Hot Rod (2007)

"Souls Of The Animal Kingdom!"

The small budget '07 film `Hot Rod' is a zany, unpretentious, Indie looking production that you will either find absolutely hilarious or leave you wondering "what in the world was that all about?" My initial reaction put me in the "what was that all about" camp however as I began to reflect back on some of the parodies and dialogue I found myself chuckling over what I had missed during my viewing of this film.

Andy Samberg and Bill Hader are hilarious, Isla Fisher is adorable and the rest of the cast is rock solid. Lots of inane comedy value to be had by one and all, just please don't attempt any of the stunts you will view on your own. Leave them to the real stuntmen out there. October 9, 2008

Just another ugly teen comedy?

The name "Hot Rod' seems to be used here as a minimization or abasement
of the lead character. In this teen comedy mode the hero is made
contemptible and ridiculous, so that when he overcomes the odds,
his triumph is complete. Rod drives an under-horsed moped
and tries to jump a swimming pool at about half the speed he needs.
He is just plain pathetic and embarrassing!
Can the underdog ever win? That seems to be the comedy feature here. October 1, 2008

Prepare for one of the funniest films you've ever seen!

Rod Kimble is a goofy, wannabe stuntman in the style of Evel Knievel who rides around town on his moped with his crew of 3 attempting dangerous but small-scale stunts and failing miserably. All he thinks about is becoming a famous stuntman like his deceased father and earning the respect of his step-dad, Frank, with whom he regularly battles in the most literal sense. Rod's world gets shaken up though when he discovers that Frank needs expensive heart surgery and could die before Rod is able to beat him in a fight and prove that he's a man. Luckily, Rod's beautiful neighbor Denise has returned to town just in time to help with his plan to raise the money for Frank's surgery by doing a huge stunt. Unfortunately, Denise has brought her sleazy boyfriend Jonathan with her. It's all great fun as Rod and his group of local yokels, along with the drop-dead-gorgeous Denise, attempt to train and raise money for the big day and deal with some difficulties and tragedies along the way. And even if the gang is successful at raising the money to put on their big stunt, jumping 15 school buses (one more than Evel Knievel), Rod will still have to pull it off without getting killed!

"Hot Rod" is easily one of the best comedies I've ever seen and certainly better than the much praised (but really just average) "Superbad". It's got a lot more heart too. Starring hilarious SNL cast member Andy Samberg as Rod and the adorable Isla Fisher (looking more gorgeous than I've ever seen her and in some really cute outfits; love the way she looks in a ponytail and a T-shirt) as Denise, the whole cast is a real treat and the music (much from glam-metal group "Europe") is out of this world. Though the film is set in modern-day, there's a delightful 1980's nostalgia throughout (though without the bad stuff like girls with '80's hair; it's more like nostalgia for folks like me who were really little in the '80's). If you enjoy simple-minded, lighthearted comedy like the Blue Collar guys or an Ernest movie, got a kick out of "Kickin' It Old School", and felt "Napoleon Dynamite", "Nacho Libre", and "Elf" were some of the funniest movies you've seen in a long time, you're really gonna love this one! The standard DVD is outstanding too. The film is in widescreen and looks and sounds great, and there are a ton of extras! There's a fun commentary with Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone (who plays Rod's brother), and director Akiva Schaffer, some great outtakes and deleted scenes with optional commentary, a trailer, a behind the scenes featurette, a look at recording music for the film, and a neat comparison of the film's "punch dancing" sequence with the scene in "Footloose" that inspired it. Awesome movie and a great DVD, highly recommended!
September 21, 2008

Dumb and Hilarious

This is a movie for people who love dumb humor. If you think this movie is going to be particularly clever with perfectly funny lines at every turn, you'll be sadly mistaken. But if you watch this movie with the idea that it's just going to be ridiculous, and if you like ridiculous humor, you'll probably really enjoy it. The first time I watched it, I spent half the time thinking, "What the heck?..." but the more I watched it, the funnier those moments became. It's one of those kind of movies. I guess that's the best way for me to describe it. September 18, 2008

Very Funny!!!

This is a very funny movie about a stuntman named Rod Kimble with the help of his team, perform deadly stunts. When he finds out that his step-dad, Frank is close to his death, Rod tries to raise money for an operation so Frank can get better then Rod will beat him up to earn his respect. If you love comedy and stunts, you'll love HOT ROD!!! September 10, 2008

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