TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY MOVIE REVIEW
If you don’t like Will Ferrell, I’m afraid you’re in trouble, because he may be around for a while. There isn’t a comedian on the planet who commits to a role quite like Ferrell, and his humor really comes out of that commitment. It’s not as much what he’s saying as it is the fact that he really believes what he’s saying. He’s like someone in your real life who says something that sort of creeps you out and leaves you speechless, but here you’re a fly on the wall and therefore can laugh at the situation.
With Talladega Nights, he’s hit the trifecta of boorish male personality traits. In Old School, Frank was the embodiment of absent minded insensitivity, while in Anchorman Ron was the male libido on overdrive. Now we have Ricky Bobby. Ricky is nothing if not every man’s competitive streak incarnate. As NASCAR’s number one driver he is a winner in every sense of the word, even if that means stepping on the back of his best friend.
Ricky’s world is threatened when Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen) joins the circuit and worst of all he’s French and gay. In Ricky’s world there couldn’t possibly be a more impotent man on the planet and he’s a better driver. Much like Adam McCay and Will Ferrell’s other film Anchorman, this outside force sends Ricky into a downward spiral that ends up with him hitting rock bottom and leaving it up to him to drag himself back up.
Alright that was probably more analysis than this film really needs. Talladega Nights is hilarious. Will Ferrell has added another character to the list of great comic characters, but he’s not even the brightest star here. The supporting cast really carries a lot of the weight in this film. John C. Reilly as Ricky’s friend Cal Naughton, Jr. (how perfect is that name?) is amazing. He’s both Ricky’s punching bag and biggest fan. The sheer pathetic-ness that oozes from Reilly is unbelievable. Even Michael Clarke Duncan gets his fair share of laughs, especially when visiting Ricky in rehab. The true scene stealer in this film, however, is Gary Cole. As Reese Bobby, Cole’s sketchy wanderlust is constantly amusing. Whether he’s getting the itch to break up the family while eating in Appleby’s or being totally pegged by his grandson, Cole delivers.
From a technical standpoint you have to be impressed. I would be completely out of line if I didn’t at least touch on the fact that these filmmakers really went out of their way to give a real authenticity to the races themselves. Not to mention the crashes. Sure they’re ridiculously over the top, but they’re supposed to be. If they were completely realistic, it would be tragedy not comedy.
Ricky Bobby is the embodiment of all things redneck. If you drive a Camaro and think that Adam McCay and Will Ferrell are laughing with you, well, I hate to tell you, but you’re wrong. This film lampoons all thing white trash. All it lacked was Britney Spears driving with her baby on her lap.
The Grade
- Story: B-
- Acting: A
- Visuals: A
- Originality: A
- Enjoyability: A
- Overall: A
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