The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009)

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009): Dir: Neal Brennan / Cast: Jeremy Piven, Kathryn Hahn, David Koechner, Ving Rhames, James Brolin: Comedy about potential, which is something this film lacks. A bunch of misfits assemble to help a car dealership from going bankrupt. Simple, formula and contains one of those laughless sentimental endings that is enough to make someone dose themselves in gasoline. Directed by Neal Brennan with an ensemble cast that had no better offers so they agreed to this sh*t. The cast includes Jeremy Piven, Kathryn Hahn, David Koechner, and Ving Rhames all wasted. Piven plays the lead and there is nothing likable about the lout he portrays here. There is a car from Smokey and the Bandit featured in the dealership and the film had the potential to provide a cameo by Burt Reynolds to buy the car. Instead it gives in to a turnover scheme that lacks laughs and leaves viewers glancing at their watches. Somewhat resembles Used Cars where Kurt Russell worked at a dealership. Seeing that car will allow viewers to go home and watch their copy of Smokey of the Bandit thus allowing themselves to see a better comedy. There is little to laugh at here accept that somebody green lit it and provided the funds to have it made. The result is a film that deserves to be placed on the ground and backed over with a used car for not delivering the goods let alone selling hard. Score: 3 / 10

"The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard" is a formulaic "gross-out" comedy in which a talented car salesman is given 3 days to sell a couple hundred cars. He gets the job done, defeats a snobbish villain, wins the girl and lives happily ever after.The film was directed by Neal Brennan, who is himself a stand-up comedian, and so possesses a better sense of humour than most of these formula pictures. He serves up some good politically incorrect jokes, much vulgarity and crassness.The film's best (and most wrong) joke involves a middle aged woman's attraction to a 10 year old boy who has a genetic disorder which makes him look like a fully grown man. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you like your humour) this subplot was heavily cut due to fickle producers. Expect more paedophile humour in the future, as audiences have become desensitised to racism, swearing, rape, homosexuality, bestiality and most other taboos.7.9/10 - Worth one viewing.

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard is a real awful and unfunny movie. This is a poorly written script that was chopped together without any flowing pace. Given the premise and the cast, I really thought it would be a winner, but it was bad. The humour is very weak and this movie tried very hard to be funny, and most times when that happens it ends up being very lame like this did. The comedy bits are so transparent and telegraphed that when the punchline finally arrives, it's really not funny. The Selleck Sales force is ridiculous...why would a failing business employ so many people especially a prejudiced senile war veteran who verbally and physically abuses both employees and potential customers.The plot was also weak. He was just selling cars for his purpose which was weird. And by the time it happened, the main character Jeremy Piven's character didn't even sell anything. The other characters were so annoying and obnoxious. Really hardly any of the characters were likable. It was just awful and their were many awkward and unfunny parts, like Ving Rhames character making out with a female half his age, and Kathryn Hahn's character trying to get a 10 year-old in an adult's body to like her. Their were just too many awkward and disturbing scenes, not to mention necessary uses of the F-bombs. This could have been better with a better script and had it been longer. Like they didn't show them actually selling the cars at the end. It was rushed.Overall this movie was just bad and awful to watch, what a waste of time

Maybe I'm a bit spoiled because I saw this the day I rented Adventureland and The Hangover.I don't mind when a comedy uses gimmicks to construct a plot or tell a story but only if they're funny. I enjoyed Anchorman and every other Will Ferrell movie that did that, but the gimmicks in this movie aren't funny. Further more, these bits contradict each other and make the viewer confused. For example: There are 2 introduction scenes for Don Ready. Neither of which are funny but the second does develop his schtick.Even after it's been reiterated several times, and shown (on the airplane) how good of seller Don Ready is, why does he need a pep talk from his buddy before motivating the sales team? Why did the Ed Helms character come in during dinner and mention that he has to go to practice then leave with his finacee even though he was leaving for practice? I could go on, but let me say that the biggest problem is the movie should never have happened. Why would the owner of car dealership (who wants to get out of the business) make a bet that he could sell all the cars on the lot so that he can keep his dealership? Didn't make sense to me either.Neal Brennan should never direct again. The only thing I will ever watch that involves Neal Brennan is a new season of the Chapelle show.