny begins his day making his children breakfast before taking them to school, where he assists with plays and the talent show, leads the PTA, and volunteers his life away at the school before bringing his kids home to oversee their hobbies and homework. He's a loving and caring father , but essentially co-dependent.

His wife Maya (an underused Regina Hall , so brilliantly hilarious in the upcoming Honk For Jesus movie) occupies an opposite space. An up-and-coming architect with a fawning boss, Maya is the proverbial bread-winner, but is toast when it comes to her kids, too busy to be sure about which language they've been studying for six months (it's Mandarin). As the parents realize the exaggerated holes they've dug themselves into, Maya decided to take the kids for spring break on her own, leaving Sonny to have some 'me time' for a week.

Sonny reunites with his former best friend, the aptly named Huck Dembo (a goofy Mark Wahlberg), a beefcake with no common sense and an existential fear of aging. Huck celebrates his birthday each year as if it was a Kanye West album release party; Sonny meets up with him near a party bus with Huck's body painted across it.

He takes Sonny and a bunch of much younger people with him into the desert to 'go primal,' and he spares no expense, though he obviously should have. Not only is a raw oyster bar weird in the desert, but Huck has been spending money he doesn't have, putting himself $50 thousand in debt to Stan (Jimmy O. Yang, arguably the funniest part of the film) and his Israeli bodyguard. As the night progresses, Sonny and Huck will get a lot more childish than this father-of-the-year is used to.

Kevin Hart Continues His Image Makeover

Meanwhile, Maya's career chases after her while she's trying to get quality time with the kids, jeopardizing this break in the parental status quo. The kind of quasi-progressive living situation between Sonny and Maya (in which the husband is the lunch-packing, PTA-hosting parent and the wife is the career-building success) seems to be a part of Hart's image makeover, which has been going on ever since 2017.

Hart, an energetic stand-up comedian and actor with strong delivery, experienced a couple of terrible years — he suffered a horrendous car accident; TMZ released a sex tape of him cheating on his wife, and the woman involved sued him for $60 million ; and of course, he was canceled on by the Academy Awards.

Related: Watch Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg Share a Wild Weekend in the First Trailer for Me Time

After Hart was accused of homophobia and transphobia (and instead of just seeking some 'me time'), his agents chased down the film Fatherhood , which replaced Channing Tatum with Hart as a father trying to understand and care for his gender non-conforming daughter. This followed an earlier softer role for Hart with The Upside , in which he essentially cheered up Bryan Cranston for two hours. Hart made the kids' movie DC's League of Super-Pets , and now he's here, basically playing super-dad.

The film seems awkwardly progressive in places, as if Hart's affirming makeover infiltrated the script. More than just having obligatory, check-boxing gay and lesbian friends, there's a scene in which his daughter asks him, "Do I have a penis?" To which Sonny responds along the lines of, "No, you don't. In life, if you chose, or at some point you wanted one, you can get it." These moments feel like stilted, focus-group-tested requirements as part of Hart's softer image, rather than genuine comedic elements.

The Funny Moments of Me Time

However, there is funny to be found in Me Time , arguably more so than Hart's other recent Netflix original movies , Fatherhood and The Man From Toronto . Whatever Hart may have said or done in the past doesn't negate the fact that he has a singular comic energy and is just downright great at slapstick comedy. Whether it's his signature yelp, small stature, elastic facial expressions, or sheer athleticism, Hart is a modern king of the pratfall, possibly bested only by Melissa McCarthy. As a result, the physical humor in Me Time is often very funny, and no matter how stupid it might get, meets the practically algorithmic requirements for 'a Kevin Hart genre comedy.'

Related: Exclusive: Andrew Santino Delivers Hilarious Interview for Me Time, Jokes ‘Netflix Can’t Stop Me’

The supporting cast does a lot of heavy lifting as well. Regina Hall is an extremely underrated comedic presence, and while she's given little to work with in Me Time , she manages to do lots with little. The aforementioned Yang is golden as the Hongkongese American Jewish convert, dressed in full prep regalia and extremely tactful when preparing to enact mafia violence. Yes, like many things in Me Time , his character seems lifted in from a better movie (in this case, Ken Jeong's drug lord in The Hangover films), but he's just perfect in the part and, after Space Force and Love Hard , is a talent to watch.

