| Overall Grade: |
A- |
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| Story: |
B |
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| Acting: |
A |
|
|
| Direction: |
B+ |
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|
| Visuals: |
A- |
|
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painfully funny
by __A_YAHOO_USER__ (movies profile)
Jun 6, 2008
328
of
484 people found this review helpful
As I was leaving the theatre from Talladega Nights I heard a woman turn to her husband and daughter and say "I haven't laughed that hard in a long time." I think everyone can use a good laugh, and oh man, does this movie sure deliver.
Will Ferrell stars as Ricky Bobby, an idotic and clueless race car driver who is at the top of his game. His best friend his Cal Naughton Jr. (John C. Reily who is hillarious, especially in one scene where he describes how he posed for Playgirl). Cal and Ricky have a pact that says Cal will always let Ricky come first in every race, and Cal gets silver. But everything changes when a the very talented, and the very French Jean Girad enters the racing circuit and begins to beat Ricky Bobby.
The story in all honesty is paper-thin. But who cares? It all makes for a wonderful set-up for some absolutely hillarious gags.
And what more do I need to say? The movie is a riot. The 7:30 showing I was in was sold out. The theatre was jammed-pack and everyone was laughing hysterically. It's one of the funniest movie's I've ever seen since the 40 Year Old Virgin, and it easily walks away as being one of the funniest movies of the summer, and of the year.
Will Ferrell is doing what he does best as Ricky, and he does with such comic ease and grace. I kind of thought Will Ferrell was getting annoying between Kicking and Screaming, Bewitched and Melina & Melinda, but he is at the top of his game here and he has totally redeemed himself. John C. Reily was funnier than I expected as Cal and he brough lots of humanity to the role. Sacha Baron Cohen (I think is his name) was absolutely hillarious! I almost laughed myself into a coma whenever he came on. I was kind nervous when the movie started resorting to gay jokes but it was funny without being crude or offense. "Jean Girad is sitting at the top of the pole, which is of course no description of his sexual orientation" had got to be one of the funniest lines of the movie. And lastly Amy Adams wasn't in it as much as I thought should be, but the scenes she had at the end of the film were abosultey hysterical and she easily walks away with the funniest scene and the funniest line at the end of the film. And I would like to point out how funny the supporting cast is. Michael Clarke Duncan, Molly Shannon, Jane Lynch, Gary Cole and Ricky's two sons "Walker and Texas Ranger, or TR as I call him" are all hillarious and they make their small roles hillarious and memorable.
So go see Talladega Nights. It's the non-stop, down-right hysterically delirious laugh-fest you'd expect it to be. And so much more. I guarantee that you'll laugh more than once, and by the end of the film you'll be out of breath and your sides will be hurting with laughter. Myabe its not the best film, but as far as comedies go this one is golden. And with the state of the world right now and all that is going on, who could not use a good hearty laugh? You'll leave Talladega Nights with a smile on your face and who knows you might just say "That's the hardest I've laughed in a long time"
8/10 |
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