Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

Review #1706: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

Cast: 

Will Ferrell (Ricky Bobby), John C. Reilly (Cal Naughton Jr), Sacha Baron Cohen (Jean Girard), Michael Clarke Duncan (Lucius Washington), Leslie Bibb (Carley Bobby), Gary Cole (Reese Bobby), Jane Lynch (Lucy Bobby), Amy Adams (Susan), Andy Richter (Gregory), Houston Tumlin (Walker Bobby), Grayson Russell (Texas Ranger Bobby), David Koechner, Ian Roberts & Jack McBrayer (Hershell, Kyle & Glenn), Pat Hingle (Larry Dennit Sr), Greg Germann (Larry Dennit Jr), Molly Shannon (Mrs. Dennit), Ted Manson (Chip), and Rob Riggle (Jack Telmont) Directed by Adam McKay (#526 - Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, #693 - Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, #1574 - The Big Short)

Review:

There are just a few movies that are inevitable to watch, as I've said before. I was waiting to do this film for quite a while, so why not today - the fifteen year anniversary of its release? It's strange to say this, because I've had a strange time of memories when it comes to NASCAR. Honestly, I remember being a fan of racing as a kid, mostly because my dad was fan of the sport (particularly with Dale Earnhardt, as I recall); I haven't kept up with it as much, but I find it an interesting curiosity (granted, this also applies to the Indianapolis 500 but not so much with Formula One). Honestly, it is probably an interesting task to try and make a worthy movie about stock car racing when the argument about the best one at that point was between Days of Thunder and Cars (of course, one could be charitable and add The Last American Hero)? But hey, one needs a good ballad involving Talladega Superspeedway and the art of racing in the hot sun and hoping to avoid "The Big One", as the saying goes. The idea for the film came to Ferrell and McKay when the former was working on Elf (2003); despite not being huge fans of the sport, they soon got swept up in the phenomenon involved with the track experience (incidentally, Ferrell actually studied sports information at the University of Southern California). This is the second of five collaborations between director/writer McKay and Ferrell (who had met on Saturday Night Live, as McKay worked as a writer and Ferrell as a performer), who each wrote the script for this film. 

It doesn't take too many words to say that I enjoyed this one. It has fun with the sports movie formula (specifically the biopic angle) by coming off as fairly authentic in its enthusiasm for the sport (one filled with cars driving for brands, if you remember) along with having a well sense of timing and improvisation that one can see with the end credits and its various takes on certain little moments that never rides a gag for too long or overstay its welcome in 108 minutes. It rides the wave of clichés well, extolling itself about family and the spectacle of victory without condensation or fluff. Ferrell plays the title role with great relish, confident in his timing that lends itself to plenty of zingers and brash charm beyond just the race track. Reilly makes a worthy counter to Farrell, a useful second fiddle with earnest infectious charm, while Cohen zings his way through eccentricity as the main foil that plays to consistent chuckles when paired with Farrell in any type of scene, which either involves a friendly conversation about broken arms/crepes to the nature of needing to beat the other at driving. Duncan was always a solid character presence, and he certainly makes his little moments count for what is needed, made clear with an amusing sequence where he and Reilly try to "gently" help Farrell's character out of a chair and end up with two knives. The rest of the cast make it count fairly well with chuckles and warmth, whether that means with the transient (and brilliant) Cole or zippiness in Adams or even with the snappy Tumlin & Russell (Bibb and Lynch each serve as worthy counterparts to Ferrell, lest I forget). Germann rounds it out as the occasional straight man (paired at times with a spirited Shannon, naturally) that fits the film to a T with amusement that keep the film on its feet without seeming beholden to desperation; the races don't dominate the focus of the film, but one gets their fill and enjoys what they see from Talledega and perhaps sees the appeal of what draws folks to a place in Alabama every year. As a whole, it moves through its arc of rip-roaring racing and humor with plenty to offer for those who seek a feature that has not lost any steps to time that might be McKay and Ferrell's most solid work together, one for the folks who desire a bit of speed in their lives along with someone to go with it.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.