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HOT ROD Turns Capone Into A Japanese School Girl!!
Hey all. Capone in Chicago here.
This perfect combination of stupid and hilarious features "Saturday Night Live" wunderkind Andy Samberg as Rod Kimble, a would-be stuntman who has grown up trying to live up to his long-dead father's legend as a master daredevil and test rider for Evel Knievel. Almost as important is his desire to gain the respect of his stepfather ("Deadwood's" Ian McShane), who rides him pretty hard and even pummels the poor kid to make him tougher. Rod's mom (Sissy Spacek…let me rephrase that: Academy Award-winner Sissy Spacek) allows the roughhousing begrudgingly, but can't hide her pain when she must reveal to Rod that his stepdad is dying and needs and unaffordable transplant. Rod and his crew of outcasts set out to plan and execute a stunt to raise the money.
Samberg is best known on "SNL" for his digital shorts (including a handful of legendary music videos parodies with the likes of Justin Timberlake and Natalie Portman), and HOT ROD features his "SNL" writing partners Jorma Taccone (who plays Rod's supportive stepbrother Kevin) and Akiva Schaffer, who directs the film. (The three created some fantastic shorts as The Lonely Island prior to their being hired on "SNL.") The film also features "SNL" regular Bill Hader as Dave the mechanic, and Danny McBride as Rico the guy who builds Rod's ramps. Kevin assumes the job of recording the team's efforts. Just to make the film all the more outrageous, Isla Fisher (THE WEDDING CRASHERS) shows up as Rod's old neighbor Denise, who becomes something of a team mascot and potential love interest for Rod.
What I loved about HOT ROD is the innocence and naivety of its characters. These guys aren't trying to be funny, but that doesn't stop their everyday behavior from being absolutely giggle inducing. This isn't to say that every joke hits; quite the contrary. The film has a small handful of colossal misfires that will more than likely leave the theater filled with cricket sounds. But even its failures fail spectacularly. This crew (working from a clearly reworked script by Pam Brody, one of the creators of the series "The Loop") never stops throwing situation after situation at us designed to make us laugh. One of my personal favorites is a ridiculous dancing-angry FOOTLOOSE parody, and there's a sequence involving the phrase "cool beans" that will either drive you insane, or send you into convulsions, or both.
The next person who compares HOT ROD to NAPOLEON DYNAMITE deserves a severe beating. Here's a news flash to shortsighted, lazy critics: not every film about social misfits is like NAPOLEON DYNAMITE. Move on! Samberg has a highly likable nature and a pliable face complete with a enormous smile that is just dying for some Joker makeup. It's tough to walk out of HOT ROD and not at least appreciate the guy's appeal, even if you can't stand the movie. But he also knows his limitations, and any time he is required to emote, he's smart enough to know that his acting chops still need some work. I'm more than a little curious to see if Samberg and his team can pull something off that has a hint of sophistication, but for now, HOT ROD is perfect juvenile entertainment that had me giggling like a Japanese school girl throughout.
Capone
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sucks balls!
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I wouldn't mind seeing him get integrated into Judd Apatow's band of misfits. They've already got a connection with Bill Hader
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i agree about the napolean comparisons, that is always people's go-to line about these types of movies. i'd say this movie looks more like a happy gilmore-type comedy than anything else. and napolean didn't suck, I just think it was built up too much that when most people finally saw it they didn't know what the fuck was going on, and dismissed it in the first ten minutes.
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Hot Rod is currently sitting at a whopping 33% at rottentomatoes.com. And I still remember the last movie all the scribes on this site loved that no one else liked. It was called Nacho Libre. And it sucked. Hard. So you'll excuse me if I don't take your advice and run out to see a matinee of Hot Rod.
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it's like a tree trunk supporting an orange.
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First off, Garbageman33, here's a link to my negative review of NACHO LIBRE (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/23618). Second, HOT ROD is exactly the kind of film mainstream critics are going to dump on hard, but audiences will embrace (in my humble estimation). And you can take this statement from someone that has never spent 30 seconds on rottentomatoes.com in my life. If I cared so much about what every other critic thinks, I wouldn't bother writing my own reviews. Now get off your computer and go see HOT ROD and THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM and THE TEN. XXOO
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Someone else on this planet thinks Napoleon Dynamite sucks. According to my friends and coworkers, I don't get it. Maybe not. They all watched a groundbreaking comedy, I saw an annoying protagonist, crap acting and a weak plot. Go figure.
As for Hot Rod, I was expecting the SNL curse to strike again, but I may have to check it out now. -
...this seems like a film I might enjoy. I have seen trailers for it and it seems light. I could use some light fun right now. Oh dang it was the headline. It was the headline! Could I see a picture of you in that sailor uniform or maybe you could just loan it to me? Seriously ...The Host was loved here too and I really fell for that one big time. I think we got similar tastes.
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This movie is not Napoleon Dynamite Part Two, there's more of a plot to this film. Sure, it's quirky, but the characters aren't as strange as the ones in ND. I loved this film, found it hillarious in its own stupid way, and feel bad for it. It's coming out the wrong weekend and is going to be terribly overlooked. If you aren't convinced about this movie, at leaset pick it up on DVD.
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giggling like a Japanese school girl, I guess I won't be seeing this. At least not in public.
