Hot Tub Time Machine

Do we need to thank Snakes on a Plane for Hot Tub Time Machine existing? It seems ridiculous to ask, yet SOAP grew from Internet buzz and love, the title grabbing attention before we even knew what the movie was about (well, kinda...I mean, it didn't take much brainpower to figure it out). Hot Tub Time Machine also grabbed peoples attention, yet the film wasn't overhyped or talked about to death months before its release like SOAP. Did it all work out? For the most part, I would say it did.

The premise was simple and the film embraced what it was from the start, which made the whole thing easier to swallow. Hot Tub Time Machine, as a title, conveys exactly the kind of movie it is. There is a time machine in the form of a hot tub, and our characters go back through time in it. And because it is a comedy, the fun can move forward without slowing, trying to make sense of its plot, which is rather thin and exists only for the jokes. And there are plenty of them.

Delving into the writing, we get a solid mixture of crude humor and 80s references, which was a nice balance, maintained nicely the whole way through. The script moves at its own, crazy little pace, as it moves from point to point without slowing, some hitting the larger "plot," others just for fun. Hot Tub Time Machine handles its time traveling fine, as it never really gets into the science of it, which is smart. The coked out explanation of the time travel is summed up nicely by Craig Robinson's character. And because his face is covered in the fine, white powder, you can accept what he has to say because it really isn't all that important how the time travel functions. It's a device, just go with it, and watch Primer if you want the real deal.

The cast all rocked their parts, and I really enjoyed Craig Robinson and John Cusack, who proved he can still be quite funny. Rob Corddry and Clark Duke also kept the funny going, and this odd mixture managed to make the film funny throughout. Plus the blend of old and new really made the movie a lot more interesting than jam packing it with actors we see in every major comedy these days.

Hot Tub Time Machine won't appeal to everyone, but those looking to turn of their brains and enjoy some quality comedy will be in luck. Now expect to see more Internet sensations finding their way to the big screen, and if they all manage to be as successful as Hot Tub Time Machine, we should be all right.

Genre - Comedy (3.25)

Screenplay (3)

Acting (4)

Production (3)

Directing (3)