Review of Kevin Hart: What Now? (2016) by Triple_Co — 10 Apr 2017

Kevin Hart's 'What Now?' Netflix special is spectacularly over the top. Three screens beam out from the stage of a Philadelphia football stadium with Hart taking centre stage, looking characteristically small against its backdrop and armed with a microphone and a stool. It's familiar territory that slips into the tried-and-tested formula of his previous Netflix films and, despite the flash and impressive production, the core of 'What Now?' feels frustratingly lacklustre. While the jokes and set ups are far from unfunny, and are enjoyable enough, they lack punch and tend to get bogged down in cluttered wordiness. The massive crowd and audio reverb from Hart's recording takes away from the act, feeling overwhelming in scope and coming off surprisingly jarring as he talks about pre-marital life and personal fears. Seemingly intimate moments are somewhat undermined by the rock star atmosphere, and it's hard not to ignore the massive success and privilege of Hart himself as he delivers trademark, self-deprecating humour. The sense of one-to-one dialogue that made Kevin a household name from the beginning slips away a little amongst the masses, giant projections and sold out stadium. It's wonderful seeing so much success for one comic, but the anecdotes are less relatable when they come from such a hugely public, rich talent.

The content is familiar territory and feels a little like repetition and re-treading, even using the same wording, phrases and acting as seen in previous works. It's the usual conversation of kids, a rejection of male chivalry, and the self-awareness of his own selfishness. And while these topics are easy enough to follow, it does feel like an easy direction to take - nothing seems particularly fresh or different, rather falling back on what Hart knows his fans will assuredly laugh at. The other specials contain the exact same themes and subjects as this, and feel more fresh than 'What Now?'. I can't help but wonder if Hart's humour would be more effective if he acknowledged and poked fun at the ridiculous level of fame he has achieved, Dave Chapelle style, and tackled issues of race and wealth that he only briefly touches on in his closing speech.

Aside from the meandering, bizarrely gory twenty minute opening, this is mid-way, enjoyable and comfortingly predictable content that never strays too much from audience expectations and deliberately plays to Hart's well-established strengths. If you're a fan of his previous specials, then there is no doubt you'll be into this. But it is obvious that the writing has kept the target audience in mind and assured that simple laughs will flow, without pushing the envelope or trying anything new. The lack of fresh ideas, or meaningful insight into Hart's astounding state of celebrity, is a little disappointing, and the tired topics are difficult to keep engaged with. However this is far from poor - it beats Amy Schumer's leather special in a heartbeat - and implements intuitive, impressive visual effects into each set up. It's hard not to be astounded by Kevin's ability to sell out stadiums and his physical efficiency as he darts around the stage, but it’s a shame that it all feels too familiar and run-of-the-mill routine.