Originally written October 28, 2009

Coming off of the success of Anchorman and The 40 Year Old Virgin, producer Judd Apatow pulls out his third movie, Talladega Nights. I am a big Apatow fan, because all of the movies that come out of Apatow Productions are hilarious, and Talladega Nights is no exception.

Talladega Nights is about a NASCAR racer named Ricky Bobby (played by Will Ferrell). Ricky Bobby is the best racer out there. He’s been at the top of the game since he started, and even though his best friend, Cal Naughton Jr. (played by John C. Reilly), has helped him a lot along the way, he’s still achieved huge success. Then, one day a French Formula One racer by the name of Jean Girard (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) comes to America and challenges Ricky. Ricky finds that he’s finally met his match, and can’t race anymore. Now, he needs to do everything he can to get back into racing and back on top.

The great thing is that even if you hate NASCAR like I do, you’ll still enjoy this movie. It’s one of Will Ferrell’s better movies, and I found it pretty enjoyable. In the beginning it seemed a bit stupid and I thought I wasn’t gonna like it, but as the movie kept going I found myself cracking up.

Although I don’t think it’s one of Apatow’s bests, I still think Talladega Nights is a pretty good movie. It’s got a sweet cast and some pretty hilarious parts here and there. I didn’t find many quotable lines in it like I do in most comedies (or movies, period), but it was still funny nonetheless. Honestly, I don’t consider Talladega Nights a must see, but if you’re a Will Ferrell fan, it’s worth it. Remember, if you ain’t first, you’re last. Shake and bake!

3.5/5