Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

Overrated and overhyped

From my favorite movies..

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Talladega Nights is a very funny take on the Midwestern redneck Nascar fan and Will Ferrell and John C Reilly make an amazing partnership. The main focus is on the Nascar and when a rival European(Sasha Baron Cohen in a hilarious turn as a gay racer) openly challenges Ricky Bobby(Ferrell) the game is on. The racing scenes are good although the focus is always on the funny bits. You should definitely see this if you're a Will Ferrell fan.

A jarringly unfunny film that shames all of the great Hollywood comedies.The acting,script,and everything else is terrible. A send-up of red-neck habits and a whole roster of unfathomable American cultural in-jokes that fails to amuse on any level.Will Farrell is obviously an acquired taste and he and the film strain at being funny and it shows. The lines are delivered so clunkyly badly and with no pace that it is as though the actors aren't reacting to each other.All the French stuff is of course insulting and of course he's gay and has a husband.let's all laugh at the funny French man! Quite who it is aimed at I don't know but obviously not my age group(over 60).

Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) grew up wanting to go fast. His absentee dad returns one day at school. He leaves with parting words "If you ain't first, you're last." He grows up to be the best NASCAR driver around who either wins or crashes. He marries hot groupie Carley (Leslie Bibb). His best friend is Cal Naughton Jr. (John C. Reilly) who always helps Ricky but never gets any help in return. Their boss Larry Dennit Jr. (Greg Germann) inherited the team and hates Ricky. He hires new super gay French driver Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen) from Formula 1 and he's really good. After a crash, he has a mental breakdown while Jean has taken over. Meanwhile he can't seem to get his speed back.Everybody is a wild and crazy character. It needs a straight man for the team. It's completely insane. It's funny at first but the craziness does get tiresome. Without a straight man, this doesn't take a break or allow the audience to see the jokes reacted to. Even Ron Burgundy has Veronica Corningstone. There are some truly hilarious laughs like Ricky stabbing himself in the leg. I smiled for much of the movie. I just didn't have enough big gut busting laughs.

First and foremost, I am not one to spend a hour on my review nor do I think that's important in any way shape or form. I don't get paid for my review, so this is it: This movie starts off slow; with some one liners that aren't funny and a plot that is as foreseeable as a weather forecast. But, where I think a lot of people go wrong, is cutting this movie short. Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) isn't likable at first, but halfway through the movie, you start to connect to the hardships that he experiences and the failures that sometimes swallow success. The real joy is connecting to the characters and laughing at their portrayals. This comedy isn't paid laughter, but rather, free enjoyment.If you're into shallow laughter then that is fine. Different strokes for different folks; however, if you want to enjoy an entertaining comedy that has great character development and execution, then you may like Talladega Nights.Give it a shot.