Written by Luke Barnes
Summary
NASCAR hotshot Ricky Bobby, played by Will Ferrell, is brought low after a humiliating defeat and must regain his former glory.
I think this film mostly still holds up, yes there are one or two yikes moments by today’s standards but for the most part this is still a good film.
I think at the heart of that is the fact that this is probably, in a broadly comedic sense, Will Ferrell’s most earnest film. Yes, in his dramatic work he has done more of this kind of thing but I am coming at it from a place of comedy, and within that genre Ferrell tends to play incredibly over the top characters that scream a lot, he doesn’t do that here, not really. I think though Ferrell’s Bobby is an eccentric out there character at his core he is likeable and that is why this film works, because of this his fall from grace and then resurgence become engrossing as you care about the character and become invested in his journey.
Moreover, I also think this film has a surprisingly strong supporting cast with John C. Riley, Leslie Bibb, Gary Cole, Michael Clarke Duncan, Amy Adams and Jane Lynch all giving incredibly strong performances that are both memorable but that also add key dynamics and elements to the film.
Sasha Baron Cohen’s villain is were some of the film’s more problematic elements come out. However, I think for the most part the film errs on the side of comedy and avoids bad taste issues. Cohen for his part is on top form and delivers a number of solid laughs.
Overall, despite a few troublesome moments this film still holds up.
Pros.
The wider cast
The more earnest performance from Ferrell
The ride it takes you on
Cohen
Cons.
Pacing issues
A few troublesome jokes that haven’t aged well
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Another Millennial Reviewer 