There’s no shortage of fun movies to watch on Netflix, especially the “buddy cop” type movies. They are always a crowd-pleaser. The latest “buddy cop” movie to hit Netflix is a film called The Man From Toronto although it’s not really so much about two cops as it is about a man being mistaken as an assassin. It’s a film about mistaken identity that lands a mild manner salesman in hot water as an assassin from Toronto. The film stars Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson. With both of them in the same movie, you know, you will at least be entertained. Kevin Hart’s character is trying to have a romantic weekend with his wife at a remote cabin when he is accidentally mistaken for an assassin who must torture someone to get vital information. He does it and with one photo becomes The Man From Toronto. Woody Harrelson, who is the real assassin, shows up and now, has to use Kevin Hart’s character to complete his job. As you can imagine, all hell breaks loose, and the best-laid plans get thrown right out the door.
The movie is entertaining, it’s not going to win any awards, but Kevin Hart films generally don’t. You know what you’re going to get with Kevin Hart, he’s a comedian and he will keep you laughing by doing the one thing he does best, being Kevin Hart. And who doesn’t enjoy Woody Harrelson in a movie? I’ve Loved Woody Harrelson ever since Cheers and whether he’s doing a drama like The Highwaymen or a comedy like Surfer Dude, he never disappoints. I guess it was only a matter of time before you put Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson in a movie together and you know what, it works. Woody Harrelson makes a believable assassin. I hate to say it, but the film is predictable, you have an assassin who doesn’t want to do it anymore and has a change of heart while helping the down-on-his-luck husband who’s only trying to make it up to his wife. Plus throw in the storyline that the assassin wants to be a Chef, feels like you might be watching Dwayne Johnson in The Rundown. But these aren’t complaints, I’m comparing this film to other fun movies that have the same tropes. What makes the film work is you get a great comedy team with Woody Harrelson and Kevin Hart and there’s plenty of action that will keep you entertained.
The problem with the film is it’s not like we haven’t seen it before. In some ways, it feels like a “Rush Hour” film. Mistaken identity movies are nothing new. Alfred Hitchcock made some great movies based on that same theme with The Man Who Knew Too Much and North by Northwest. Bill Murray even made a great comedy mocking The Man who Knew too much with a film called The Man Who Knew Too Little. Even though Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson make this film worth watching, it’s also the same Kevin Hart film you’ve always seen. As I said before Kevin Hart is just being Kevin Hart so if you’re a fan of his then you will enjoy this film for what it is, but if you’re looking for something that’s unique or clever, this is not that film. The film goes on for about 2 hours when it could have really been just 90 minutes. The extra time to throw in some more action scenes doesn’t make the film any better, but the extra action scenes are entertaining. As funny as the two main actors are in this film, by the time you get to the end, you will have felt like you’ve seen it before.
I will say that this is a good film for Netflix, I wouldn’t have paid to see it in a movie theater, but it’s a good one for a streaming service such as Netflix to keep you entertained when you’re vegging out on the couch, and you don’t even have to run to Redbox and waste a couple of bucks on a rental. Woody Harrelson and Kevin Hart are the best parts of the film as they do work well together and keep you laughing. But it’s not their best film by a long shot. The Man From Toronto is pure escapism and a film you’ll probably only watch once. The entertainment value of some films is only worth a couple of hours of your time. But I also have a confession to make, I like a lot of the movies on Netflix for what they are. I wouldn’t pay to see them in the theater, but I’m glad they’re on Netflix and most of them are worth the price of my Netflix subscription. This film is no exception. So, if you’re a fan of Woody Harrelson and Kevin Hart, I do recommend the film even if it’s largely forgettable. It’s not their best stuff, but they do entertain you and sometimes that’s all you need after a long hard week at work you’re having a lazy day on your couch just watching Netflix. The film is good enough for that.
