Movie Review: ’72 Hours’ August 3, 2026By John Mulderig OSV News Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews NEW YORK (OSV News) – Comedian Kevin Hart headlines the trashy fish-out-of-water comedy “72 Hours” (Netflix). Though intended to be warm and good-hearted at its core, the film is too encrusted in innumerable coarse elements to make this nucleus of niceness worth discovering. Hart plays middle-aged advertising executive Joe. When Joe finds himself accidentally included on a group chat about a forthcoming weekend-long bachelor party in Miami, he initially ignores the mistake. Yet, as it happens, the campaign Joe is currently crafting for a brand of vodka is being hobbled by his lack of insight into the lifestyles and habits of Gen Z. So it occurs to him that, if he could wrangle an invitation to the event, he could use it as an opportunity to gain insights about the 20-somethings who’ll be attending. Joe succeeds in doing this by basically bribing the quartet of booze- and sex-obsessed lads who make up the guest list. Along with groom-to-be Mason (Mason Gooding), the group includes Mason’s best friend since childhood, Nick (Marcello Hernández), as well as pals Hunter (Ben Marshall) and “Freshman” (Kam Patterson). For no logical reason, Joe conceals his true motive from his new acquaintances and a series of implausible misunderstandings and misadventures ensue. Director Tim Story’s movie affirms the importance of marital commitment and prioritizing family life and friendship. Thus, for example, Mason remains faithful to his fiancee and encourages Joe to move toward marriage with his live-in girlfriend, Jennifer (Teyana Taylor). Yet these otherwise respectable messages come wrapped in impenetrable layers of vulgar talk and humor. The film contains comic mayhem, strong sexual content, including full male nudity and debased behavior played for laughs, cohabitation, drug use, scatological and gross-out humor, about a dozen profanities, several milder oaths, pervasive rough and crude language and occasional crass dialogue. The OSV News classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Read More Movie & Television Reviews Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on the horizon Movie Review: ‘The Social Reckoning’ Movie Review: ‘Digger’ Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on the horizon Movie Review: “Forgotten Island” Movie Review: ‘Primetime’ Copyright © 2026 OSV News Print
