Manly Yes, But I Like It Too
by Flick Chick Vique Rojas
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I give Talladega Nights 3 Red Vines for being a 'guy' movie that's great for gals |
Okay, I like Will Ferrell. If you do too, then you will like Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. But that’s not because it’s a great movie. You won’t see a whole lot of what you haven’t seen before but dog gone it, I still haven’t got tired of seeing Will Ferrell freak out and run around in his underwear!
In Talladega Nights, Ferrell plays Ricky Bobby, the #1 NASCAR driver. It’s a title he has won due to the teamwork of his best friend Cal Naughton Jr., skillfully played by John C. Reilly (Chicago, Prairie Home Companion). Life is good for Ricky. He has a hot wife thanks to the good Baby Jesus, two adorable, horrible sons and they all live in the lap of beer taste on a champagne budget. That is until he takes on the challenge of his life in the form of French Formula One driver Sacha Baron Cohen (Da Ali G Show, Madagascar). From there it’s a rollercoaster of ups and downs, setbacks and comebacks with a lot of help from his mom played by Jane Lynch (Best in Show, Lovespring Int.) and dad played by Gary Cole.
I don’t think you need to be into NASCAR to enjoy this movie but those fans are bound to get an extra kick from seeing all the cameos by real racing pros. As usual, terrific comedic actors surround Will. Jane Lynch gives another classic performance and Gary Cole is hysterical as a no-good dad complete with a bad car and good intentions. The only problem I had with SNL alumni Molly Shannon’s performance was that there wasn’t enough of it! She plays such a small part and squeezes every last laugh from every second.
But movies like this, especially because of the ad-lib style, can be very hit and miss. And while there are some real manic moments that will make you come undone, there are also jokes that run out of gas before they cross the punch line. I think it would have been much funnier if it had been kept to the standard 90 min. length for this kind of silliness instead of the lengthy 110 min. But if your guy is looking for payback for going with you to see The Devil Wears Prada, this would be a most enjoyable date. And you can pretend it was all his idea!
Did you see it?
Tell us what you thought of it!
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LADIES ROOM LOWDOWN
I took a guy to this movie but he isn't one of those guys into NASCAR so, like me, he didn't get any of the cameos. He didn't think it was as good as his favorite Ferrell movie, Elf. I didn't think it was as good as Anchorman.
But an actor, whose talents have previously escaped me, is totally on my radar now. The guy who plays the French driver, Sacha Baron Cohen, had a movie trailer for a flick that looks hysterical. If it turns out to be as long on laughs as the title, it will be a big hit. Keep a look out for Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. For this venture, the multi-named talent goes by one of his alter egos: Borat Sagdiyev. Boy all that's a mouthful!!!
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