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Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby

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[quote][i]Originally posted by duh[/i]
[br]I watched this on TV recently and enjoyed it. I was surprised at how good it is, actually.

I am not a big fan of Will Ferrell's work (aside from the "more cowbell" thing) because he is usually just plain silly and way over the top and that becomes tiresome.

But in this film, he was really acting. He really played his character straight and pulled it off very nicely. Somehow, he even managed to occasionally look rather handsome, which was a nice bonus.

Jane Lynch was wonderful as Ricky's steel magnolia mother; she showed she can play feminine as well as butch.

This film had quite a different tone than the other Ferrell film directed by Adam McKay, which was pure silliness from start to finish, "Ron Burgundy."

Here, the dialog was delivered in a very ordinary way, much as we converse with each other in ordinary real life. The things said were very funny, but if you turned off the audio and the captioning, most of the events in the film could be taken as a serious drama. This is precarious balance for a comedy, is it not?

I found myself really liking the characters. I find myself saying, "Ricky BobBEE," with Cohen's fake French accent, for no good reason. I also liked that there was no attempt to rehabilitate Ricky's shiftless dad, Reese, into a loving, committed family member.

Something I learned is that there is something funny about going to dinner at an Applebees. Until now, I thought it was upscale dining.
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duh	Posted - 12/18/2008 : 19:43:53 I watched this on TV recently and enjoyed it. I was surprised at how good it is, actually. I am not a big fan of Will Ferrell's work (aside from the "more cowbell" thing) because he is usually just plain silly and way over the top and that becomes tiresome. But in this film, he was really acting. He really played his character straight and pulled it off very nicely. Somehow, he even managed to occasionally look rather handsome, which was a nice bonus. Jane Lynch was wonderful as Ricky's steel magnolia mother; she showed she can play feminine as well as butch. This film had quite a different tone than the other Ferrell film directed by Adam McKay, which was pure silliness from start to finish, "Ron Burgundy." Here, the dialog was delivered in a very ordinary way, much as we converse with each other in ordinary real life. The things said were very funny, but if you turned off the audio and the captioning, most of the events in the film could be taken as a serious drama. This is precarious balance for a comedy, is it not? I found myself really liking the characters. I find myself saying, "Ricky BobBEE," with Cohen's fake French accent, for no good reason. I also liked that there was no attempt to rehabilitate Ricky's shiftless dad, Reese, into a loving, committed family member. Something I learned is that there is something funny about going to dinner at an Applebees. Until now, I thought it was upscale dining.
3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
BaftaBaby	Posted - 01/15/2009 : 22:12:52 quote: Originally posted by duh Improper Username Jane Lynch was wonderful as Ricky's steel magnolia mother; she showed she can play feminine as well as butch. Haven't yet had time to post a reaction to Role Models, which wasn't as good as it might have been - BUT - Jane Lynch made it completely watchable whenever she was onscreen. Her comic timing is brilliant, and she judges really well how to convey a deeply troubled woman beneath a gently cracking facade of good-natured-if-it-kills-her. I agree, duh, that Ferrell uses his undeniable talents too rarely, succumbing instead to - as you say - the just plain silly. I still think Harold Crick is his most successful characterization.
randall	Posted - 01/15/2009 : 22:01:43 I don't know jack about NASCAR [thus I'm certain a few jokes went under my head], but I enjoyed this one thoroughly. Sometimes you can feel when there's a "good set," and people are having fun. I'd be flabbergasted to learn that wasn't the case here.
Demisemicenturian	Posted - 12/23/2008 : 14:38:38 I quite enjoyed it too, although unlike you I like Will Ferrell well enough in general. However, it hasn't stuck in my mind very strongly, even in comparison to otherwise equivalent comedies.

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