Riding on the coattails of biopics Ray and Walk the Line is the fictional biography of NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby (Ferrell). The film opens with Ricky's birth: his father, Reese (Gary Cole) is a racecar driver and driving his car over 100 mph to get his pregnant wife Lucy (Jane Lynch) to the hospital, but he is so excited about his speed that he drives past the hospital. After listening to his wife yell he tells her to hold on to something and he slams on the breaks and his son is born. Beginning life in this way it is no wonder Ricky Bobby loved speed. His motto (the quote he lives his life by) "If you ain't first, you're last" was said Reese (his dad) when he was drunk and these words have motivated all of Ricky's actions. At his side is his best friend and teammate Cal Naughton (Reilly) and together they make up the dynamic duo of "Shake & Bake" which means Cal positions his car so Ricky can slingshot into the lead and Cal can finish in second place because as Ricky points out "You can't have two number ones" and Cal concurs, "Cause that would be eleven". Along for the ride is Ricky's smokin' hot wife Carley (Leslie Bibb), who only wants to be a driver's wife and his out-of-control sons Walker (Houston Tumlin) & Texas Ranger (Grayson Russel). When Carley's father complains about the behavior of the boys Ricky explains that his sons are winners and they act like winners and Carley responds with the funniest line of the film "If we wanted two wussies, we would have named them Dr. Quinn and Medicine Woman!". Keeping Ricky racing is his team: Lucius (Michael Clarke Duncan) his crew chief and friend, and Susan (Amy Adams) his assistant.
At the prime of his career "I wake up in the morning and I piss excellence!" his team adds a French driver, Jean Girard (Cohen). Girard immediately becomes Ricky's nemesis by 1.playing jazz on the jukebox "Nobody plays jazz at the Pit Stop!", 2.being French "You sound like a dog with peanut butter on the roof of your mouth", 3.being gay (he passes out from all the 'gayness') and 4.for continually beating him. Look for some hilarious cameos and minor characters such as Girard's husband Gregory (Andy Richter) and Ricky's car owner's wife Mrs. Dennit (Molly Shannon).
My dad, a NASCAR fan, LOVES this film as do my brother & I (who remain apathetic towards racing in general). Ferrell is great, but don't count out the talents of Cohen & Reilly who hold their own. Like most biopics this film chronicles Ricky's rise to fame, the obstacles he can't seem to overcome (he has a bad accident), and his triumph over the obstacles...but unlike other biopics this is consistently funny and over-the-top but thats what is great about this film. Enjoy!
Dude, it's quotable: not always appropriate, but there are some classic one-liners and funny conversations
Buy it w/o seeing it: Will Ferrell movies, in my opinion, are either hit-or-miss but a lot of the appeal is based on what you think if funny...I don't currently own this film but it is definitely missing from my collection. If you aren't convinced then rent it a few times and you'll be sold!
At the prime of his career "I wake up in the morning and I piss excellence!" his team adds a French driver, Jean Girard (Cohen). Girard immediately becomes Ricky's nemesis by 1.playing jazz on the jukebox "Nobody plays jazz at the Pit Stop!", 2.being French "You sound like a dog with peanut butter on the roof of your mouth", 3.being gay (he passes out from all the 'gayness') and 4.for continually beating him. Look for some hilarious cameos and minor characters such as Girard's husband Gregory (Andy Richter) and Ricky's car owner's wife Mrs. Dennit (Molly Shannon).
My dad, a NASCAR fan, LOVES this film as do my brother & I (who remain apathetic towards racing in general). Ferrell is great, but don't count out the talents of Cohen & Reilly who hold their own. Like most biopics this film chronicles Ricky's rise to fame, the obstacles he can't seem to overcome (he has a bad accident), and his triumph over the obstacles...but unlike other biopics this is consistently funny and over-the-top but thats what is great about this film. Enjoy!
Dude, it's quotable: not always appropriate, but there are some classic one-liners and funny conversations
Buy it w/o seeing it: Will Ferrell movies, in my opinion, are either hit-or-miss but a lot of the appeal is based on what you think if funny...I don't currently own this film but it is definitely missing from my collection. If you aren't convinced then rent it a few times and you'll be sold!
Rating: PG-13 for crude & sexual humor, language, drug references and brief comic violence
Director: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell as Ricky Bobby
Sacha Baron Cohen as Jean Girard
John C. Reilly as Cal Naughton
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