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Format:DVD
I watched "Hot Rod" today, the day after Evel Knievel passed away, but since I spent an afternoon my first semester of college crammed into a dorm lobby with dozens of others in the vain hope that the television set would magically pick up whatever was airing the daredevil's attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in a rocket sled that really did not qualify as a motorcycle that connection was inevitable. So when Knievel was mentioned by name and showed up in an autographed photograph along with the title's character dearly departed father (irony abounds) it was as it should be in a film about a young man's whose big dream is to jump a motor scooter over 15 buses. However, if you were placing a bet on the destiny of Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg), it would be that he is either going to end up in the hospital or on an episode of "Jackass" (or both).
Rod has dreamed of being a stuntman just like his dear old dad for most of his life, and he has been learning the trade on his own with the help of his personal (wrecking) crew, which consists of his half-brother Kevin (Jorma Taccone) and his best buds Dave (Bill Hader) and Rico (Danny R. McBride). Rob's stepfather Frank Powell (Ian McShane), has defeated Rob at every test of manhood the two of them can devise. Then it turns out that Frank needs a heart transplant; without it, Rob will never be able to beat this step-dad and earn the guy's respect. Rob's daredevil activities become the means towards the goal of getting the $50,000 Frank needs for a new heart (pretend that is all it costs, that hospitals make you pay up front, etc.). Plus, all these efforts might serve to impress Denise (Isla Fisher), the girl of Rob's dreams. She is dating a total jerk (Will Arnett), so Rob's chances are pretty good. Actually, they are way better than they are that he is going to be able to jump 15 buses with a moped.
This 2007 summer comedy is pleasant enough, mainly because Samberg's Rob is a nice guy. His problem is simply that he does not know his limitations and is running (or riding) full-speed towards disaster. This compares quite favorably to most of the first movies made by "Saturday Night Live" cast members when they got a chance to be stars (e.g, Molly Shannon in "Superstar," Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan in "A Night at the Roxbury," Rob Schneider in "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo"). Like Adam Sandler in "Billy Madison," Samberg is helped by the fact he is not saddled with a "SNL" character for his first starring role (except for Wayne and Garth, how many of them that go to the big screen are all that loveable?). Not everything here works (the scene where Rod decides to pronounce all "wh" words as "hw" is an odd insert into the proceedings), but in the end, I round up on "Hot Rod" because of the stirring scene when Rod walks down the street to his destiny while the inspirational power chords rev up in the background. Things do not go quite as planned and for me it was by far the biggest laugh in the film. Earlier in the film there is a take off on the scene in "Footloose" where Kevin Beacon dances by himself, with Rod finding his quiet place out in the forest that had its moments as well. I will probably never watch this movie again, but it was fun to watch once and it was certainly nice to watch it today.
Rod has dreamed of being a stuntman just like his dear old dad for most of his life, and he has been learning the trade on his own with the help of his personal (wrecking) crew, which consists of his half-brother Kevin (Jorma Taccone) and his best buds Dave (Bill Hader) and Rico (Danny R. McBride). Rob's stepfather Frank Powell (Ian McShane), has defeated Rob at every test of manhood the two of them can devise. Then it turns out that Frank needs a heart transplant; without it, Rob will never be able to beat this step-dad and earn the guy's respect. Rob's daredevil activities become the means towards the goal of getting the $50,000 Frank needs for a new heart (pretend that is all it costs, that hospitals make you pay up front, etc.). Plus, all these efforts might serve to impress Denise (Isla Fisher), the girl of Rob's dreams. She is dating a total jerk (Will Arnett), so Rob's chances are pretty good. Actually, they are way better than they are that he is going to be able to jump 15 buses with a moped.
