A spoof of Nascar culture that doesn't irritate the uninitiated

Rating: 7/10 (20 August 2006)

Pleasantly surprised - the best Will Ferrell movie so far. I appreciate his humor, but in past movies some gags just went a bit too far.
Talladega doesn't shy away from his usual schtick, but this time there's actually some "context." You don't have to be a huge Nascar fan to appreciate the nod to Southern culture, car machismo, allusions to other movies like "Days of Thunder." It's not what you've come to expect from Will Ferrell - because 90% of it is stuff you've heard your buddies or racers on ESPN say at some point in time - that's what makes it so good - you "know" people like Ricky Bobby. I'm well over twenty - saw it with my parents and people even younger than me - EVERYONE in the theater was laughing.
The addition of the French Formula One driver as the arch nemesis saves the movie from dragging too much - breaks it up in just the right spots.
The track scenes were edited pretty well - some fabulous crashes, not too obvious when they're splitting back and forth between real footage and blue screen.
People who don't "get" southern religiosity or the race-driving lifestyle might not appreciate the bulk of the jokes, but there's still enough beyond that to make it worth your time.