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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 1723
Released: November 27, 2007 |
| Our Price: $8.51 |
| Used Price: $2.54 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
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.
Description of Hot Rod:
After making a name for himself on SNL through a series of shorts, particularly viral video favorite "Lazy Sunday," the way was clear for Andy Samberg to segue to the big screen. Directed by SNL scribe Akiva Schaffer, Hot Rod proves his humor works best in small doses. Then again, producer Will Ferrell got his start in A Night at the Roxbury. In his first starring role, Samberg is amateur stuntman Rod Kimble. To raise money for his ailing stepfather, Frank (played with devilish glee by Deadwood's Ian McShane), Rod plans to jump 15 school buses on a moped. With support from his crew, which includes SNL's Bill Hader and Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers), Rod trains for the big event. All the while, Denise (Fisher) is seeing obnoxious attorney Jonathan (Will Arnett, Arrested Development). Lack of physical dexterity aside, Rod prevails through pure dogged determination. You've seen it before, and if you can't get enough of this sort of thing, you'll see it again. Hot Rod is the kind of slapdash comedy that neglects to provide its hero with an age, a job, or even a hometown. But don't count Samberg out. Given time, he may yet craft a persona that doesn't borrow so heavily from the man-boy antics associated with Ferrell and Adam Sandler. Still, Hot Rod would've worked better with the funnier, more sympathetic Jorma Taccone, who plays Rod's half-brother, in the lead--on the other hand, that's the same formula that made Napoleon Dynamite a hit. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Hot Rod Reviews:
KILLED Napoleon Dynamite.... 
2009-11-15 - Hilarious movie - can't believe I hadn't heard about it! In the same league as Old School, 40 Year Old Virgin, etc...
Doesn't work 
2009-11-12 - I waited longer than the allotted time and when I received the DVD it didn't play. Not on my 2 DVD players and not on my 2 laptops.
So funny
2009-10-28 - This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's so ridiculous that it's hilarious. Andy Samberg is awesome on SNL and I'd say if you like what he does on there, you'll love this too. One movie that came to my mind when I saw this was Napoleon Dynamite except this one is funny. I can watch this repeatedly and still laugh every time. I highly recommend this to any comedy fan.
Perfect order
2009-10-16 - The order was exactly the way I'd expected it and I'm very happy with it.
Not so hot; more like luke-warm... 
2009-10-06 - In the same vein as `Napoleon Dynamite' and, well, just about every Will Ferrell (or Adam Sandler or Jack Black) movie out there, `Hot Rod' is a mash up of funny, awkward and absurd. Unlike those Ferrell movies (or at least most of the Ferrell movies), `Hot Rod' doesn't all come together. It has its moments; and when it is funny it is REALLY funny; but those moments are far and few in between.
This is kind of sad, because Andy Samberg is better than this (just youtube him, he is hysterical).
The film tells the story of Rod, a man-boy living at home with his mother, step-father and step-brother. Rod's father died in a horrible stunt accident, and so he spends his days trying to emulate his father by attempting stunts he is too stupid to actually complete. When his cruel and harsh step-father winds up terminally ill and in need of a `conveniently priced' heart operation, Rod decides to raise the money for the operation by performing a HUGE stunt.
He wants to save his life so he can beat him to death.
Andy has great comedic timing, and he uses that to save a lot of this films more ridiculous moments, but even he can't create funny out of overkill, and the film does suffer from that in many places. Like I said, when it is funny it is really funny (the stunts are great, and that "I like to party" scene is priceless) but it is often more awkward and absurd, two elements that only work when the funny is sprinkled in.
Samberg has a slew of talented comedians (or at least the new breed of comedian) backing him up here, and all of them lend to the comedic atmosphere. Jorma Taccone is subtle in his comedy and that works to offset Samberg's abrasiveness. Bill Hader is a comedian I don't love despite his glaring fan base, but he has his moments here. Danny McBride usually gets on my nerves, but he sells it here and delivers some of the films best moments. Isla Fisher is brilliant and I will watch her in anything, seriously. Here she is gorgeous (ugh, she is so hot) and funny and charming and sweet and totally above this movie. Sissy Spacek and Ian McShane were odd stars for this vehicle, but they both do a great job (especially McShane).
I won't `recommend' this movie, because there is a lot better out there, but I will say that it is not a complete loss. I will recommend Samberg's viral videos on youtube though, since they are all great. Just look at `Lazy Sunday' or the hilarious `I Threw it on the Ground'. Seriously, he is so much better than this movie.