This 2007 summer comedy is pleasant enough, mainly because Samberg's Rob is a nice guy. His problem is simply that he does not know his limitations and is running (or riding) full-speed towards disaster. This compares quite favorably to most of the first movies made by "Saturday Night Live" cast members when they got a chance to be stars (e.g, Molly Shannon in "Superstar," Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan in "A Night at the Roxbury," Rob Schneider in "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo"). Like Adam Sandler in "Billy Madison," Samberg is helped by the fact he is not saddled with a "SNL" character for his first starring role (except for Wayne and Garth, how many of them that go to the big screen are all that loveable?). Not everything here works (the scene where Rod decides to pronounce all "wh" words as "hw" is an odd insert into the proceedings), but in the end, I round up on "Hot Rod" because of the stirring scene when Rod walks down the street to his destiny while the inspirational power chords rev up in the background. Things do not go quite as planned and for me it was by far the biggest laugh in the film. Earlier in the film there is a take off on the scene in "Footloose" where Kevin Beacon dances by himself, with Rod finding his quiet place out in the forest that had its moments as well. I will probably never watch this movie again, but it was fun to watch once and it was certainly nice to watch it today.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By K. Driscoll
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
Not long ago I wrote a review for the funny and creative Mike Judge film, Idiocracy. Although I found it's seething commentary agreeable, I must admit that just because the film may be right, it does not suddenly make me any less vulnerable to finding humor in any of the many silly and cheap gags that persist in the undeniably hilarious Andy Samberg feature film debut, Hot Rod. Stupidity is was it is and to me at least, what it is, at times, is comedy gold.
Rod (Samberg) is a grown man who lives with his mother, his step brother, and his step father. He longs to earn the respect of his step father by defeating him in hand-to-hand combat. Rod, like his late father was assumed to be, is a stuntman. He wears a silly outfit and a phony mustache to extenuate his showmanship. His stunts are silly dramatic jumps he does on his moped. So far it sounds like a weak story setting the stage for a fictionalized version of the shenanigans one may see on Jackass. It is not far from that of course. Rod's step father has a bad heart and his insurance company won't cover his high risk heart operation. No matter, because Rod is going to raise the money by jumping seven buses so he can save his step father and subsequently defeat him in hand-to-hand combat, and therefore become a man. No, it is not an existential film, nor is it a sharp commentary against the crumbled American health care system. It is just a vehicle to make teenage potheads laugh, and although I'm not a teenage pothead myself I still laughed...loudly, and often.
Sometimes, I prefer my comedy straight forward and without any other obvious motives. I like to have something in the background that makes me laugh without being attached to the film. I like the three stooges. I loved Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I like Zucker movies and I like Farrelly movies. I loved Ron Burgundy and Billy Madison makes me laugh harder every single time I see it. I even liked Norm MacDonald in Dirty Work and Chris Farley's brand of humor is exactly the brand for me. If you think most of the above is silly and not funny to you then I suggest you pass on Hot Rod.
It's important to note that Hot Rod is more derivative then most similar comedies. It is a lot of the same silly humor recycled or used with an even more extreme spin. It pulls some punches in spots where I would've hoped for more. It is also only PG-13 and I must admit that sometimes I prefer my humor a bit dirtier. Either way, it isn't a real movie per se and I would never give a movie created in this mold a perfect rating no matter how much it made me laugh. So Hot Rod doesn't get a whole-hearted recommendation as it is fundamentally lacking some key elements it needs to tell an actual story, but if you like this kind of thing and want a good laugh then I'd strongly suggest you pick it up.
Rod (Samberg) is a grown man who lives with his mother, his step brother, and his step father. He longs to earn the respect of his step father by defeating him in hand-to-hand combat. Rod, like his late father was assumed to be, is a stuntman. He wears a silly outfit and a phony mustache to extenuate his showmanship. His stunts are silly dramatic jumps he does on his moped. So far it sounds like a weak story setting the stage for a fictionalized version of the shenanigans one may see on Jackass. It is not far from that of course. Rod's step father has a bad heart and his insurance company won't cover his high risk heart operation. No matter, because Rod is going to raise the money by jumping seven buses so he can save his step father and subsequently defeat him in hand-to-hand combat, and therefore become a man. No, it is not an existential film, nor is it a sharp commentary against the crumbled American health care system. It is just a vehicle to make teenage potheads laugh, and although I'm not a teenage pothead myself I still laughed...loudly, and often.
Sometimes, I prefer my comedy straight forward and without any other obvious motives. I like to have something in the background that makes me laugh without being attached to the film. I like the three stooges. I loved Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I like Zucker movies and I like Farrelly movies. I loved Ron Burgundy and Billy Madison makes me laugh harder every single time I see it. I even liked Norm MacDonald in Dirty Work and Chris Farley's brand of humor is exactly the brand for me. If you think most of the above is silly and not funny to you then I suggest you pass on Hot Rod.
