Ride Along

Ben Barber is a security guard with a love for video games who wants more than jokes and bravado to prove he belongs in James's world. When Ben finally earns a spot at the police academy, he asks James for his blessing to marry Angela, James's sister, hoping the request will earn him respect. James agrees to test the would-be officer with a ride along that promises to push him to his limits and show what it takes to handle real danger. The night quickly spins from awkward mentorship to chaotic danger as the two men stumble into a high stakes situation that tests their trust, courage, and ideas about family. Their uneasy alliance becomes a source of unexpected loyalty.

Released in 2014, Ride Along was directed by Tim Story and based on an original screenplay by Greg Coolidge, Jason Mantzoukas, and Matt Manfredi. It pairs Ice Cube and Kevin Hart in a buddy dynamic that helped define its tone.

The film grossed $153,997,819 worldwide on a $25,000,000 budget, marking a solid financial return for a street level comedy and helping to establish a profitable post release franchise, which would include a sequel, Ride Along 2, released in 2016 worldwide.

Ride Along helped elevate Kevin Hart into a global star and reinforced the Ice Cube buddy cop pairing that studios chased in later years. Its brisk banter, action set pieces, and familiar road trip energy became a template for mainstream comedies aimed at broad audiences across theaters and home media.

Critics generally praised the chemistry between Hart and Cube and the balance of humor with action, while some noted the plot felt familiar. Viewers enjoyed the high energy, chase sequences, and the way friendship and mentorship shape choices under pressure, not just crime and stunts for mainstream audiences seeking relief.