Naive millionaire investor James (Ferrell) is oblivious to the conniving of his sexy fiancee Alissa (Brie) and her father, his boss Martin (Nelson). When charged with fraud, James protests his innocence and is slammed with a 10-year sentence in San Quentin. He has 30 days to prepare for the violent penitentiary, so he hires his car-valet Darnell (Hart) as a coach. And Darnell doesn't feel that it's important to point out that the fact that he's black doesn't automatically mean he knows something about prison. For help, he consults with his gang-leader cousin Russell (Harris).

There are some clever layers to the premise, including Darnell's desire to move his wife and daughter (Dickerson and Neal) from South Central to a better neighbourhood while creating a make-shift prison in James' vast Bel Air mansion. Issues of race and economics fill most scenes, mainly because everyone takes such stereotypical views. But the film's main joke centres on James' desire to avoid being raped in prison and the general knee-jerk homophobia these characters demonstrate.

Ferrell and Hart are clearly having a great time with the trashy dialog, nutty slapstick and ludicrous situations. Nothing about the film or characters is particularly convincing, but the actors' comical timing manages to get laughs all the way through. Highlights include Ferrell's ridiculous string of trash-talk and Hart playing a member from each prison faction in a riotous simulation. There's also a nice twist when James earns the South Central gang's respect.

Even so, the fact remains that it's the fear of gay sex that pushes James to take this training seriously. And the premise wouldn't work if everyone on-screen wasn't essentially racist. But the script does try to undermine stereotypes every chance it gets, and the real thing that drives the plot is the extreme gulf between the haves and the have-nots. And the loose structure gives the cast the freedom to improvise some strong chemistry.

themes, language, violence, innuendo, nudity

24.Mar.15