Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

Number one NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby stays atop the heap thanks to a pact with his best friend and teammate, Cal Naughton, Jr. But when a French Formula One driver, makes his way up the ladder, Ricky Bobby's talent and devotion are put to the test.

Director:

Adam McKay

Writers:

Will Ferrell, Adam McKay

Stars:

Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen

8 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Will Ferrell	...	Ricky Bobby
John C. Reilly	...	Cal Naughton Jr.
Sacha Baron Cohen	...	Jean Girard
Gary Cole	...	Reese Bobby
Michael Clarke Duncan	...	Lucius Washington
Leslie Bibb	...	Carley Bobby
Jane Lynch	...	Lucy Bobby
Amy Adams	...	Susan
Andy Richter	...	Gregory
Molly Shannon	...	Mrs. Dennit
Greg Germann	...	Larry Dennit Jr.
David Koechner	...	Hershell
Jack McBrayer	...	Glenn
Ian Roberts	...	Kyle
Pat Hingle	...	Mr. Dennit Sr.

Storyline

NASCAR stock car racing sensation Ricky Bobby is a national hero because of his "win at all costs" approach. He and his loyal racing partner, childhood friend Cal Naughton Jr., are a fearless duo -- "Shake" and "Bake" by their fans for their ability to finish so many races in the #1 and #2 positions, with Cal always in second place. When flamboyant French Formula One driver Jean Girard challenges "Shake" and "Bake" for the supremacy of NASCAR, Ricky Bobby must face his own demons and fight Girard for the right to be known as racing's top driver.

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Plot Keywords:

slapstick comedy | racing | nascar | friend | french | 

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Taglines:

The story of a man who could only count to #1

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Genres:

Comedy | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, language, drug references and brief comic violence

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

4 August 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

High, Wide, and Handsome

Filming Locations:

Lowe's Motor Speedway, 5555 Concord Pkwy S, Concord, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$72,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$47,042,215, 6 August 2006, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$148,213,377

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$162,966,177

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Relativity Media, Apatow Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min 122 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS (8 channels) DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

NASCAR officials objected to the original title of Talladega Nights, so the working title was then changed to the name of the production company, High, Wide, and Handsome. Loud and Proud also was considered. Following a brief phase in which the movie did not have a title, the film eventually reverted to its original title.

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Goofs

When Ricky and Cal execute "Shake and Bake", they downshift before pulling out of line. With the exception of restarts, and entering and exiting pit road, shifting is not necessary during the race. Also, Ricky was single-handedly passing multiple cars at Talladega. With today's air packages and plates, passing one car alone is a feat that rarely occurs.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Reese Bobby: [Reese is speeding] Guess how fast we're going now!
Lucy Bobby: [screams] I don't care! I'm having a baby!
Reese Bobby: Hundred and five miles an hour! Can you believe that!

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Crazy Credits

During the opening credits, the following quote is displayed: "America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, bad ass speed."

• Eleanor Roosevelt, 1936

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Alternate Versions

The "Unrated and Uncut!" DVD version of the film is missing the scene where Ricky recruits his former pit crew from a car wash.

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Connections

References Days of Thunder (1990)

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Soundtracks

I Feel Alright
(1996)
Written and Performed by Steve Earle
Published by WB Music Corp. o/b/o itself and South Nashville Music
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc.
By Arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User Reviews

I Hate To Admit It, But I Liked This One

Ricky Bobby grows up to become a big-time race car driver. With the conflict of having no father to raise him, life was not always easy. And now, as an adult, he is finally ready to meet his match: a French driver from the Formula Un series. Can Ricky make him surrender? Shake and bake! I really don't want to like this film, because I think Will Ferrell is past his prime already and on his way out. The bigger a role he receives, the less likely he is to make a good movie, because he is just such a dumb actor. Popping in for a brief time ("Wedding Crashers") is alright, but a full movie ("Elf")? I don't know. Yet, he took the whole film here and ran with it.

The help came from John C. Reilly, who was fantastic as Cal Naughton, Jr. While he is not the usual co-star of Ferrell (such as Vince Vaughn, or one of the Wilson brothers) he was a dominant force. Seeing some new faces was very good, although having "Crash" from "Anchorman" was a nice touch, as I would consider "Anchorman" to be Ferrell's best film.

Stealing the show was Sacha Baron Cohen as Jean Girard. I did not even recognize him until the movie was almost over. Cohen is a master of disguise ("Alig G", "Borat", "Bruno") and I would say this was his best performance yet. All the French references were great (Albert Camus, Perrier, crepes) and this character was so much more than just a simple parody of French culture. Why he was hanging out with Elvis Costello and Mos Def is unknown to me.

This film has the comedy that other films by these creators have, with constant pop culture references that pay off if you get it. And heck, if you don't, there's a good amount of really stupid humor, too (such as the imaginary fire). My favorite scene might be where they try to figure out how to pry out a knife from a man's leg.

If you want a cheese fountain at your wedding with nachos and seven different kinds of cheese, you need to see this movie.