Movie review: Hot Rod (2007)

Movie review: Hot Rod (2007)

I'm a big fan of the Lonely Island dudes and the SNL Digital Shorts, so I was eager to see my brother-in-law's absolute favorite movie Hot Rod. Never heard of it? Very likely, as it was released summer of 2007 with little promotion and got downright shredded by the critics. Sprinkle in the popularity boom of Andy Samberg, and you've got the perfect recipe for a cult classic. To be honest, I can see some of the critics' points, but while it's not the perfect cult classic comedy, they're a little harsh.

Andy Samberg plays Rod, a loveably off-kilter manchild who aspired to become a stuntman like his deceased dad. He shows off his stunts with a crew of like-minded neighborhood dudes with little success. He's content with this life until he learns his step-dad is dying and plots to raise $50,000 through stunt shows to buy him a new heart so he can survive... not so much out of love, but out of a desire to "kick his ass to win his respect" before he dies.

While the comedy in the movie isn't 100% Lonely Island, you can definitely tell that Andy had a hand in writing the script, from the shot of a Yo Yo Ma library poster to the lengthy "Cool beans" scene. The humor is a little bit all over the place, which is one of the movie's main flaws. This definitely seems like a producer foulup, like they weren't quite sure who their target audience was and included jokes to appeal to any potential viewers. This leads to a disjointed vibe and a lot of underdevelopment.

One of my biggest beefs is that Bill Hader was super under utilized. I think he's one of the most talented comedic actors out there right now, and he didn't get much screen time. I understand it was mostly Andy's vehicle, but the scene where Hader gets to shine was one of my favorites. I was a little bummed there weren't more moments like that.

Still, there are genuinely funny moments and a sweet message that doesn't beat you over the head. Rod's love interest in the movie states it pretty simply when she said something to the effect of "I like that you never sold out when everyone else grew up and got boring." That's not just a good take-away life message - it's a good message to keep in mind while watching the flick. There's something to be said for a little wonderfully weird movie.

At any rate, I'm on the fence because the internet opinion of the flick seemed to be all or nothing. While I don't agree with the bloodfest the critics had, I don't think it garners as high of a cult classic status as it's getting. I simply thought it was a funny movie, a little flawed but a decent first effort from Samberg. I'm at least interested enough because of Hot Rod to see his next flick. It's not as funny as the Incredibad album or the good Digital Shorts, but I'd suggest you check it out if you're a fan of either.

Final Verdict: 6/10

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