The biggest stand-up comedy show of all time comes to the big screen, led by one of Hollywood’s biggest box office draws. In “Kevin Hart: What Now?”, Kevin takes a timeout from the many glitz and glamour of the Hollywood backdrop to return to his roots as a stand-up comedian on the verge of the biggest show of his life. comedic rock-star Kevin Hart follows up his 2013 hit stand-up concert movie Let Me Explain, which grossed $32 million domestically and became the third-highest live stand-up comedy movie of all time. Hart takes center stage in this groundbreaking, record-setting, sold-out performance of “What Now?”, filmed outdoors in front of 50,000 people at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, marking the first time a comedian has ever performed to an at-capacity football stadium. In addition to the stand-up, we get an opening scene that involves Hart and Halle Berry at a high-stakes poker game to earn money for the momentous occasion. “Kevin Hart: What Now?” is directed by Leslie Small and Tim Story, and is rated R for sexual material and adult language throughout.

“What Now” is the first time I have ever reviewed a stand-up comedy film release, and it honestly made me very nervous as to what I was going to review. Comedy is really something that is subjective, so how do you put a grade on something that counteracts the films I review every single week of the year? The answer actually opposes the question, as “What Now” is not only a stand-up special, but a movie within that special. For the opening seventeen minutes of this feature, we are treated to Kevin Hart’s best James Bond impression, as he tries to score loot to secure the funds for his worldwide stand-up special. What’s creative about this stance is that it adds something more to the big screen experience than just an hour of material that you could go see for yourself live in person. It justifies the big screen appeal of such a project, and certainly offers an interested look at Hart in such an action role. As the opening film is wrapping up, there’s a beautifully synchronized transfer to the reason we’re here in the first place; Hart rocking the stage. This surreal moment really opened my eyes here because it gives you something that we have never seen before in one of Hart’s films; the blending of two different Kevin’s for the price of one. There’s Kevin the movie star and the real Kevin who describes his trials and tribulations to an elated audience.

For the stand up itself, it was an R-rated fiesta of the easiest 74 minutes that I have sat through this year. One thing with Comedy is that it offers the audience a chance to soak up stories that they aren’t seeing, but hearing through a great storyteller. This doesn’t always work for every single comedian, but Hart has always had the kind of relationship with his audience where he will spare himself no physical abuse to spark that moment of laughter. What’s interesting about this concept played in this movie is that the stage production gives us multiple tron televisions behind Kevin to further relate said story. They change with each story Kevin describes, and really transport our imaginations, putting us front and center at the hilarity that is transpiring. One effect in particular that really busted my gut was that of a 5’4 Kevin on a toilet that was much too big for his petite frame.

The production is decent, wrapping around the enormous Lincoln Financial Field with many cameras covering everything from beautifully decadent wide angle shots of the sixty thousand plus, to the personal reactions of the audience members as history is being made. One negative that hasn’t been fixed fifteen years after “The Kings of Comedy” took the stage is the subpar editing work still needing much improvement. My problem with this aspect is when they show an audience react to one of Kevin’s punchlines, it doesn’t feel smooth in transition. It always feels like we hear the punchline, then we hear it again when it cuts to an audience member to soak in their reaction. I understand that reactions are important with any stand up special, but I feel like this movie really lacked what makes Hart a premiere comedian; his delivery. The physical stick of Hart putting his body in the way of every single joke pushes the envelope even further, leaving zero opportunity for any audience member the ability to not be swayed by his endless charisma.

The material is strong, although not the best hour that I have heard from Kevin. What Kevin achieves in animated delivery, he lacks in minimalist approach to making the most of every joke. A problem that he has in some movies is that he doesn’t know when to end the joke, repeating the same line several times until it lacks any kind of reaction anymore. A similar problem happens here, as some jokes fall flat, and then attempt to keep going with it to see if it can still garner some kind of reaction out of you. That’s not to say that it’s entirely like this, as there were many times during the movie where I got some of the loudest laughs that I have received for this entire year. Hart juggles his way through material about his spoiled family life, female assumptions, and a Starbucks gag that was absolutely my favorite of the entire film. What makes Hart such a great storyteller is that he offers the kind of believability in every bizarre angle that he exploits, and it’s simply to crazy to not be honest. He commands the attention of sixty thousand people with ease, and it’s a true testament to perhaps the greatest comic worker going today.

“What Now?” takes the audience through two different worlds of delight with Hart, breaking the fourth wall on more than one occasion to poke fun at the mayhem going on in his life. This is one special that packs an infectious energy that feels just right for the big screen, and at 1/4 of the price of a stadium. Aside from some minor technical problems, this one is a raunchy affirmation for Kevin’s biggest fans that never skimps on the heart….or Hart.

7/10