Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Talladega Nights is one of those movies I was rather shocked I hadn't seen, it was high profile, I don't mind Ferrell's work and you see it referenced all time yet it's taken me this long to get around to it.

I expected generic Hollywood drivel and it is, but thanks to some decent writing (In places) I'd say it's an above par effort (Just).

With a vast who's who cast and co-written by Ferrell himself this tells the story of Nascar driver Ricky Bobby as he reaches the pinnacle of the industry only to lose it all when a rival turns up and takes his spot.

With Greg Germann playing the same character he always does, namely the really easy to hate villainous type and Sacha Baron Cohen whom I simply cannot abide for some reason. Regarding him I have to say I admire his work and him as a human being, I just can't stand him in anything I've seen thus far!

The film adopts all the usual tropes you'd expect and is hugely paint by numbers, it's incredible cast feel rather wasted though it was really nice to see Gary Cole as it always is.

Some of the writing caught me off guard with how good it was, sadly that only happened 3-4 times and the rest is really generic stuff.

If you like standard Hollywood comedy you can do worse, if you want something you haven't seen a hundred times before then hop, skip and jump over it.

The Good:

Gary Cole

Some surprisingly good humor

Some great songs on the soundtrack

The Bad:

Sacha Baron Cohen

Usual formula

One of Ferrell's stronger, fearlessly idiotic films, with the style his career is built on: comedy surrounding moronic characters doing stupid stuff.

Ricky Bobby, showcasing all the stereotypical characteristics of a redneck, is a loudmouth NASCAR driver of immense talent, who either wins or crashes trying. When a sophisticated but snooty French Formula One driver encroaches on Bobby's territory, he goes all out to stay number one.

Ferrell has a great chemistry with Reilly, a connection to be visited later in their careers. In general, it is a fairly star-studded cast, Adams thrown in with a fairly minor impact role for most of the film. Cohen is recruited to lean into a daft foreign stereotype, his speciality, but with no need for subtlety on this one, blunt jokes revolving around how the character's supposed superiority and often his homosexuality is responded to by the world of NASCAR.

Much like Anchorman and Step Brothers, the film is really ridiculous, loud and brash. Something Ferrell's fans will love, and that others would hate. Honestly though, the bloopers at the end are probably the funniest part.

Will Ferrell and John C Reilly at their best. Arguably the two's greatest collaboration in the fierce, fast and extremely funny Talladega Nights, which teaches us all, in life, if you ain't first... you're last.

Ricky, a NASCAR racing sensation, is the number one racer in the world. After Jean beats him in a race and becomes the top racer, Ricky tries to regain his dominance.

The full title adding 'The Ballad of Ricky Bobby' - Talladega Nights referencing the city of Alabama and its famous Superspeedway, a landmark of NASCAR racing and a site where champions are made. Will Ferrell and Adam McKay (whom also directs) write the film; the script is hilarious, unforgettable scenes are overrun by unforgettable lines in what will have you attempting to ask someone what is the "capital of North Carolina" in a rich Eastern American accent - the writing matches the enthusiasm of all the cast, a signature role for Jack McBrayer and David Koechner as well as Sacha Baron Cohen and Amy Adams showing their versatility in acting alongside Ferrell and Reilly who seemingly bounce off one another and the vibrancy on screen appears almost improvised.

The storyline is lacking any severe quality, but ultimately, it has no right to, the film advertises a comedy and it successfully makes an audience laugh while also keeping them engrossed in the picture. The anti-climax of Gary Cole's return to Jane Lynch and the grandkids, as well as Amy Adams' rise to prominence prove comforting and sentimental moves that even surprise us viewers, but what doesn't, is that McKay and Ferrell strike a beauty - one of their finest, one of a kind.

108 minutes of sensational entertainment.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Rikcy Bobby is an incredible comedy that's gleefully stupid whilst also cleverly mocking the tropes and conventions of racing dramas. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are both incredible and have fantastic chemistry. Sacha Baron Cohen, Jane Lynch, Gary Cole and Michael Clarke Duncan are all great. It's consistently extremely funny even if a few jokes don't land. It's also well paced and Adam McKay's direction is excellent. Both the music by Alex Wurman and the soundtrack are really good.

This movie does something that is rarely done successfully done, pokes fun at the modern NASCAR circuit. Without detailing all the gags, this is pure fun which doesn't offend the tastes too often. Will Farrell is patently absurd as Ricky Bobby & the support he receives in this film from the entire cast is excellent. Gary Cole is very solid as Ricky's dad, & so is Jane Lynch as his mom. Amy Adams is solid too. In fact, the entire cast including John C. Reilly seems to have been fit into their roles like gloves.

Sasha Cohen comes off better in this as Ricky Bobbys French nemesis than he does in even Borat. He is used perfectly & fits his role really well. The story line works really well as the evolution from speed too shake & bake too magic man & me helps keep the film focused on something besides the jokes. There is just enough plot to hang the jokes on.

The script is lots of fun with references to lots of things besides NASCAR & Sex (which is all too often the only thing done as comedy today). This film proves that outrageous is much better than sex when done right as comedy. Thank goodness this is much better than the ill conceived BETWITCHED Farrell did in 2005. This film is really an excellent showcase for everyone involved. If your a NASCAR fan, you should even get some extra fun out of this one.

Get ready for the checkered flag Ricky Booby, this film is a winner all the way.