At work the other night I was talking about the film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby with a co-worker (Jane) and one of the event patrons mentioned that they had also been recommended this film by a number of people. Hence, the patron continued, this must be some sort of sign to go see the film. I got really excited, as I do, having met someone of a soberish mystical disposition who believes in the signs of fate… No, excited about the film and was talking it up. Without wanting to go down the whole I-am-doing-my-PhD-in-Cultural-Studies-on-modified-car-culture-so-I-am-the-expert route, I explained the attraction to the film thus:
Glen: Who is that dude with the crocodiles? You know, who is dead?
Jane: Steve Irwin?
Glen: Yeah Steve Irwin. OK, have you seen that South Park episode where they take the piss? [pausing in rapturous anticipation]
Jane: … [frowning]
Glen: No, but anyway, it is all, like, Steve Irwin molesting wildlife: “I’ll just… put my thumb… up this croc’s arse… righty-o…” [doing motions]
Jane: … [hands on hips, eyebrow cocked haughty like]
(Patron: … [sips drink, blinks])
Glen: Yeah, anyway, now imagine the hyper-masculinity of NASCAR car culture is a croc, ok? Then Talladega Nights is the South Park Steve Irwin.
Yep, it’s that good. If you haven’t already seen it, please do so.
I saw this at the cinema. It was great. We laughed so heartily throughout that a woman in the row in front was turning around during the whole film and glaring at us. I didn’t notice this until the closing credits as I was too busy enjoying a comedy by laughing.
MEL! Wow that lady sounded like a righteous peanut. SO TOTALLY! It is a film you have to see with like-minded peeps because when you start laughing you just don’t stop.
The thing about this film is that the people who will probably get most of the in-jokes about US trash culture and to a lesser extent the cars will be turned off by the whole queering NASCAR thing. On the other hand, there will be the bourgies who are like, “NASCAR? WTF? That redneck bullshit?”
It is defintely up there in the top ten movies of all time. I hardly EVER see a movie twice (unlike books, such as A Thousand Plateaus, which I’ve read a dozen times), however the whole conversation arose as I was talking it up after seeing it again. My co-worker is a sophisticated 18 yo who has been in Japan over summer, so missed the movie.
Actually, because we are half a generation apart it is funny when the foldings of age are brought into sharp relief. Like when we start talking about Yellowcard or something, and I am like, “Fuck yeah” and she throws down the diss, “Yeah, I was so into them when I was at high school. Punk violins, what the..?”