Andrew Santino is also a comic gem throughout much of the film, the kind of trash-talking dad who sneaks out to party but shuts up when his wife is around. Wahlberg turns on his puppy dog charm here as a big doofus who hasn't learned how to grow up, and whose immaturity is catching up with him. He's actually a rather tragic character, a man in desperate need of some parenting of his own, and could've actually carried a darker, sadder comedy centered on him.

Instead, Me Time is a typically polished and efficient Netflix film, a treat for Hart fans or people seeking a light snack. Writer/director John Hamburg (writer of Meet the Parents , director of Along Came Polly ) is as quick-moving and smooth as always, breezing through a runtime that should probably feel longer, given the scarcity of actual plot material. Unfortunately, he steers the film into an overly emotional, senselessly sentimental finale that's a little too ridiculous to actually be sweet or heartwarming.

Me Time Meets Expectations For Better or Worse

Again, Me Time is for any viewer whose interest may be piqued by the idea of a Kevin Hart movie . If these viewers' expectations are an extremely light and fluffy flick, meatless and worry-free, then Me Time should appeal to anyone who wants a few chuckles and a little harmless fun. It's doubtful that anyone set out to make a top-ten-list piece of cinematic art with this film, and their expectations were met as well. Me Time isn't enough to win over any new Hart converts (his stand-up comedy specials may the best bet for that), but it should please the initiated, or at least pleasantly kill some time until Hart finally gets to host those Oscars.

Produced by Particular Pictures and HartBeat Productions, Me Time is now streaming on Netflix .

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

Movie Review – Me Time (2022)

August 26, 2022 by Robert Kojder

Me Time , 2022.

Written and Directed by John Hamburg. Starring Kevin Hart, Mark Wahlberg, Regina Hall, Tahj Mowry, Jimmy O. Yang, Carlo Rota, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Andrew Santino, Melanie Minichino, Deborah S. Craig, Thomas Ochoa, Che Tafari, Amentii Sledge, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Chau Long, Kieran Roberts, Alexis Rhee, Phillip Brandon, Sharon Gardner, Michelle DeShon, Antione Grant, Kayden Alexander Koshelev, Connie Chen, Brad Lee Wind, Shyaam Karra, Noah Staggs, Carlos Javier Rivera, Prisca Kim, Paul Riley Fox, Jameelah, Amanda Barlow, Sydney Skidmore, Michael Krause, Shira Gross, Diane Delano, John Amos, and Anna Maria Horsford.

With his family away, a devoted stay-at-home dad enjoys his first me time in years by joining his hard-partying old friend on a wild birthday adventure.

Within the first five minutes of Along Came Polly director John Hamburg’s latest comedy Me Time , there is a hang-gliding incident gone wrong, Kevin Hart trips over a tortoise poop and falls flat on his back in the kitchen, and Mark Wahlberg is taken aback by the size of donkey genitalia and can’t help himself from texting over visual proof while the former is making breakfast for his family.

If that sounds hilarious to you, then head right over to Netflix. Personally, it’s hard to stomach that anyone can remotely think (John Hamburg also wrote the film) that this passes for comedy. The phrase lowest common denominator often gets thrown around a lot to describe similar lowbrow affairs (which is not to say that juvenile humor is a bad thing, as, like anything else, it can be done correctly), but the laziness here puts most of those movies to shame.

Kevin Hart is Sonny Fisher, a family man married to Regina Hall’s architect Maya (who somehow has almost nothing funny to do here, which should be a crime considering it’s Regina Hall), with two children in elementary school (Che Tafari’s Dash and Amentii Sledge’s Ava). While Maya is the breadwinner, Sonny is more than a stay-at-home dad; he is the PTA president and is locked into every aspect of the school, including directing the upcoming talent show. A former failed musician, Sonny wants Dash to practice the piano and perform there, but he wants to be a comedian and cites the great Eddie Murphy as an influence.

Sonny is a parent who is so fixated on what he wants and deems perfect that it’s no surprise he’s a buzz kill. He is also so devoted to his family duties and school job that his coworkers mock him into believing that if he doesn’t focus on himself once in a while, eventually, he will end up like the lonely and divorced school crossing guard Lenore (Diane Delano).

