The first time I watched Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, I was so bored that I fell asleep. I suppose at that time I had not yet gotten used to Will Ferrell's type of humor. All I know is, after seeing the movie a second time, I absolutely loved it.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is the story of Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) who goes up against France's #1 Formula One driver. The thing that is great about this film is that, while it is a comedy, it has very dramatic underlying elements to it. Throughout all the laughs, Ricky Bobby learns to be selfless, has to deliver pizza on a bicycle for a living, and also reconnects with his father. These are all reasons why the movie is one of this generations best comedies. The commercials that Ricky and Cal do for various products and the sequences with Ricky and his father are a couple of the best parts in the movie. In all of its greatness, however, there are some flaws. I must note that these are extremely minor flaws, and that as great as this movie is, it could have been a masterpiece if these flaws were fixed. First, I would have liked to have seen a minor wedding seen between Cal and Carley. Perhaps Ricky shows up in protest. On a related note, a minor divorce scene between Ricky and Carley would have been nice to see. I think it would have added an unexpectedly pleasant touch of drama. Also, Susan's (Amy Adams) character arc is a little predictable, but it is nice to see a supposedly minor character become such a pivotal role. Also, during the climax of the film, there is a crash. A minor scene where the track is cleared away would have provided a nice break in the action. As I said, this movie stands great as it is. However, I believe fixing these extremely minor flaws would have made this movie truly epic.
Will Ferrell plays Ricky Bobby. Ferrell's shtick is perfect for this role, providing gags that have become a trademark in his films. However, during the course of the movie Ricky Bobby gets a dose of reality, and Ferrell provides some quite serviceable dramatic moments that make you feel sympathy for his character. With all these things combined, this is one of Ferrell's best roles.
Adam McKay is the director of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. For me personally, the racing sequences are the standout of the movie. The action has lots of cuts which makes the sequences very exciting to watch, and the way that they are shot really makes you feel like you are in the car with the driver. Comedies can be very hard to make, particularly when attempting to keep up with a comedic machine like Ferrell, but McKay works the camera brilliantly, especially during scenes with Ferrell and his counterpart John C. Reilly. McKay seems to be almost one step ahead of them, knowing exactly what they are going to do before they do it. It all flows together so naturally, which is why McKay has become such a great comedy director.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a great comedy driven by a performance from a great comedic actor. Molly Shannon even makes a stellar cameo (although it is never clear whether she is Larry Dennit's wife or mother). If you are in need of a good laugh, this is definitely the movie for you.
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