Susan Granger’s review of “Hot Rod” (Paramount Pictures)
There have been many memorable on-screen daredevils – like Burt Reynolds in “Hooper” (1978), directed by former stuntman Hal Needham, and Peter O’Toole as a demented filmmaker in “The Stunt Man” (1980) – but Andy Samberg isn’t one of them.
Totally clueless, self-proclaimed ‘stuntman’ Rod Kimble (Samberg) believes he’s the son of Evel Knievel’s test-rider – and he’s committed to fulfilling his late father’s legacy. Problem is: he’s inept. A slacker, he lives at home with long-suffering mom Marie (Sissy Spacek) and abusive stepfather Frank (Ian McShane).
Rod’s loyal team consists of Dave (Bill Hader), the moped mechanic; Rico (Danny McBride), the ramp builder; and half-brother Kevin (Jorma Taccone), the videographer; and neighbor Denise (Isla Fisher), Rod’s love interest. When ornery Frank needs $50,000 for heart transplant surgery, they band together to help Rod stage a spectacular, death-defying jump over a fleet of 15 buses, one more than Evel Knievel ever attempted.
Working from a sketchy script by Pam Brady and directed by Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, a veteran of “Saturday Night Live” digital shorts, depends far too much on the unreliable factors of slapstick, stupidity and a soundtrack of cuts from the heavy-metal band Europe. With his cool demeanor and engaging grin, Samberg deserves more support; despite this debacle, he has a promising future.
As for the highly-touted leap, forget it. Cinematographer Andrew Dunn and editor Malcolm Campbell utilize only close-ups and reaction shots. The best ‘stunts’ are the ‘falling-down-a-mountain’ training sequence and climactic fight between Rod and Frank.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Hot Rod” is a silly, sputtering 2, a goofball comedy gone gooey. Look for the funniest sequence – the “Cool Beans” rap – on YouTube since the “Stuntman Forever” short, an outtakes movie-within-a-movie, is already online.