However, Sonny wasn’t always this boring. Before drifting apart from his daredevil, YOLO best friend Huck (Mark Wahlberg), by association, he got into all sorts of reckless shenanigans. Starting a family caused Sonny to grow up and avoid this potential bad influence. Meanwhile, Maya wants to take the kids on vacation to visit their grandparents, with everyone encouraging Sonny to stay home and enjoy that time, as he deserves a break. Huck’s birthday is also coming up (traditionally celebrated by doing something extremely chaotic), meaning that this could be a good opportunity for the two to reconnect and see each other for the first time in roughly a decade.

The best thing to say about Me Time is that while it’s obvious where all of these characters will end up and what they will learn in the process, it is unpredictably wild from moment to moment. Whenever the movie feels like it’s going to set itself down in one location to focus on laughs, something else suddenly comes crashing into the picture, with the characters barreling somewhere else. Unfortunately, much of the same lazy humor permeates most of these admittedly funny situations.

As Sonny and Huck hop on a tour bus partying with the latter’s younger, rowdy friends, they contend with debts, survival (there is a sequence involving a lion that is outrageous), and revenge (Sonny Suspects that his wife’s wealthiest client is putting the moves on her, especially since he shows up at the vacation spot). These elements typically lead to our dimwit protagonists finding themselves in trouble, including a scare involving a tortoise that is easily the funniest thing here (it’s referenced on the poster for a reason). But between all that, there are scenes of Kevin Hart taking a shit in his wife’s boss’s bed (and that’s just one example of how astonishingly lazy the jokes here can be).

There’s also not much to cling onto regarding the messaging here, which is as simple as being and allowing others to be themselves while fighting a healthy balance of hijinks and duties in adulthood. Further hurting this is that Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg don’t always play off each other well; each has the occasional amusing bit individually or chemistry with others, but nothing about Me Time encourages one to want them to reteam for a future comedy with a better script.

Mark Wahlberg almost feels miscast; he’s appropriate for the adrenaline junkie and hard-partying aspect of the character but doesn’t necessarily make his jokes land. As for Kevin Hart, he’s just doing his usual routine. The antics they find themselves in our sometimes entertaining, but for the most part, there are better ways to spend your me time.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd , or email me at [email protected]

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Back to Black

The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.

Sam Taylor-Johnson
Matt Greenhalgh
Marisa Abela
Eddie Marsan
Jack O'Connell
81 User reviews
107 Critic reviews
46 Metascore

Nick Shymansky

Perfume Paul
Great Auntie Renee

Uncle Harold
Auntie Melody

All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

How Marisa Abela Channeled Amy Winehouse

Did you know

Trivia Marisa Abela had done most of the singing in this film herself. She trained extensively to mimic Amy Winehouse 's vocals.

Technical specs

Runtime 2 hours 2 minutes

More to explore

Review: Amy Winehouse didn't want to go to 'Rehab,' no, no, no and her biopic, 'Back to Black,' also resists logic

S top me if you've heard this one before: There's a new biopic about a famed musician. It's not great. But the actor who plays the musician is.

Like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Get On Up," "Elvis" and too many others, "Back to Black" has a difficult time making sense of the performer at its center, Amy Winehouse (who, like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, only had 27 years on this Earth). There are reasons for this: A person's life lends itself more to the arc of a TV miniseries than a two-hour movie, which inevitably crams in so much that it's like a photo album without the captions. But a dynamic performer such as Winehouse or Freddie Mercury is always going to give an actor tons of flashy stuff to work with.

Marisa Abela, who plays a spoiled little rich girl/stock trader on HBO's "Industry," is the talented actor in "Back to Black," which skips childhood to give us Winehouse's life from being discovered as a teenager to her death less than a decade later. Winehouse's slurry, growly voice is imitable, and Abela, who does her own singing, nails it. The performance scenes, and there are lots of them, are unquestionably the highlights of "Black."

