Movie Review: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Stars (Out of 10): 8
One Word Summary: Fun

       What racecar driver Ricky Bobby lacks in smarts he makes up for in speed, and as quickly as a sports car shoots from zero to sixty, Bobby's career shoots from pit crewman to NASCAR superstar. Bobby operates under the idea that if you don't come in first you might as well come in last, and that philosophy leads him on a dominant winning streak that isn't threatened until a gay French Formula 1 driver enters the league and threatens Bobby's supremacy.

       'Talladega Nights” is a Will Ferrell movie from top to bottom. Just as Adam Sandler has successfully formulated and marketed the same shtick into financially successful movie after financially successful movie, Ferrell looks to be doing the same with this dimwitted winner-to-loser-to-winner character (see Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby).

       'Talladega” is a better movie overall than 'Anchorman.” It retains the former's irreverence and its quality of not taking itself too seriously, but 'Talladega” relies less on cheap laughs and more on real comedy.

       Ferrell and John C. Reilly have a tremendous onscreen chemistry (could 'Shake and bake” be Ferrell and Reilly's 'You can do it?”), and Gary Cole's performance as Bobby's no-good father is hilarious. Molly Shannon's role is a nice tribute to SNL fans, but her character is clichéd, tired, and a waste of screen time. The only other disappointment is Sacha Baron Cohen, who's incredible as Ali G, but his caricature of a Frenchman makes 'Pink Panther” look subtle.

       What's great about 'Talladega” is that it manages to poke fun at southerners, NASCAR fans, Tom Cruise, etc. without fully alienating any of them (except probably Tom Cruise). Ferrell takes a shot at every southern icon and institution from Jesus to Chuck Norris, but he manages to do so in a funny and inclusive way. The movie's about as politically correct as a Klan rally, but there's something about the comedy that's as innocent and silly as it is funny that just seems to make it all work.

The Bottom Line is that 'Talladega Nights” is exactly the movie you think it is. All the laughs aren't wasted in the trailer, but overall it's pretty upfront about what kind of movie it's going to be. Like Will Ferrell? Liked 'Anchorman?” Thought the commercials looked funny? You're in luck because 'Talladega” deals its cards heads up, and though the result might not be a royal flush, it's certainly better than a pair of twos.