HOT ROD HAD ME AT 'HELLO'...This is a typical, untypical buddy movie centering around "hot" Rod (Andy Samburg) and his closest pals, Kevin (Jorma Taccone), Dave (Bill Hadler) and Rico (Danny McBride). He lives with his mother (Sissy Spacek) and his stepfather (Ian McShane), whose respect he is trying, in earnest, to earn. He believes his biological father was a stunt driver who worked with Evel Knievel. He and his posse take things very seriously, which makes this character (and his friends) even more lovable. Yes, he's a bit of a loser, but he is so over-the-top and full of sincerity that you come to like the guy because he's just a guy with a dream. The unexpected stomps all over the word cliche, which makes an enjoyable film. Some cliches are played straight and others take a twist that you wouldn't had seen coming if you tried. Rod's step-father takes ill, and so Rod makes it his all consuming mission to raise enough money to pay for his step-father's surgery, because, as Rod puts it, "I'd rather die than live in a world where I can't kick your ass." 
You think you see a scene coming and it turns on you fast as you can blink. This film has been compared with Napoleon Dynamite, but that's just stupid. Watch for the scene where Rod has to go "punch dancing out his rage", but only if you've seen Footloose. There is a certain authentic aura of looser-ness that other films have attempted to achieve and it felt forced. I love the work that Andy Samburg does on Saturday Night Live and you can see some of that clever foolishness shown here as well. It's just a fun movie that makes fun of itself and the obvious cliches. This may not be the greatest or best comedy around, but it has heart and grit and determination, just like Rod. This was a pleasure to watch and very cleverly pulled off. Any other actors, I believe, would have made this a bad movie, but this cast was perfect. I think this movie was the universe's way of saying, "we're really sorry about that Lohan movie."
You think you see a scene coming and it turns on you fast as you can blink. This film has been compared with Napoleon Dynamite, but that's just stupid. Watch for the scene where Rod has to go "punch dancing out his rage", but only if you've seen Footloose. There is a certain authentic aura of looser-ness that other films have attempted to achieve and it felt forced. I love the work that Andy Samburg does on Saturday Night Live and you can see some of that clever foolishness shown here as well. It's just a fun movie that makes fun of itself and the obvious cliches. This may not be the greatest or best comedy around, but it has heart and grit and determination, just like Rod. This was a pleasure to watch and very cleverly pulled off. Any other actors, I believe, would have made this a bad movie, but this cast was perfect. I think this movie was the universe's way of saying, "we're really sorry about that Lohan movie." RIP: Evel Knievel.
Rating: Very funny movie but only if you have some sense of humor. "Cool beans".
