The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard is a rib-tickling comedy that was released in 2009, directed by Neal Brennan and starring Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, and David Koechner among others. It's a journey through the sometimes ridiculous, often hilarious world of salesmanship where one man's skills not only save a failing business but also serve as a great source of laughter and entertainment for the audience. The plot focuses on a failing auto dealership, crisis management, and a professional team of hardcore sellers whose passion for winning touches absurd levels, proving that sometimes, the viewer can actually sell anything to anyone.

Jeremy Piven, best known for his polarizing role in HBO's cult favorite Entourage, plays Don Ready, a legendary, quick-witted merchandise liquidator who, with his ragtag crew, is called into the city of Temecula to save a struggling auto dealership from bankruptcy. Piven’s performance is brimming with charisma and will probably have you reminiscing about his HBO counterpart, Ari Gold. Don, along with his team of misfit associates, has the weekend to move over 200 cars and prove that when it comes to conning people into buying cars they don’t need, there's no one better.

One can say the characters are an essential part of the driving force behind this movie's entertainment quotient. The cast includes Ving Rhames, playing Jibby Newsome, a veteran car salesman with a secret. There's also David Koechner as Brent Gage, who gets most of the funny lines and delivers them with aplomb. Kathryn Hahn, who plays Babs Merrick, steals every scene she's in, while James Brolin and Jordana Spiro add some fun characters into the mix. Together they all bring a certain charm to this over-the-top comedy, each contributing uniquely to the ensemble.

The Goods pulls no punches, with the humor being crass, often slapstick, and rarely politically correct. The jokes come rapidly and rely heavily on shock value. Though potentially off-putting for some viewers, those who appreciate the humor in a farcical style will find plenty of laughs here. The movie does seem to revel in its own absurdity, often with explicit one-liners and diaspora of unique characters that breathe life into this rather unsophisticated narrative. Unabashedly, the film focuses on what it is – a simple, entertaining comedy without attempting to convey a thought-provoking message or complicated themes.

Director, Neal Brennan, known for his writings in the comedy genre, specifically the Chappelle's Show, skillfully manages to keep the humor consistent and the pacing swift. There's never a dull moment and the energy of the actors on screen is unfailingly high. Piven, especially, never slows down with his motor-mouth charisma, and it's hard not to laugh at the sheer zaniness of his character's antics.

The film could be classified more as a comic caper, with unexpected surprises, vividly quirky characters, and cheeky dialogues, and less as a measured, delicate form of comedy that deals with subtlety. There are no veiled nuances here, just straight-up, in-your-face humor with performances that fit the bill of an outrageous comedy throughout.

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard presents its viewer with a wild, unpredictable ride as it brings to focus the chaotic and peculiar universe of hard sales. Not only does it manage to poke fun at the persistent stereotypes associated with the profession, but it also creates a colourful context for its characters, who, despite their scheming ways, are incredibly entertaining to watch.

All in all, if you appreciate slapstick humor and comedic performances or are just a fan of Jeremy Piven's fast talking, charismatic charm, then The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard might just prove to be a delightful watch for you. If nothing else, it will certainly deliver a few good belly laughs and an evening of light-hearted entertainment.