A mostly uneven roast that still lands enough sharp, genuinely funny hits to satisfy fans of the format. The best moments come from a few standout performers and the tension of the room, but the night is inconsistent and often feels more like brand-safe chaos than truly savage comedy.
The Roast of Kevin Hart
Where to watch: Netflix
Movie · Comedy
2026 · 2h 52m
Director: Beth McCarthy-Miller
Starring: Kevin Hart, Shane Gillis, Dwayne Johnson
Overview
Kevin Hart is in the hot seat and ready for all the smoke as roastmaster Shane Gillis and a dais of A-listers unleash a raw and ruthless night of laughs.
Kevin Hart, Shane Gillis, Dwayne Johnson, Tony Hinchcliffe, Jeff Ross, Tom Brady, Usher, Chelsea Handler, Teyana Taylor, Draymond Green, Pete Davidson, Regina Hall, Sheryl Underwood, Na'im Lynn, Lizzo, Jay Oakerson, Katt Williams, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Meek Mill
Where to watch
Netflix
Curator Review
Verdict
A mostly uneven roast that still lands enough sharp, genuinely funny hits to satisfy fans of the format. The best moments come from a few standout performers and the tension of the room, but the night is inconsistent and often feels more like brand-safe chaos than truly savage comedy.
Best for
Viewers who like celebrity roasts and insult comedy
Fans of Shane Gillis, Katt Williams, or Pete Davidson
People curious about modern, streaming-era comedy specials
Viewers who enjoy messy, high-profile pop-culture events
Skip if
You want tightly written stand-up rather than a panel-style roast
You dislike crude, mean-spirited, or politically incorrect humor
You prefer roasts with a sharper, more classic structure
You are looking for a consistently strong special rather than scattered highlights
Overview
This is a roast that knows the assignment but doesn’t always execute it cleanly. The format depends on volatility, and when the dais clicks, it can be very funny; when it doesn’t, the night drifts into filler, self-conscious crowd work, and jokes that feel more like placeholders than punches.
Worth noting
The strongest material comes from the guests who seem most willing to actually risk offending the room, which gives the special a jolt of danger it otherwise lacks. There’s also a recurring sense that the event is as much about celebrity chemistry and awkwardness as it is about the jokes themselves.
Bottom line
If you like roasts as a social spectacle, there’s enough here to keep you watching. If you want a top-tier entry in the genre, this lands closer to a mixed bag than a must-see.
Top Letterboxd reviews
⋆⭒˚.⋆ rezwana ⋆˙⟡ (1★) · 290 likes
losing the art of roasts is a recession indicator bc why is pete davidson and katt williams the only saving grace of this republican convention disguised as a roast
Dan O'Neill (2.5★) · 234 likes
Love how Shane Gillis and Chelsea Handler genuinely seemed to ruffle each other's feathers and still had to sit next to the other all night
Sageoseph (1.5★) · 192 likes
With the release of The Roast of Kevin Hart, roasts are now a 77-year-old tradition. The earliest recorded roast honored French vaudeville actor and musician Maurice Chevalier back in 1949. That was the first time the New York Friars Club decided to formally structure and record one of their private black-tie dinners, which were previously held in secret with no women allowed. I started watching roasts in the 2000s when Comedy Central took over, but going back and listening to
KenziePercy (1★) · 156 likes
The only people that made me laugh out loud were Katt Williams and Pete Davidson and that was it, so I’ll give them half a star each. Other than that, it was just buzzwords and bullshit.
2008 · Action, Comedy, Adventure · 1h 47m · R · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Philo, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A Hollywood satire that scratches the same itch for ego, humiliation, and showbiz self-parody.