Hot Tub Time Machine

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Mar 302010
 

HTTM_posterI really hate time travel as a plot device. In most instances, writers of science fiction can’t seem to decide if they want their version of time travel to stick with the idea that time is linear or if it’s capable of branching off into multiple realities. At its worst, it’s lazily used in that characters are often put exactly where they need to be at the arbitrary whim of the writer. So deep rooted is my hatred for time travel that my wife, upon finding out about the time travel in Lost season 5 before I did, apologized profusely as if somebody had died before breaking the news to me. So why did I want to see a movie about time travel?

I’m gonna sound like a douche here but there’s only one film genre I find it acceptable in and that’s comedy. Back to the Future, the silliness that is Doctor Who, the cleverly-disguised-as-an-action-movie known as Time Cop; I like ‘em all because unlike hard science fiction or any drama that’s trying to be taken seriously, they have a license to be ridiculous. So if the trailers, the premise or the very title of Hot Tub Time Machine didn’t tip you off that this movie abuses the crap out of it’s license, you have to turn yours in.¬† Leave it on the desk by your PC or your bathroom sink because we both know you’re more than likely lurking on Media Breach while on the can.

Hot Tub Time Machine, hereby known as HTTM for brevity’s sake, spins the yarn about three best friends from high school, Adam, Nick and Lou who’ve drifted apart with their lives having become mundane and by their standards, miserable.¬† Adam (John Cusack) is an insurance salesman, just broke up with another girlfriend and his nephew, Jacob (Clark Duke), is responsibly serving his prison time in Second Life while holed up in Adam’s basement.¬† Nick (Craig Robinson) works at ‘Sup Dog,’ a doggy daycare, and is constantly emasculated by his wife.¬† And Lou (Rob Corddory)…y’know I’m not sure what he does but the first time you see him he’s belting out Motley Crue’s Home Sweet Home in his closed garage with the engine of his car running while chugging whisky and an energy drink.¬† Regarding this as a suicide attempt, Lou’s doctor recommends that he have his friends, Nick and Adam, look out for him, which they do by packing up Lou and Jacob and heading up to Kodiak Valley where the three of them tore it up in the 80′s.

Enter the Hot Tub.

HTTM_castAdam, Nick, Lou, and Jacob soon find out they’ve been warped back to 1986.¬† Interestingly, they’re all occupying their 198s selves’ then current place in time with other 80′s inhabitants only seeing the 80′s versions of the trio.¬† Jacob, having not been born yet, looks like he does in the present.¬† From there, Chevy Chase’s nameless character who appears to be the aficionado of the hot tub coyly let’s them know that they have to follow the same path as they did in the 80′s lest they alter the future.¬† And we’re off…

There’s a lot of things this movie does right and a lot of things it does okay.¬† Most of the jokes are deep rooted in the time honored/tested tradition of gross out humor with some fairly new set ups to some old jokes.¬† The dialogue is often¬† a nice source of humor but a lot of it just serves to segue into the set up of the next joke about fucking or giant cock.¬† It’d be a crime to mention any of the jokes so I’ll just say that if you love bad taste like I do, you will laugh at this movie.

I gotta say one of the bigger surprises about HTTM is that this isn’t one actor’s movie.¬† I thought for sure this was going to be all about Cusack’s character but it wasn’t; it was really about all of them with Duke’s Jacob actually playing the straight man in their little clique of time travelers.¬† But all the main actors are in great form, even Rob Corddory, which I’ll admit I was never a big fan of, wins me over with his performance and Craig Robinson’s appearance here served to further cement my adoration for this dude.

Peppered throughout the film are other 80′s mainstays.¬† The aforementioned Chevy Chase has a small part but…look, I know the guy was supposedly the world’s biggest dick back in the 80′s.¬† I’ve gotta get this off my chest, sorry.¬† I mean, you have to be a dick to allegedly have had Bill Murray take a swing at you and for John Landis to threaten pushing you off a cliff (backstage at SNL and on the set of The Three Amigos, respectively) but the guy has served his penance and is making an overdue comeback.¬† My problem is who the fuck keeps writing shitty parts for him?¬† He’s not bad in this movie but he’s not funny and I’m pretty sure it’s the lines given to him and not his ability.¬† The same thing happens to him on Community.¬† Okay I’m done, sorry.

Patrick Dempsey’s Bizarro version of himself, Crispin Glover, makes an appearance as does…William Zabka?!¬† Sorry, I’m fact checking everything as I write this and I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t recognize him while I was watching the movie but yes, the archetype for every bully you had in the 80′s and bad guy from the first Karate Kid movie is in this as well.¬† Wow.¬† My respect for the 80′s fan service of this movie just shot through the roof mid review.

So is this movie worth seeing in theartres?¬† A solid “yes” from me.¬† Other than it being a fine comedy, Hot Tub Time Machine is a great little bit of escapism.¬† It does have an underlying, heartfelt message about what it means to be a friend but it isn’t pushed on you or brought to the forefront in a forced way at all.¬† Everything works great but I can’t really see this becoming an iconic comedy like any of Apatow’s stuff.¬† If you’re still on the fence, you could probably wait for the inevitable unrated director’s cut as some of the stuff from the red band trailer was missing in the final cut.¬† But don’t do that.¬† If you’re in need of a laugh go see Hot Tub Time Machine as it is approved and recommended.

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  • http://www.mediabreach.com Adam

    I had quite a bit of fun watching this over the weekend. Rob Corddry finally won me over. It's really his movie.

    Everyone is great though.

  • desireerose

    i don't need any c & d jokes so i'll wait for netflix. i just thought the premise of the hot tub being a time machine was amazing.

  • James

    Yeah they really don't get into the nature of the hot tub. I'm gonna start adding a “Desiree Safe” label to all my reviews if there's no profanity.

  • desireerose

    whoa whoa whoa. i didn't say that. bring on the profanity. i love me some Super Troopers. i think i just have to be in a mood. peace!

  • James

    Yeah I was just messin' with ya. But the idea of a vector graphic of you in your hot dog suit exclaiming “I APPROVE” is a fun thing to think about.

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  • Zack_S

    John cusack's ability to keep finding his way into good movies is staggering. saw WAR, INC. not too long ago and it's one of my new favorites. i'll see anything with this guy

  • http://www.mediabreach.com Adam

    i was also thinkin, Clark Duke is about to break out and I don't mean with raging teenage acne. He's got superb comic timing.

  • James

    Yup. Everybody brought their A game to this one.

  • Zack_S

    John cusack's ability to keep finding his way into good movies is staggering. saw WAR, INC. not too long ago and it's one of my new favorites. i'll see anything with this guy

  • http://www.mediabreach.com Adam

    i was also thinkin, Clark Duke is about to break out and I don't mean with raging teenage acne. He's got superb comic timing.

  • James

    Yup. Everybody brought their A game to this one.

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