Hot Rod (film)

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Hot Rod

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Akiva Schaffer
Produced by John Goldwyn
Lorne Michaels
Will Ferrell
Written by Pam Brady
Cinematography Andrew Dunn
Editing by Malcolm Campbell
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) Flag of the United StatesAugust 3, 2007
Flag of the United Kingdom September 28, 2007
Language English
Budget $25-30 Million
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Hot Rod is a Paramount Pictures movie written by Pam Brady and directed by Akiva Schaffer; starring Andy Samberg, Sissy Spacek, Jorma Taccone, Will Arnett, Danny R. McBride, Ian McShane, Isla Fisher, and Bill Hader. It was originally written with Will Ferrell in mind (he is credited as executive producer). The film was released in America on August 3, 2007. It has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for crude humor, language, and some comic drug-related and violent content.

Contents

[edit] Plot

For his entire life, Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg) believes his father, now deceased, was a successful and respectable stuntman working for Evel Knievel. He aspires to follow his father's footsteps and become a famous stuntman himself. Meanwhile, his stepfather Frank (Ian McShane) fails to respect Rod as a man, often going out of his way to beat him in sparring sessions and mocking his stuntman dream.

While he makes many attempts at landing jumps with his moped, most of them end unsuccessfully. After an ill-fated jump attempt at the public pool, he returns home to find out that Frank is in urgent need of a heart transplant. Angry at the thought of his stepfather dying without getting a chance to "beat his face in" and gain his respect, Rod goes to a forest to contemplate but ends up rolling down an enormous hill after tripping while punch dancing. At the bottom, he sees a sign that gives him an idea to save Frank. He tells his friends Rico (Danny R. McBride), Dave (Bill Hader) and his half brother Kevin (Jorma Taccone) about his plan to do a jump over fifteen school buses, and give the proceeds to his stepfather's surgery. He also adds Denise (Isla Fisher), his college-graduate neighbor whom he has a crush on, to his crew.

To promote his stunt and also raise funds, Rod works parties, corporate get-togethers, and other events. Kevin releases a movie using his footage of Rod's stunts and sells over 200 tickets, but everyone at the movie laughs at Rod's expense because the film depicts his failed training attempts. Rod gets angry and throws the theater's projector out of a window, and ends up giving up all the money he has raised so far to cover the respective damages. Upset, he returns home, where his mother reveals to him that his father was not the stuntman he thought he was. Humiliated, Rod quits the crew and ends his dream to beat up his stepfather, despite his friends' interventions. However, he takes up the jump again when Dave asks Rod to take him to the hospital due to an injury sustained under the influence of LSD. When he does, Dave gives him advice that inspires him to apologize to Kevin. As he accepts his apology, Kevin also reveals that Rod's stunt footage has gotten popular through the Internet, and a local AM radio station offers to cover the expenses of the jump.

Rod gets the crew back together and they start setting up for the jump. On the day of the jump, his friends give him a new suit and motorbike. He also receives a kiss from Denise, who broke up with Jonathan, her insensitive and callous boyfriend. As Rod jumps off the ramp, the speed of his new motorbike enables him to jump over the buses, but as he gives his friends a thumbs up, they realize that he had let go of his bike in the process. The bike smashes through a stage and Rod's body slams against the other ramp. As his friends nurse him from his unconscious state, he wakes up. Rod, with the help of Kevin and Denise, triumphantly gets up to the applause of the crowd, and the donations finally accumulate to the $50,000 goal. The film ends as Rod (with his own moustache) again spars with Frank. Over the course of the fight, Rod gains the upper hand and succeeds in making his stepfather respect him.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Locations

Shooting locations for the film include Cloverdale in Surrey, British Columbia, and under the Surrey end of the Pattullo Bridge, just southeast of Vancouver, British Columbia. Other locations in British Columbia include Coquitlam, Burnaby and Downtown Vancouver.

[edit] Reception

As of August 15, 2007 the film had a rating of 35% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 78 reviews (27 Fresh, 51 Rotten) and the "cream of the crop" rating was 26%. On Metacritic the film had a rating of 43% (mixed or average reviews) based on 27 reviews.

The film opened at #9 at the U.S. box office and grossed $5.3 million in its opening weekend.[1]

The film left theaters after 48 days and having grossed $13.8 million in its entire run. [2] According to Infofilm, the budget for this film was 25 to 30 million.

