Once again, Will Ferrell stars in an amazing comedy. When I saw this in theaters, it was hard to hear the dialogue because the audience was laughing so much. Both Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are perfect for their roles as stereotypical southerners. I also liked the acting by Houston Tumlin and Grayson Russell, playing Ricky Bobby's sons Walker and Texas Ranger, respectively. Now, although this movie revolves around NASCAR, anyone will enjoy it (as long as they are old enough; there are some adult jokes thrown in). Ricky Bobby is your average American redneck. What makes him stand out from the rest is that he has a need for speed. Born in a speeding car, Ricky lived by the advice his deserter father (Gary Cole) gave him as a kid: 'If you're not first, you're last'. Joining the NASCAR pit crew, Ricky got the chance to substitute for the lazy driver, and turned a lot of heads with his performance. Soon, Ricky was the top racer of his time, able to beat other racers by driving backwards. Along with his best friend, Cal Naughton, Jr. (John C. Reilly), Ricky has crushed the competition and made a name for himself in the world of sponsors. His fame has also brought him his sexy wife, Carley (Leslie Bibb), and two poorly-raised kids (who I have already mentioned), Walker and Texas Ranger. Of course, Ricky's one flaw in life is his personality; even his manager (Greg Germann) can't stand him! However, his friends in the pit crew (including Michael Clarke Duncan, David Koechner, and Jack McBrayer) and sister Susan (Amy Adams) believe in and support him, and will the only help Ricky can get against his biggest opponent yet, the gay French Formula One racer Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen, or Ali G); even his wife is a deserter! I really liked the small performance by Molly Shannon as manager Larry Dennit, Jr.'s drunkard wife. Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the small cameos by Elvis Costello and Mos Def, they were unexpected and much appreciated! Because this is a Will Ferrell, there is some random and stupid humor, which was well-placed and... occasionally subtle. Being NASCAR related, there was so much product placement it was a joke! As you can see, nothing is sacred in this movie: gays, rednecks, foreigners, and more are made fun of. I laughed at it all; and if you can too, you'll love this movie as much as I did! Although kids would probably enjoy this movie, it's way out of age group; there are too many sex references and other inappropriate themes (including swearing). Shake and bake; buy this as soon as possible!
