Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby


Yes, the new year begins in typical fashion. While you were watching Volver (or maybe Pan's Labyrinth) without subtitles and taking notes in Spanish, I was watching Talladega Nights. And, yes, I laughed. Quite a bit, in fact. When it comes to movies, I have no taste and no shame.

I'm not a big Will Farrell fan, and in fact I thought his cameo really brought down The Wedding Crashers. I've never seen Elf. I did like his George Bush impression, though, and I liked parts of Anchorman: the Legend of Ron Burgundy. And I liked Talladega Nights, too, in spite of the fact that none of the movie takes place at night. Maybe somebody just liked the title.

I figure about half this movie must have been improvised, but that's fine. Farrell, John C. Riley, and Sacha Baron Cohen are good at that sort of thing. There are no real characters, just caricatures, with Cohen's flamboyantly gay NASCAR driver leading the way. The story is the typical bio-pic arc, with the rise, the fall, and the return to glory, but it's just there to hang some outrageous gags on. I didn't care. I still thought it was funny. Sometime when you're in a goofy mood, check it out.

6 comments:

Cap'n Bob said...

I can take him for about three minutes at a stretch. Seems to me his major comedy bit is running around in his BVD's. Not funny to me at all. He's the new Adam Sandler.

Unknown said...

There are at least two unfunny scenes of Farrell running around in his tighty whities in the movie.

Vince said...

Talladega Nights is next in my Netflix queue. Elf is actually a very good movie, although you just missed the peak season for watching it. Maybe next Christmas.

Unknown said...

I thought about watching Elf because it had Bob Newhart in it. With your recommendation, I'll be sure to see it next Christmas. And I'm expecting your comments on Talladega Nights to show up on your blog.

Anonymous said...

Y'all have to see STRANGER THAN FICTION on video, most likely, as well. No true underwear scenes, not even for Emma Thompson nor Maggie Gyllenhaal alas, but yes I did see VOLVER on 12/31, thank you very much...a little too cute, but the Penelope Cruz underwear scene is worthwhile. Newhart was good in the scrap of ELF I saw on broadcast, iirc.

Unknown said...

I would far prefer seeing Penelope Cruz in her underwear to seeing Farrell in his.