Another asset is the great Lesley Manville, who was an Oscar nominee for "The Phantom Thread," as Winehouse's grandmother. The freshest element of "Black" is learning how much Winehouse doted on her nan, a former jazz singer whom the movie has Amy describing as "my style icon." Lots of tragic things happen in "Black" but the one moving scene is simply grandmother and granddaughter, in a park, silently grappling with the bad news that nan is dying.

It's too bad screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh didn't opt to keep Manville around longer (elsewhere, he's quite willing to monkey with the facts, as in a scene where a boyfriend supposedly introduces Winehouse to the Shangri-Las, a '60s band she knew and loved in real life). Manville's quiet strength and warmth are missed when she's no longer in "Black," although, come to think of it, that does jibe with the movie's argument that Winehouse began to fall apart when she lost her grandmother.

One roadblock for biopics is legal rights (or not) to the stories of subsidiary people in the star's life. Winehouse's former husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, and father, Mitch, are very much alive and, not coincidentally, come off better in "Black" than they did in news accounts or in the Oscar-winning documentary "Amy."

As a result of trying to make silk purses out of those sow's ears, "Black" skips crucial developments and obscures others. Winehouse's relationship with her husband was important, coinciding with the peak of her brief career, but the movie sheds no light on what they were to each other and it bends over backward to make Mitch (played by Eddie Marsan) look as blameless as possible when the subject of getting alcohol-addicted Amy into rehab is broached.

Success came early and easily to Winehouse. There has to be a story there, too, but "Black" doesn't tell it — good friend Mark Ronson, who produced the breakthrough album that gives the movie its title, is mentioned once but never depicted. As a result, the movie leaves you with more questions than answers.

The good news is that you'll find many answers in the excellent, aforementioned "Amy."

‘BACK TO BLACK’

2 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: R (for drug use, language throughout, sexual content and nudity)

Running time: 2:02

How to watch: In theaters May 17

Marisa Abela stars as Amy Winehouse in "Back to Black."

‘Menace’ – Director of ’80s Classic ‘Night of the Comet’ Wrote a New Horror Movie

Director Randall Okita impressed us back in 2022 with the home invasion thriller See for Me , and today brings a first look at Okita’s next horror movie. This one is titled Menace .

Deadline reports that Isabel May ( 1883 ) will star in sci-fi horror movie Menace , which comes courtesy of Image Nation Abu Dhabi and the genre label Spooky Pictures. This is the third feature from Image Nation and Spooky Pictures, behind Watcher and Late Night with the Devil .

The site details, “May stars as a research student who has a psychotic breakdown and is remanded to the custody of her aunt and uncle in a small town.

“When strange things start happening around her and people start disappearing, she isn’t sure what is real or what is her imagination.”

AGC International will launch sales at the Cannes Market this month.

Of particular note for horror fans, Menace is written by Thom Eberhardt , the writer of 1984 fan favorite Night of the Comet . This is the first movie Eberhardt has penned in two decades, and his other credits you will no doubt recognize include Sole Survivor (1984), All I Want for Christmas (1991), Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992), and Captain Ron (1992).

Eberhardt also directed Sole Survivor, Night of the Comet , and Captain Ron .

Roy Lee and Steven Schneider will produce Menace for Spooky Pictures.

‘Night of the Comet’

Writer in the horror community since 2008. Editor in Chief of Bloody Disgusting. Owns Eli Roth's prop corpse from Piranha 3D. Has four awesome cats. Still plays with toys.

‘Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare’ – First Image from ‘Poohniverse’ Horror Movie

The filmmakers behind Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey are expanding their public domain horror universe with a handful of upcoming “ Poohniverse ” movies, including Bambi: The Reckoning , Pinocchio: Unstrung , and Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare .

Variety has scored the first image from Neverland Nightmare , seen above.

The website details, “ Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare follows Wendy Darling as she strikes out in an attempt to rescue her brother Michael from ‘the clutches of the evil Peter Pan.’ Along the way she meets Tinkerbell, who in this twisted version of the story will be seen taking heroine, convinced that it’s pixie dust.”

Scott Jeffrey will direct Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare , expected Halloween 2024.

Jeffrey tells us, “I am taking inspiration from French cinema while in prep for this movie. The film will be incredibly tense. I would say it’s a mesh between Switchblade Romance and The Black Phone with our own spin on it. It is a nasty, violent and incredibly dark movie.”