It's important to note that Hot Rod is more derivative then most similar comedies. It is a lot of the same silly humor recycled or used with an even more extreme spin. It pulls some punches in spots where I would've hoped for more. It is also only PG-13 and I must admit that sometimes I prefer my humor a bit dirtier. Either way, it isn't a real movie per se and I would never give a movie created in this mold a perfect rating no matter how much it made me laugh. So Hot Rod doesn't get a whole-hearted recommendation as it is fundamentally lacking some key elements it needs to tell an actual story, but if you like this kind of thing and want a good laugh then I'd strongly suggest you pick it up.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.1 out of 5 stars
189 reviews
46 of 52 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Either you get it, or you don't.
Nov 13 2007
By James R. Cady
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:DVD
I'm going to cut right to the chase. This movie has a few moments that just don't hit it home. That said, they are exactly that. Moments. This movie was not made to be "good" by any traditional standards. I've heard and read complaints about how the story is shallow, or how the character doesn't even have an age, or hometown, or job, or whatever...but who cares?
Listen..you can't watch this movie expecting to come away with some deeper meaning. There's not one there. Even I'll admit that. You can't watch American Beauty and expect to come away holding your sides. Just as American Beauty was a great film because it conveyed perfectly what it set out to convey, so to is Superbad, because it was exactly what it seemed: An '80s teen movie...that just happened to come out in 2007.
If you have a soft spot in your heart for The Breakfast Club, or even Mighty Ducks (I know, it's not an 80's movie), you will find a familiar, albeit slightly twisted home in this film. If you don't like movies with montages, or Europe music, or cut an paste dialogue music video clips, then you're right...don't see it. I didn't enjoy Fight Club...but I don't trash it, because it just wasn't my thing. It was a great movie for it's audience. So is this.
Enjoy!
Listen..you can't watch this movie expecting to come away with some deeper meaning. There's not one there. Even I'll admit that. You can't watch American Beauty and expect to come away holding your sides. Just as American Beauty was a great film because it conveyed perfectly what it set out to convey, so to is Superbad, because it was exactly what it seemed: An '80s teen movie...that just happened to come out in 2007.
If you have a soft spot in your heart for The Breakfast Club, or even Mighty Ducks (I know, it's not an 80's movie), you will find a familiar, albeit slightly twisted home in this film. If you don't like movies with montages, or Europe music, or cut an paste dialogue music video clips, then you're right...don't see it. I didn't enjoy Fight Club...but I don't trash it, because it just wasn't my thing. It was a great movie for it's audience. So is this.
Enjoy!
40 of 46 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
HOT ROD
Nov 5 2007
By Cadet
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:DVD
"Yes" is my response to this movie. Finally a movie that understands what is truly important in this world: 80s music training montages, fighting people HARD, being totally awesome, and love. It's not obvious Will Ferrell jokes, or Napoleon Dynamite non-jokes, it's somewhere inbetween...and then a sharp right turn off into space. Hot Rod is its own brand of genius- the genius of The Lonely Island.
29 of 33 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A modest film with a lot of heart...much like Rod himself.
Nov 20 2007
By Cubist
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:DVD
Hot Rod marks one of the first films to feature the new generation of Saturday Night Live members with Andy Samberg and Bill Hader. It's standard practice that SNL has become a launching pad for a movie career. Do Samberg and Hader have what it takes to make that jump from the small screen to the big one? If you put Footloose (Special Collector's Edition), Napoleon Dynamite - Like, the Best Special Edition Ever!, and Nacho Libre (Special Collector's Edition) into a blender, Hot Rod would be the martini you would get.
Andy Samberg plays the eternal optimist with zero talent and tons of ambition. He's the Ed Wood of the stuntmen world. He commits himself completely to the role and is likable enough. Isla Fisher is absolutely adorable as the film's love interest and lights up the screen with her engaging smile infectious energy.
Hot Rod follows the tried and true formula of the inept underdog who doggedly pursues his goal despite a lack of any kind of talent. However, this film has a very off-kilter, staccato rhythm all its own, reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite, that is surprisingly refreshing.
The film features unusual exchanges between characters, like when Rod asks Denise, who would win a fight: a grilled cheese sandwich or a taco, to which she replies, "In a fair fight or prison rules?" This should give you an idea of what kind of film this is. To further throw you off, the film's soundtrack is populated by 1970s prog rock, cheesy 1980s synth-pop and a scary abundance of music by Europe that makes you wonder just what year this film is set in.
