• Starring: Andy Samberg, Ian McShane, Isla Fisher
  • Summary: Amateur stuntman Rod Kimble has a problem--his step-father Frank is a jerk. Frank picks on Rod, tosses him around like a ragdoll 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. (Paramount Pictures) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 27
  2. Negative: 8 out of 27
  1. 75
    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.
  2. Reviewed by: Gregory Kirschling
    58
    Wait until the best parts pop up on YouTube.
  3. 38
    I laughed, then I wished it was funnier, then I just wished it would end.

See all 27 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 47
  3. Negative: 7 out of 47
  1. 10
    great movie, it really connects with people who are smart enough to understand that the stupidity of the movie is intentional. in that sense, this is the funniest movie ive ever seen, and should be enjoyed by lots of people. Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  2. PK
    10
    Far better than the over-rated Superbad, which was released around the same time. Hilariously awkward nerdy comedy.
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  3. NickA.
    1
    When viewing a movie as silly as 'Hot Rod,' one must sit back, relax, and alter one’s intellectual capacity to a like state – which is, in this case, a state dimwitted enough to endure brainless drivel that has somehow been mistaken for comedy. With a brief runtime of 88 minutes, this film was long past drawn-out and buried itself beneath a bundle of repetitive jokes – jokes that came at a minority and weren’t even funny in the first place. 'Hot Rod'’s base material is as superficial and irrelevant as 2004’s cult hit 'Napoleon Dynamite,' though it’s much more contrived and comes without any of the laughter. In fact, the movie’s blatant desperation to be compared to 'Napoleon Dynamite' is scornful and offensive, and left me pissed off, instead of just being annoyed. The movie, if one were compelled enough to call it such, poses a paltry story that puts self-proclaimed stuntman Rod Kimble before us, with the trifling intention of jumping fifteen buses (one more than his idol Evel Knievel jumped, so we’re told by Rod) and raising $50,000 dollars for his stepfather’s impending life-saving heart operation; all so that he can kick his stepfather’s ass, once recovered, and gain his respect… because in order to gain one’s respect, one must first kick their ass. Huh? Whatever. Each character is no more interesting than Rod’s stick-on mustache, and from the film’s opening joke to its ridiculous conclusion, each scene played like a nonsensical, and terribly unfunny, SNL skit – which, with the addition of an extra 85 minutes, is, essentially, what 'Hot Rod' strives to be. The film’s star, Andy Samberg, contributed an effort to the screen that observably exerted every last drip-drop of his comedic capabilities. Unfortunately – rather, realistically – his humorous talents are no more admirable than a five-year-old retelling his own exhausted joke that somewhere includes the innocently crude poop and pee-pee gags. And if that’s disappointing, pull a chair, hide your face in your hands, and brace yourself for the real blow: he is the film’s humor! To rescue them of their mortification, I’ll willingly omit the ghastliness of Samberg’s co-stars and their roles and leave the second third of The Lonely Island team, director Akiva Schaffer, to his non-existent talent as a director… or a comedian. Basically, every thing one could possibly do to further trample a crash-course comedy is perfectly portrayed here; and done so arrogantly, as though the film would be funnier that way. Trick yourself into believing that there’s even a single laugh in this heap, or treat yourself to another movie – any other movie. Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes

See all 47 User Reviews

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