Hot Rod (2007)

Originally Written 

Saturday, February 9, 2008

A Saturday Night Live director and team of producers attempt to capitalize on the success of the sleeper hit Napoleon Dynamite with their own low budget, independent comedy Hot Rod. And it will come as no surprise what you get with a film produced, directed and starring people of a show that hasn't been consistently funny in years. Hot Rod is definitely no Napoleon Dynamite, although the similarities between the two films are striking at times, Hot Rod is only mildly funny and completely stupid.

Andy Samberg plays Rod Kimble, a slacker with dreams of becoming a professional stuntman. His stepbrother is wimp, and he's constantly battling (literally) his stepfather Frank for his respect. When he learns that Frank has a heart condition which only gives him a matter of months to live, Rod is determined to raise the $50,000 for Frank's surgery just so he can beat the crap out of him when he recovers and prove to him he's a man. So Rod begins to do stunts full-time in order to raise money, the only problem is Rod has no talent.  His stuntman dreams are based on a lie and any chance of him raising $50,000 in enough time to save his stepfather's life appears impossible, unless Rod can successfully set a bus jumping record.

Hot Rod is a level of stupid only the people of Saturday Night Live could dream up, but its a stupidity that much like it's television comedy counterpart has it's rare moments of humor making it mildly entertaining and even at times funny. Don’t expect a very well developed story, but it's worth a watch if you’re in the mood for something completely mind numbingly lame or for those who still find the humor of Saturday Night Live entertaining. I've watched a few Saturday Night Live episodes over the last couple years, and this film is actually quite better than what I've seen, so this film may have a little something going for it.

5/10