Hot Tub Time Machine

 “Must be some kind of…hot tub time machine.”

Yes, Virginia, that’s exactly what it is. What’s so great about that I may inquire? Well thank me for asking. Many times when people tell me a movie is really scary or really funny I end up disappointed. So I won’t tell you that Hot Tub Time Machine was freaking hilarious. I also won’t tell you that it was one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in a long time. And I certainly won’t mention that the last movie to make me laugh this hard was Step Brothers. But for the sake of argument, let’s say this movie made me laugh so hard I almost passed out. Why would it do that to me? Could it be that I sometimes enjoy raunchy, vulgar, and immature humor?

To that I say, I know you are but what am I.

HTTM (as all the cool kids will be calling it according to me) is like Back to the Future with a whole lot of f%#king curse words. Even Crispin “George McFly” Glover shows up playing the younger and older versions of a bellhop.  Adam (John Cusack), Nick (Craig Robinson), and Lou (Rob Corddry) are old friends whose lives didn’t quite turn out the way they planned. When one of them is in need they come together and, along with Adam’s nephew Jacob (Clark Duke), take a nostalgic trip to a favorite ski lodge. Hilarity ensues when they hop into a hot tub, get drunk, and go back in time to the wondrous 1980’s.  The goofiness of 80’s movies is proudly displayed throughout HTTM (it’s catching on already. I can feel it.). There is even a reference or two to classic flicks of the period. Listen for a line from John Cusack’s own Better off Dead early on in the movie. My only minor complaint about this movie is that I would have liked Chevy Chase (who had a cameo as a hot tub repair man) to be more Chevy Chase funny instead of Chevy Chase-ish funny. I think the writers had a missed opportunity there. That’s ok though, I can always watch National Lampoon’s Vacation or Fletch to get my Chevy Chase fix.

And now a word about Rob Corddry: damn that guy is funny! As they who know all things about stuff say, I think this is going to be his breakout role. Craig Robinson (“The Office”) shows off his comedic genius too. I would not be surprised to see both of these guys taking center stage in the future.

Ok…let’s bring this review home shall we? HTTM is not for everyone. If you are offended by bathroom humor, you will find no humor in the bathroom scene. But if poop and penis jokes are your bag, you’re going to laugh until you throw up a little. I sure did.