August 10, 2006

{ Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby }

http://www.crowndozen.com/main/archives/upload/2006/08/talladega2233445-thumb.bmp

Admittedly, I'm a prime example of the target audience for this particular brand of southern-fried deeply-retarded buffoonery, but damned if I didn't laugh so hard that my gut hurt after I stumbled out of the theater. It's shit-your-pants funny, pretty much beginning to end. My enjoyment of the film was only amplified by the fact that I shared the theater with many of the dumbass redneck stereotypes Talladega Nights plays for laughs, like the guys sitting next to Shane who every time two male characters kissed on screen said "That's makin' me sick. I'ma throw up...." And by casting as it's antagonist a gay French Formula One driver attempting to conquer American stock-car racing, the film likely intended to do just that. It's that kind of wink-and-nod scripting that allows it to pierce the Mason-Dixon comedy line. And thankfully, the trailers drop only a scant handful of the film's best lines, and every scene is pushed to the comedic limit, played with intensely deadpanned sincerity by the cast. Props also to my man Jesse "The Ladykiller of the Lobby" Clark, for kicking it all up a notch with his karaoke of Crystal Gale at the film's climax. I got $500 worth of laughs for my $7.50.

» Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby at IMDB.com

By Adam in Film & TV, Singles | Comments:

Comments

For those of us who only know how to count to #1 this is promising news especially we who live in a land where the culture of cars whose only path is a lightning fast circle is muted by stupid things like high art, public transit and libraries.

Posted by: Aaron at August 11, 2006 8:20 AM

screw all that. once you live in the deep south, you get numb to all the madness. the next thing you know, you're shitcanned and wearin' bright color and screamin' for your favorite driver. well, okay, maybe not all that applies to me. but, i have been to a race or two at talladega. that's right. joke all you want. it's actually entertaining even for us non-fans. in short, look for me in the crowd shots. they shot several last fall when i was there. "ricky bobby" was the master of ceremonies, or announcer, or whatever you call the guy who yells "gentlemen, start your engines."

when you live in dixie, you can't deny it's pull. you can only hope to pull through. remember to vote charles barkley on your bama democratic ticket...

Posted by: carter at August 16, 2006 6:36 AM

All I have to say is a movie with a cougar in it always gets my vote.

Posted by: TLai at August 16, 2006 8:18 PM

Yee Haw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Aaron at August 21, 2006 2:16 PM