95) Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

95) Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) Dir: Adam McKay Date Released: August 2006 Date Seen: April 4^th, 2009 Rating: 3/5

Of the three feature-length Adam McKay/Will Ferrell co-scripted fratboy comedies released thus far, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) is probably the most modestly amusing. Though it has a great supporting cast full of gifted improvisational comedians—Sacha Baron Cohen, John C. Reilly and Molly Shannon being my favorites—it just doesn’t have the sheer volume of gags as either Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) and Step Brothers (2008) and for a film that relies on such juvenile humor, that relative slackness can be fatal. It’s a fun, middle-of-the-road comedy with a fair amount of good hearty laughs but a little more spontaneity and spastic energy would’ve gone a long way.