| | | Smack Destiny in the Face.
Amateur stuntman Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg) has a problem - his step-father Frank (Ian McShane) is a jerk. Frank picks on Rod, tosses him around like a rag doll in their weekly sparring sessions, and definitely doesn't respect him, much less his stunts. But when Frank falls ill, it's up to Rod to stage the jump of his life in order to save his step-father. The plan: Jump 15 buses, raise the money for Frank's heart operation, and then...kick his ass.
"...a breezy farce with enough fall-down-and-go-boom tomfoolery to send the kids into fits of laughter, and contains just enough of a hipster edge to entertain the adults." Brian Orndorf, DVD Talk
"...a fresh, hip take on the Bumbling Idiot genre that made Will Ferrell a superstar...an amiable mix of birthday-entertainer goofiness and klutzy bravado." Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
"...that perfect delicacy: A silly movie about ridiculous characters that's also actually funny. Hilarious, even." Connie Ogle, Miami Herald
"...a cousin to the comedies of Will Ferrell with a younger skew, a kooky '80s nostalgia...and a low-key amiability..." Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"A funny and irreverent movie!" Susan Carpenter, Los Angeles Times
Editor's Note
Amateur suburban stunt man Rod Kimble (SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE's Andy Samberg) believes he's destined to follow in the footsteps of his late father, who made test runs of Evel Knievel's stunts before the better-known daredevil repeated them and took all the glory. Kimble risks life and limb strictly for fun and the entertainment of the neighborhood kids, but when his macho stepfather, Frank (DEADWOOD's Ian McShane)--who repeatedly beats and belittles Rod in basement sparring matches--develops a life-threatening heart ailment, Rod attempts the biggest jump of his career to raise the $50,000 necessary to get Frank a heart transplant so that he can have one last chance to fight Frank and prove his manhood.HOT ROD establishes its mission statement early on when Rod pedals his moped past a Salvation Army thrift store in his sloppily hand-decorated costume. Seemingly inspired by NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, THE KARATE KID, and the HAPPY DAYS episode in which the Fonz attempts to jump his motorcycle over 14 garbage cans, director Akiva Schaffer (Samberg's longtime cohort in the online comedy venture THE LONELY ISLAND) sets Pam Brady's (TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE) screenplay in what seems like the mid-1980's (complete with Europe-heavy hair metal soundtrack), though allowing for the existence of the Internet and Vitamin Water. The simple plotline is merely a jumping-off point for a series of failed stunts and often hilarious non-sequiturs. Samberg is likeable in his first starring role, but he is more than equaled by a supporting cast including SNL's Bill Hader, Danny McBride, fellow Lonely Islander Jorma Taccone, and Isla Fisher (WEDDING CRASHERS), who comprise Rod's loyal crew. McShane chews the retro scenery when onscreen and the always-welcome Sissy Spacek lends credibility to the proceedings in her few scenes as Rod's mom.
| Features | Audio: English, French, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Dubbed: French, Spanish | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, French, Spanish |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Paramount Home Video |
| Release Date: 1/27/2009 |
| Running Time: 87 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2007 | | Catalog ID: 337924 | | UPC: 00097363379249 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English, French Dubbed, Spanish Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: French, Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Widescreen 2.35:1 |
| Cast & Crew
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| | Professional Reviews | Empire
3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]here's a lot to enjoy....The best moments are musical, like a Footloose-spoofing sequence....Well worth checking out." 10/01/2007 p.52Total Film
3 stars out of 5 -- "[With a] so-bad-it's brilliant '80s soundtrack....Sweet-spirited at heart..." 11/01/2007 p.50 Variety 6 of 10
It worked for Will Ferrell in "Anchorman" and "Talladega Nights": Devise a cocktail-napkin sketch of a character and hope the movie falls in place around it. But by the time "Hot Rod" reached the screen, Ferrell had stepped aside, leaving "Saturday Night Live's" Andy Samberg to play amateur stuntman and accident magnet Rod Kimble. Those hoping for feature-length doses of Samberg's "Lazy Sunday" wit will have to settle for just plain lazy, as "Hot Rod" aims low and still manages to miss its target...In one of "Napoleon Dynamite's" more memorable gags, Jon Heder set up a sweet bicycle jump, only to nosedive on liftoff. "Hot Rod" repeats the same joke ad nauseum as Samberg's unflappable Rod Kimble barrels headfirst into one daredevil stunt after another, eating pavement every time...Samberg makes the move to features with cohorts Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone; trio got their start as Web-based comedy troupe the Lonely Island. Schaffer directs, while Taccone co-stars as Rod's half-brother Kevin..."Hot Rod" exists in the moment, offering plenty of laughs in passing while paying minimal attention to character. It is yet another example of a comedy that refuses to be taken seriously -- concept as clothesline for all manner of silliness. - Peter Debruge
Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
Rod is played by Andy Samberg from "Saturday Night Live," who on the basis of this film, I think, could become a very big star. With a trusting face, a gigantic smile and an occasional Burt Reynolds mustache, he has the innocence of many great comedians who always seem surprised at the way their schemes turn out; like Buster Keaton, he springs up after every disaster, ready for more...The movie is funny because it is sincere. It likes Rod. It doesn't portray him as a maniacal goofball, but as an ambitious kid who really thinks, every single time, that he will succeed. In creating this aura of sincerity, "Hot Rod" benefits from Spacek's performance: She plays the mom absolutely straight, without inflection, as if she were not in a comedy. That's the only right choice; supporting characters are needed to reinforce Rod, not compete with him...Rod's would-be girlfriend Denise (Isla Fisher) is, of course, going with another guy, but Rod persists in the belief that his inevitable fame will win her over, as if girls are searching for guys with his job description (Knievel had to kidnap his own first wife, but to be fair, he wasn't yet a daredevil). All of these characters and some of the conflicts are familiar from other movies, but "Hot Rod" puts a nice spin on them. - Roger Ebert
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