Megan Placito has joined the cast as Wendy Darling, Kit Green is Tinkerbell, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney ( The Pope’s Exorcist ) is Michael Darling and Charity Kase ( RuPaul Drag Race ) is James. Martin Portlock will be playing the twisted version of Peter Pan.

Created by J.M. Barrie way back in 1902, the character of Peter Pan – like Winnie the Pooh – is in the public domain, even if the iconic Disney iteration of the character is very much not.

The Lovecraftian Behemoth in ‘Underwater’ Remains One of the Coolest Modern Monster Reveals

‘Army of Darkness’ – Life-Size Wearable Prop Replica of Ash’s Chainsaw Releasing Soon!

‘Jason Universe’ – Horror Inc. Begins a New Era of the ‘Friday the 13th’ Franchise; Here’s the Plan

7 New Horror Movies Releasing This Week Including ‘The Strangers’ Reboot

First Official ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Makeup Line Open for Pre-Orders

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Me Time Movie Review
Me Time Review: Great Cast, Okay Movie
'ME TIME' Movie Review
Me Time Review: Great Cast, Okay Movie
Me Time Movie Review
Me Time Review: Great Cast, Okay Movie

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Me Time

COMMENTS

Me Time
7% Tomatometer 69 Reviews 32% Audience Score 1,000+ Ratings When a stay-at-home dad finds himself with some "me time" for the first time in years while his wife and kids are away, he reconnects ...
Me Time movie review & film summary (2022)
Credit to "Me Time" for not portraying Sonny as a "stuck and miserable" guy—the man truly enjoys (and is good at) preparing elaborate meals, eagerly presiding the PTA at his kids' school, and being altogether a great father, while Maya sometimes struggles to recall her kids' tastes and medical needs. And make no mistake here ...
Me Time (2022)
Me Time: Directed by John Hamburg. With Kevin Hart, Mark Wahlberg, Regina Hall, Che Tafari. When a stay-at-home dad who dedicates all his time to his children is persuaded to take time off for himself, he gets mixed up in the wild shenanigans of his childhood friend who's celebrating his 44th birthday.
'Me Time' Review: In Search of Lost Dad Jokes (Published 2022)
Me Time Rated R for language, drug references, sexual references and brief nudity. Running time: 1 hour 41 minutes. Running time: 1 hour 41 minutes. Watch on Netflix.
Me Time review
K evin Hart has come so far since last summer, at least on screen. Circa June of 2021, he was adrift on a paternal sea in Netflix's Fatherhood, which cast the embattled comedian as a suddenly ...
Me Time Review
3. Summary. A solid comedy with surprising amounts of warmth, a handful of likeable performances and a few laughs, Me Time won me over and is better than it looks on paper. We review the 2022 Netflix film Me Time, which does not contain spoilers or any significant plot points. I'll put my cards on the table; I've never really been sold on ...
Me Time
7.5/10 Me Time isn't as bad as everybody's think and i actually did quite enjoy it, Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg is such an interesting duo that works just fine, the comedy was there and it might not be the funniest thing ever and the whole movie wasn't like super super funny because there is a drama in this movie that actually quite works too, i enjoy Me Time, it's not the best thing ever, it ...
'Me Time' Review: Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg Make ...
Saeed Adyani/Netflix. " Me Time ," a slapdash comedy by writer-director John Hamburg ("I Love You, Man"), stars Kevin Hart as Sonny Fisher, a stay-at-home parent suffering from what Betty ...
'Me Time' Review: Kevin Hart & Mark Wahlberg in Limp Netflix Comedy
August 25, 2022 6:00pm. Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg in 'Me Time.'. Courtesy of Saeed Adyani/Netflix. Middle-aged men acting stupidly has sadly become a cinematic staple in an era marked by the ...
'Me Time' Review: Kevin Hart And Mark Wahlberg Star In ...
August 25, 2022 6:00pm. "Me Time" Netflix. Me Time, directed and written by John Hamburg ( Meet the Parents ), pairs Hollywood powerhouses Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg in a chemistry-free ...
Me Time Movie Review
Our review: Parents say ( 6 ): Kids say ( 7 ): Don't expect any major life lessons or philosophical messages from this buddy movie, but it's silly fun and Hart is amusing and good-natured from start to finish. Wahlberg is also in good form in Me Time as the clueless 40-something partier who refuses to grow up.
