Hi-Octane Hilarity and a perfect idiotic vehicle for Ferrell

Rating: 8/10 (14 August 2006)

TALLADEGA NIGHTS; THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY (2006) *** Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Leslie Bibb, Amy Adams, Sacha Baron Cohen, Michael Clarke Duncan, Greg Germann, Molly Shannon, Gary Cole, Jane Lynch, Pat Hingle, Andy Richter. (Cameos as themselves: Elvis Costello and Mos Def) Frequently hilarious comedy with Ferrell as the titular racing car doofus whose need for speed is only belied by his dumb and dumber partnership/friendship with Reilly as his life-long friend and finding a new arch nemesis in the form of a vaingloriously gay French driver (Baron channeling Peter Sellers). Side-splittingly stupid and generously ridiculous to the point of busting a rib from the improvised script by Farrell and director Adam McKay make for a fun collaboration of NASCAR enthusiastic half-wits (I know that's a true oxymoron if there ever was one!)