Review of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) by Avid C — 09 Jan 2013

Talladega Nights is a typical Will Ferrell movie. It features him, and his usual antics, but with a more straight face attitude appropriate to Nascar. This time, it's all about driving, good old fashion American testosterone, and dealing with your past.

You can't take this flick seriously, if you do, you're missing the point. That being said, I'll have to contradict myself and talk about the French guy. The "pépé le pew" stereotype is over the top, even for this movie. The actor, maybe at the demand of the director, really went overboard with the accent, without even bringing in anything new. At least, when they mocked American bravado in the crepe scene, they didn't make Will more brave, they fed him counter points by having all the other characters defecting, even himself and his best friends who still told him not to concede the point.

Alright, that was too long.

The movie is an excellent laugh, and the twist really funny, especially the instant take over of the family, the cougar, and the taming of the young ones.

If you love Nascar or Will Ferrell or want to see a wacky movie, it's for you.