Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Will Ferrell, John C Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole, Jane Lynch, Amy Adams, Leslie Bibb.
Volume 11, No. 54, October 19, 2006

3 Star

RICKY (Ferrell) is a simple man who makes a shake and bake pact with his best mate Cal (Reilly) to go fast.

He gains attention after winning his first Nascar race after stepping in for a driver sick of losing. He drives hard and fast to make his estranged father proud, and becomes the best. Ricky and Cal drive for the same team and Cal always makes sure Ricky wins with their trademark sling shot manouevre on the final lap of the race.

Ricky gets a trophy wife, has two foul-mouthed sons Walker and Texas Ranger (if they wanted them to be weaklings they would have been called Dr Quinn and Medicine Woman), and a live-in father-in-law. Life is great until a new driver is brought into the team – Frenchman, Jean Girard (Baron Cohen).

Jean tells Ricky he’s in America to beat him, and won’t have any problems doing so. After all, the French have given the Americans so many things, including crepes and the Americans gave the French nothing of worth. Then he introduces his husband Gregory.

The challenge puts Ricky off his game and his world is turned around. He has to make the hard decision to live by his estranged father’s creed “If you’re not first, you’re last,” or become his own man and drive to win for himself. Ricky finds his speed again when his dad dobs him into the police carrying cocaine.

Talladega Nights is a typical Ferrell film, not too disimilar from Anchor Man: The Legend of Ron Burgandy. It’s funny, cringe worthy, but not too over the top, and has a great cast.
Sacha Baron Cohen shines as the chic, clean fighting, Jean Girard. His cotton-mouthed French accent makes him extra funny and warms audiences for his Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan movie release next month.
– Lt Simone Heyer

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