Climbing Higher Pictures

Since the beginning of its advertising campaign, nothing about this film has taken itself seriously. Having Craig Robinson utter the line, “It must be some kind of Hot Tub Time Machine,” and then turn and look straight into camera is absolutely brilliant. How can you not fall in love with such a ridiculous premise, and such an unlikely cast to face such a challenge. It’s a match made in comedy heaven, and we can only hope that the results match the ambition. Find out if they hit that sweet spot below:

Hot Tub Time Machine Review

By Ryan Hamelin

Movie Grade: B+

There are all different genres of comedies. There are stupid comedies, gag comedies, buddy comedies, serious films with funny characters, slapstick comedy, and, last but certainly not least, campy comedies. What’s rare is a film with a reasonably large budget that also doesn’t hold back on the camp, understanding just how cheesy and ridiculous its premise is, and running with it beyond whatever you were expecting it to be. For a film entitled Hot Tub Time Machine to not embrace the qualities which make it a springboard for some of the bet improv work I’ve seen in quite some time would be a tragedy, and luckily, these guys know how to have fun.

Enter one of the stranger collections of comedians pretending to be buddies ever assembled. John Cusack, who hasn’t really flexed his funny bone since the glory days of High Fidelity leads a foursome that includes the likes of Rob Corddry (former Daily Show correspondent), Craig Robinson (Pineapple Express, The Office), and Clark Duke (Kick-Ass, Sex Drive). Add in some great supporting performers, a rather hit and miss Chevy Chase, and Crispin Glover as an armless, except not in the past, bellhop, and you have a recipe for some great laughs. There are plenty of other great cameos too, and they may have you scratching your head for a few minutes trying to remember where you saw them last. It can also be kind of difficult identifying your favorite character actors in leg warmers and ridiculously colorful clothing, so be warned.

2010 people in 1986 seems like the kind of thing that would have been done to death, or at least passed its prime in the early 90’s. Surprisingly, the idea still has plenty of juice, and you almost wish the film would have taken another hour to try out some of the other directions and missed opportunities. The deleted scenes will probably end up being fairly extensive, and the lines feel so natural and off-the-cuff, that I can only assume they were improvisation. Letting actors of this caliber just fool around for a couple of hours is an embarrassment of riches, and you will find something to laugh out loud about before the credits roll. The only one who doesn’t really pull his weight is Chase, and it ends up just feeling like he’s trying too hard. Everybody else makes sense, but he just doesn’t, and I was sad that there wasn’t some sort of payoff for his character a la Click, even though that would have pushed the film into slightly more dramatic territory and may very well have deepened an intentionally shallow experience.

I guess, in the end, it really comes down to a matter of personal preference. Are you the kind of moviegoer who pays for the gags, the big laughs, and the moments that define a film and are endlessly quotable for months afterward? Or are you looking for something more, a deeper and more fulfilling experience that speaks to a heartbeat behind the scenes, the secret ingredient in the success of the Apatow clan? There are a lot of laughs to be had with Hot Tub Time Machine. They derive mostly from the premise and the way each character reacts to the situation. There isn’t a lot more to it than that, and for me, that was exactly what I wanted to get out of the film. Others may find it a disappointment for the same reasons, and I don’t really know what can be said to change their minds. Jump in the hot tub, spill a Russian energy drink, and take a trip you won’t soon forget.