Me Time Review
The promise/premise of the movie is these two and their scenes get held back to an odd degree. Me Time has a strong core cast and some distinctive moments of levity (especially when involving an ...
Me Time Review: Hart & Wahlberg Have Perfect Comedic Timing In Simple
Me Time may not be a groundbreaking entry into Netflix's catalog, but it offers reliable laughs for anyone needing an escape from their own hectic reality. Me Time released on Netflix Friday, August 26. The film is 102 minutes long and rated R for some sexual material, language, and brief drug use.
Me Time [Reviews]
All Reviews Editor's Choice Game Reviews Movie Reviews TV Show Reviews Tech Reviews. Discover. ... Me Time features fun chemistry between Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg but is held back by a worn ...
'Me Time' Netflix Review: Stream It or Skip It?
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Alas, Me Time is just as middling as all the aforementioned buddy-Hart comedy romps. Performance Worth Watching: And as always, Hart is the best thing about ...
Me Time Review: Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg Reconnect in ...
RELATED: 'Me Time': Release Date, Trailer, Cast, and Everything You Need to Know Me Time is written and directed by long-time comedy filmmaker John Hamburg (I Love You, Man) though it feels more ...
Me Time (2022)
Kevin Hart entering that very dangerous road of an Adam Sandler lazy movie career. elvylanda 30 August 2022. Me Time is a comedy starring Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg as long time buddies who reunite after a few years of not seeing each other to have another adventure together celebrating Hart's character birthday.
Me Time review: Netflix's latest comedy falls apart
By Alex Welch August 26, 2022. There is a scene early on in Me Time, the new Netflix comedy from writer-director John Hamburg, that feels like a perfect encapsulation of the film itself. It goes a ...
Me Time (film)
Me Time is a 2022 American buddy comedy film written and directed by ... Me Time might be the movie of the year." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 25 out of 100 ... Tomris Laffly of RogerEbert.com gave Me Time a moderately favorable review, praising the characters but criticizing the screenplay and ...
Me Time Review
Release Date: 25 Aug 2022. Original Title: Me Time. In one early scene in Me Time, Kevin Hart 's irritatingly instructive Sonny tells his child to stop watching videos of stand-ups and do their ...
Me Time Review: Kevin Hart Meets Your Expectations in ...
Kevin Hart plays a stay-at-home dad who reunites with his hard-partying best friend (Mark Wahlberg) in the predictable but lightly fun Me Time. Netflix. Me Time is getting bad reviews; that seems ...
Me Time (2022)
Movie Review - Me Time (2022) August 26, 2022 by Robert Kojder. Me Time, 2022. Written and Directed by John Hamburg. Starring Kevin Hart, Mark Wahlberg, Regina Hall, Tahj Mowry, Jimmy O. Yang ...
Back to Black (2024)
Back to Black: Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. With Marisa Abela, Jack O'Connell, Eddie Marsan, Lesley Manville. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.
Review: Amy Winehouse didn't want to go to 'Rehab,' no, no, no ...
Stop me if you've heard this one before: There's a new biopic about a famed musician. It's not great. But the actor who plays the musician is. Like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Get On Up," "Elvis" and ...
Hit Me Hard and Soft
Hit Me Hard and Soft is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish, released on May 17, 2024, through Darkroom and Interscope Records.The second track, "Lunch", became the lead single.Eilish announced the album on April 8, after teasing the project on billboards in various locations. She later announced a world tour.The album received widespread critical acclaim.
'Young Sheldon' delivers a long-awaited shock as the CBS show ...
Published 9:09 PM EDT, Thu May 9, 2024. Link Copied! Iain Armitage as Sheldon Cooper in the final season of "Young Sheldon." Bill Inoshita/CBS. CNN —. Editor's note: The following contains ...
'Menace'
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland are reteaming for the long-awaited 28 Years Later horror sequel trilogy, and the first film in that new trilogy now has a release date.. 28 Years Later arrives in ...

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