[edit] Soundtrack

1-Danger on the track- Europe 2-serenade no.13 in G major-Camerot slavant 3-On the loose- Europe 4-A gringo like me- Peter Travis 5-Never- Moving pictures 5-Two of hearts-Stacey Q 6-See myself inside-Keith Spalding 7-Chase- Gargio Marocler 8-I just died in your arms-Cutting Crow 9-Rocket-Herbie Hancock 10-Lets make love tonight-Pete Surdoval 11-Rock the night- Europe 12-FAR he’s a golly good fallow 13-Love chaser-Europe 14-Ninja- Europe 15-The real bass (radio mix) - Brooklyn bounce 16-Cherokee-Europe 17-Take me now (aka listen, lets make love) – Enio marriconi 18-Too legit to quit- MC hummer 19-One more try-George Michael 20-Cool beans-Andy Samberg 21-Rock nation-Scott Nickaley 22-You are the voice-John farmhand 23-Ace Rockwell thumper in your tramper 24-Got me going-Ra 25- Grand terrace rhythm-Fletcher Henderson 26-Head honcho- Gown 27-Skulls-Nisfits meet the Nutley brass 28-The greatest show on earth-Aaron Yeddidia 29-Hearts of stone-Europe 30-Time has come-Europe

[edit] DVD Release

Hot Rod was released on DVD and HD DVD on November 27, 2007. It made 14.59 million dollars on dvd rentals. 4.6% over its box office gross. It opened on DVD Ranking #13 with 3.42 million.

[edit] Quotes

Rod: (As Denise walks away) You look pretty.

Denise: What did you say?

Rod: I said you look shitty. Good night Denise!


Rod: (After Frank punches Rod in the face with his cane) You're the Devil!

Marie: That's it. Frank, back to bed. Rod, outside.

Rod: Fine. Have fun being married to Satan!


Rod: I used to be legit. In fact, I was too legit. I was too legit to quit. But now I'm not legit. I'm unlegit. And for that reason, I must quit.


Marie: It's so nice to see him smiling again.

Rod: Well he won't be smiling -- WHEN I MURDER HIM!!


Rod: (sings) Ancestors protect me.

Kevin: (sings back) May they protect you.


Rod: Hey Denise. Have I ever shown you a picture of my dead dad?

Denise: No.

Rod: Oh you gotta see it. He’s super dead!


Rod: Okay… Let’s party!


Dave: Why is Rod kissing his sister?

Kevin: Denise isn't his sister.

Dave: Shes not, damn that shatters my entire universe.


Rod: I need to go to my quiet place!


Rod: (sings) Gods of War.

Kevin: (sings back) May your hammer be mighty.


Denise: I'm sorry, what were you going to ask me?

Rod: Um, I was going to ask you who you think would win a fight between..a grilled cheese sandwich and a taco.

Denise: Was that what you were really going to ask me?

Rod: Uhh.. yeah.

Denise: Well, grilled cheese sandwich, but only in a fair fight. If it was prison rules, I'd take the taco.

Rod: Wow, that's pretty racist, but correct.


Dave: Balls, man! We just ran over a small bus! This really small bus, we just ran over it. Dave: (Says to rod in the car) Well.. See you later mountain face.

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • The soundtrack was composed by ex-Yes guitarist, Trevor Rabin.
  • Several songs by the Swedish hard rock band Europe are in the movie, including "Cherokee" and "Rock The Night".
  • The full trailer contains Three Swedish rock band songs, Europe's "Cherokee" and "The Final Countdown," and The Hives' "See Through Head." It also includes the UK rock band, Test Icicles' "Circle. Square. Triangle", as well as American Hi-Fi's "The Art of Losing"."
  • The moped used in the stunt scenes is a Tomos.
  • Will Ferrell and Jimmy Miller worked on the script along with Pam Brady with Ferrell as the lead (Miller remains uncredited, but has produced several of Ferrell's films). When Andy Samberg signed on, the film was rewritten by Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and director Akiva Schaffer. According to Schaffer; "We definitely put our own stamp on it. We had to make it feel like it was ours... so you assume a little bit of ownership."
  • The "punch dancing" scene in the film is a parody of the 1984 film Footloose.
  • Rod Kimble blurted the word "Hoobastank," a phrase also uttered by Frazzles the channel 101 squirrel in episodes of "The 'Bu", while recovering from the Taco and Grilled Cheese fight in the Heaven dream sequence after the bus jumping stunt accident at the end of movie.
  • Chris Parnell also played a radio station owner in the Saturday Night Live inspired movie The Ladies Man.
  • The karaoke song that Kevin sings to the stuffed animals on his bed is "One More Try" by George Michael.
  • There are references throughout the film to Rad, including an appearance of a John Farnham song

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hot Rod (2007) - Weekend Box Office Results
  2. ^ Movie Hot Rod - Box Office Data, News, Cast Information - The Numbers

[edit] External links