Hot Rod is not a gut-busting, laugh out loud funny film but funny in its own unassuming way. Just when you think this is going to be another tired, formulaic SNL film, it takes a hard left into strangeville. Hot Rod has a quirky, personal feel of an independent film and not a studio picture. It is one of those films completely misrepresented by its trailers but in a good way. It is a modest film with a lot of heart - much like its protagonist.
There is an audio commentary by director Akiva Schaffer and actors Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. They mainly banter and crack jokes with Schaffer being the only one remotely trying to stay on topic. They ruthlessly make fun of each other which is pretty entertaining even if it feels like a series of in-jokes at times.
"Ancestors Protect Me: Behind the Scenes of Hot Rod" is a jokey take on the usual promotional featurette as cast and crew ham it up for the camera and poke fun at these kinds of extras.
Also included are 13 deleted and extended scenes with optional commentary by Schaffer, Samberg and Taccone. They crack jokes about this footage and explain that it was cut because of time constraints.
There is also an "Outtakes Reel" that is an odd collection of bits that aren't all that funny per se, but rather peculiar - kind of like the film itself.
"Kevin's Videos" are eight clips shot by Rod's step-brother Kevin that were glimpsed in excerpts in the film. These are funny "promos" and "training exercises" showing how inept Rod is at, well, anything physical. One promo has Rod admiring a jetski that's not his.
"Punch-Dance" takes a look at Rod's "inspiring" tribute to one of the dance sequences in Footloose with a shot-by-shot comparison that is quite funny.
"Home Video Footage of Orchestra Recording Session" is exactly what you get and that's it.
Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.
Andy Samberg plays the eternal optimist with zero talent and tons of ambition. He's the Ed Wood of the stuntmen world. He commits himself completely to the role and is likable enough. Isla Fisher is absolutely adorable as the film's love interest and lights up the screen with her engaging smile infectious energy.
Hot Rod follows the tried and true formula of the inept underdog who doggedly pursues his goal despite a lack of any kind of talent. However, this film has a very off-kilter, staccato rhythm all its own, reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite, that is surprisingly refreshing.
The film features unusual exchanges between characters, like when Rod asks Denise, who would win a fight: a grilled cheese sandwich or a taco, to which she replies, "In a fair fight or prison rules?" This should give you an idea of what kind of film this is. To further throw you off, the film's soundtrack is populated by 1970s prog rock, cheesy 1980s synth-pop and a scary abundance of music by Europe that makes you wonder just what year this film is set in.
Hot Rod is not a gut-busting, laugh out loud funny film but funny in its own unassuming way. Just when you think this is going to be another tired, formulaic SNL film, it takes a hard left into strangeville. Hot Rod has a quirky, personal feel of an independent film and not a studio picture. It is one of those films completely misrepresented by its trailers but in a good way. It is a modest film with a lot of heart - much like its protagonist.
There is an audio commentary by director Akiva Schaffer and actors Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. They mainly banter and crack jokes with Schaffer being the only one remotely trying to stay on topic. They ruthlessly make fun of each other which is pretty entertaining even if it feels like a series of in-jokes at times.
"Ancestors Protect Me: Behind the Scenes of Hot Rod" is a jokey take on the usual promotional featurette as cast and crew ham it up for the camera and poke fun at these kinds of extras.
Also included are 13 deleted and extended scenes with optional commentary by Schaffer, Samberg and Taccone. They crack jokes about this footage and explain that it was cut because of time constraints.
There is also an "Outtakes Reel" that is an odd collection of bits that aren't all that funny per se, but rather peculiar - kind of like the film itself.
"Kevin's Videos" are eight clips shot by Rod's step-brother Kevin that were glimpsed in excerpts in the film. These are funny "promos" and "training exercises" showing how inept Rod is at, well, anything physical. One promo has Rod admiring a jetski that's not his.
"Punch-Dance" takes a look at Rod's "inspiring" tribute to one of the dance sequences in Footloose with a shot-by-shot comparison that is quite funny.
"Home Video Footage of Orchestra Recording Session" is exactly what you get and that's it.
Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.
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4.1 out of 5 stars
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