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Critics often have a lousy grip on comedy. The loud declarations of FREDDY GOT FINGERED as the worst film of that year come immediately to mind - in short, if you think that was the worst movie to come out that year, you just didn't see very many movies. How the hell did critics miss that TRANSPORTER 2 is an entirely deliberate comedy, for that matter? Been a long time since there's been a decent stuntman comedy, and now there's two, this and New Zealand's THE DEVIL DARED ME TO. Plus Jackie Chan getting back into the director's chair (after more than ten years of delegating the direction of his Hong Kong films to mediocre hacks) for ARMOUR OF GOD/OPERATION CONDOR III? Hells yeah. Stunt comedy is back, just in time.
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...but it definitely found an appreciative audience, and any low budget labor of love that steals audience share from the predominantly dismal comedies seeping out of Hollywood like a rancid case of the shits is fine with me - even if it doesn't really click with me personally.
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Bank it. I love Steve Martin's "The Jerk." It'll be just about the same as far as misfires and hilarious scenes that only get a few gut laughs by the audience. Then there will be the few that notice its genius.
However, Samberg is no Steve Martin. -
in my paper this morning.
Bratz got 1.5 stars.
Hot Rod got zero stars.
ZERO.
And in a second paper I read while at work, it got one star.
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I saw it at a preview screening type deal. Didn't know what to expect, didn't have high hopes. Thank God, because this movie blew me away. I laughed so hard I got a headache. If you don't take it seriously, you'll laugh throughout the ENTIRE movie. The randomness is perfection. Kicks Tenacious D: POD's ass all over the place. The critics are way off on this one!
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I nearly walked out of a screening of this in NYC a couple weeks ago. WAY too much stupid, nowhere near enough funny. I was hoping for a HAPPY GILMORE or BILLY MADISON-esque venture. Sadly, this is a remarkably unfunny movie, and often rather mean spirited. I'm not in love with Samberg or anything but he amuses me on occasion. Not this time. VERY surprised the Aint It Cool folks seem to be enjoying it so much. Still going on record saying that GRANDMA'S BOY is the movie that has made me laugh the hardest in the last few years.
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Grandma's Boy is fucking HILARIOUS. "Oh my God, I can't stop cumming! It feels so good!" That is comic gold, my friend. I wrote up one of the first reviews of it for AICN months before it came out. I believe I could be that movie's #1 fan. It's 100 million times better than any recent Will Ferrell movie. I've heard some good things about Hot Rod. I'm not going to run out and see it but I think there are worst ways to spend a couple hours, and those pompous critics who give it 0 stars are just comedy snobs. I haven't seen it but I can't imagine it's a 0 star movie. Obviously those critics haven't seen an Uwe Boll film lately.
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I love this guys' comedy, the 'Bu with Sarah Chalke (Elliott on Scrubs) is hilarious. Cool to see Sissy Spacek and Ian McShane back together as husband and wife; they were great in Nine Lives
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another film that was highly panned by critics.
I sense a pattern developing here. -
Was on my radio show this morning, and was extremely cool! All the best to the movie.
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I loved every second of it and laughed my ass off. Unfortunately, I was the only person in the theater doing so. They should call upon the spirit of the fox.
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yes, worse than superstar, ladies man, and night at the roxburry. I would rather watch the bratz trailer on repeat for two hours then this garbage.
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absolutley hillarious, i giggled the entire way through, and i've said cool beans like 50 times since i left the theatre, of course the story is pointless and nothing is taken seruously but thats the whole point of the movie, just to make you luagh for 90 mins... anyone who enjoys random humour, go see this now!
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The whole "Drop some acid from a guy in a wide-brim old fashioned farmers hat, and then have pieces of sharp metal shoot into your face" scene was fantastic. Of course, this won't win any Oscars, but that's not why it was made. It was made for people who enjoy seeing goofy shit like the Digital Shorts.
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Just great stuff, as far as i'm concerned. Like I said, it's not the greatest movie ever, and will never win any awards, but it's good for a bunch of laughs.
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"Put on my shirt, ridin' my moped, 'cause that's what you do when you go on a date..."
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Love Dante. Love Nick Swardsen. Love Linda Cardellini. Can't stand the main character (who happens to be Adam Sandler's buddy). He might be the biggest charisma vacuum this side of Hayden Christensen.
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to Napoleon Dynamite. The trailer made it look like it and all the promotion follows the same pattern. But I think Eagle VS Shark is an even bigger ND copy cat than this.
Anyone should check out Awesometown, the pilot they made. Be sure to to watch the FOX cut since it's funnier than the one they cut themselves. -
What's that about? It bombed this weekend in a huge way, barely beating out Bratz for eighth place. I thought it was hysterical.
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Until he used the word "Smurferiffic" in conversation. The scary thing is I get the impression he says that sort of thing a lot. I like the guy and I want to see him do well, but can the 80's camp/irony. Please.
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that was an amazing scene and I thought the movie was alright, too. But, yeah, that scene ruled. Best part of the movie.
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I admit I was the only one laughing at this scene in the theater, but I was crying I was laughing so hard. Completely original and totally off the wall. You have to respect that.
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It was making fun of everyone's stupid liking of Napolean Dynamite (or at least i think it was) because Napleon Dynamite sucked balls (oh it's so quirky, it's so racist).
Hot Rod has my vote for very funny. It was just so strange in basically every way (and so funny in so many ways) that people don't know what to do with it. It rocked my world, I can't wait to see it again, if I can get an open-minded friend to tear themselves away from more convential and (yes) more derivative, less bizarre comedies. -
more conventional. Internet spelling skills = not good.
I want to see that Footloose send up one more time. I saw a tiny bit of it on the Daily Show and I laughed a little bit harder. -
This movie was great.. for the first 30 minutes. Then it sucked ass
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