“Hot Rod”
Director Akiva Schaffer
PARAMOUNT PICTURES
You would think that Andy “The Lonely Island” Samberg, the man we have to thank for “Saturday Night Live” skits such as “Lazy Sunday” and “Dick in a Box,” could turn anything into comedic gold. But while Samberg might have viewers rolling with laughter with his digital shorts, his brand of slapstick parodies do not transfer to the big screen.
In his first feature film, “Hot Rod,” Samberg plays Rod Kimble, a self-proclaimed stuntman with no talent or luck for the occupation. However, when his abrasive stepfather, Frank, needs $50,000 for a life-saving heart transplant, Kimble decides to raise money by jumping 15 school buses on a motorbike. Supported by his motley crew of friends, Kimble wants the money so he and Frank can finally have a fair fight so Kimble can prove to his stepfather that he is a man.
While this comedy is in the same vein as many “SNL” alumni’s films and uses the self-deprecating random humor that “Napoleon Dynamite” made popular, “Hot Rod” hardly garners a chuckle. Instead of making waves as a sizzling hot summer comedy, “Hot Rod” burns out soon after the opening credits.
Kimble’s stepfather is such a jerk, you hope that Frank would just die already so the movie would end. Kimble’s friends put up a half-hearted struggle during his momentary change of heart, making it seem that even the film’s cast realized what a monstrous failure this film would become and they were all too willing to abandon ship. And although you want the likable Kimble to succeed and get the girl, it’s not enough motivation to stick around and watch the predictable ending.
The movie’s downfall is a terrible script. No matter how good the actor, without giving him something to work with, there’s nothing to save. Any slightly humorous gags are drawn out far past where they should be, effectively killing the joke and, in turn, annoying the viewer. The same visual gags are overused and overplayed, many of which can be seen in previous summer hit movies. For example, there is an extended dance scene outside a liquor store that was hilarious when Jay did it in “Clerks,” but unfortunately “Hot Rod” reused the scene too many years too late.
The film drags on, making the approximately 90-minute movie seem much longer. Random scenes with no comedic substance, including a montage of an Asian man who humps everything, are added to prolong the misery of the audience. The viewer begins to look for any scene that could prove an ending for the film. Unfortunately, “Hot Rod” ends with the most drawn-out, boring scene, concluding the film on the same sour note that pervades the entire movie.
And while the movie tries to solicit viewers by presenting their protagonist as a noble loser trying to save the world using zany antics, actors like Adam Sandler have been making these films for years ““ with much better results.
““ Michelle Castillo
E-mail Castillo at mcastillo@media.ucla.edu.