Talladega Nights - The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

— Or you can RENT IT and watch it tonight!

I heard that Talladega Nights was hillarious. It had it's moments, but I wouldn't consider it hillarious. If you aren't much of a Will Ferrell fan then you will probably agree. Don't get me wrong, there are tons of comical moments in this film, but some of the bits are overdone, and since they weren't that great to begin with they become annoying the longer they are carried out. The "invisible fire" for example, though seeing Ferrell run around in his underwear is pretty comical. Why does he tend to run around naked or underwear-clad in most of his movies anyway?

Not having checked the credits before watching the film, I was pleasantly surprised to see Sacha Baron Cohen starring as the villain, converted Formula Un driver Jean Girard. His was a comical performance, though he seemed to overdo the accent, sounding almost as if he litterally had peanut butter in his mouth. But I think that was the whole idea.

There are several subplots and story lines: Ricky Bobby (come on, you're laughing. If that isn't the funniest name I've heard in years...) and his relationship with his father, his self-esteem, his out of control children being conformed into well-behaved boys by their strict grandmother, losing his wife to best friend and fellow team racer Cal Naughton, Jr. All of these stories are woven into the plot.

I'm not a huge Will Ferrell fan to begin with, so I think I may have been biased from the beginning. I do appreciate his humor though, and I get a laugh out of his antics, so Talledega Nights wasn't a major flop for me, just not one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.

As I said, it has it's moments, and they would be worth the price of a rental at least.

Reviewed by Drew Vics

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