A decent, occasionally sharp roast with a few standout guests and some genuine friction, but it sounds uneven and more hit-or-miss than essential. Fans of celebrity roast chaos and loose, mean-spirited banter will have a better time than viewers expecting consistently killer writing.
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, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A decent, occasionally sharp roast with a few standout guests and some genuine friction, but it sounds uneven and more hit-or-miss than essential. Fans of celebrity roast chaos and loose, mean-spirited banter will have a better time than viewers expecting consistently killer writing.
Best for
fans of roast comedy and insult humor
viewers who enjoy celebrity-heavy live specials
people who like messy, unscripted-feeling comedy
audiences curious about newer roast formats
Skip if
you want tightly written stand-up
you dislike crude, personal, or mean-spirited jokes
you prefer roasts with constant laugh density
you are tired of celebrity self-mythologizing
Overview
This looks like a modern roast that knows the assignment but doesn’t always stick the landing. The best reactions point to a handful of performers landing real punches, while the rest of the night seems to drift between crowd-pleasing bits and filler energy. That makes it more watchable than great, especially if you like the social tension of people trying to outdo each other in real time.
Worth noting
The appeal here is less polish than volatility. When a roast works, it’s because the room feels alive and the targets actually seem to be taking hits; when it doesn’t, the jokes can feel generic or overly familiar. The strongest draw is the guest lineup and the promise of a few genuinely uncomfortable exchanges.
Bottom line
If you’re already a roast completist, this is worth sampling. If you’re looking for the sharpest, most consistently brutal comedy special of the year, this probably lands closer to a curiosity than a must-see.
Top Letterboxd reviews
⋆⭒˚.⋆ rezwana ⋆˙⟡ (1★) · 285 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★) · 233 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★) · 190 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★) · 157 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.