Do you like stunts? What about terminally-ill stepfathers? If you answered yes to one or both of those questions, you couldn’t have picked a better day to stumble upon Your Movie Mage. Welcome to the second issue of Your Movie Mage, where I discuss underrated movies across genres. Last week, we discussed the heartfelt and emotional film, “Lars and the Real Girl.” This week, we’ll be talking about another underrated 2007 movie, “Hot Rod,” which has a small cult following.
“Hot Rod” is a 2007 comedy starring a young Andy Samberg. With a budget of $25 million, Samberg and his two pals from The Lonely Island comedy trio rewrote a script about an aspiring stuntman, originally written for Will Ferrell. Despite its high quality, the film’s success was hindered by the release of “Superbad” 10 days after it. “Superbad” was a blockbuster hit, whereas “Hot Rod” was a box-office failure, grossing $14 million—just over half its budget. The movie’s lack of success is not solely attributed to its release date. The perceived failure of “Hot Rod” also wasn’t eternal. Once released by streaming services, it gained a cult following.
If you’re looking for a deep and thoughtful film, this movie most likely isn’t for you. It’s a dumb comedy movie, but it has something many movies are lacking: heart.
Andy Samberg, along with a cast of other non-A-list stars at the time, delivered great performances in funny roles. This provides a strong appeal, resulting in a cult following. Box office success does not equal a good movie, nor does box office failure equal a bad movie. Even “Shawshank Redemption,” which is considered the best movie ever by an IMDb vote, was a box-office failure.
Watching movies in a theater provides a specific experience because most people don’t have a home system with the movie theater quality. However, even as a fan of “Hot Rod,” I doubt I would’ve gone to the theater to see it. Why spend $20 on a ticket to watch it once, when I could wait a little and spend half as much to buy a disc and watch it repeatedly? If you like movies with a cult following and aren’t planning on going to a theater soon, you should give this one a shot.
The premise is simple: stuntman extraordinaire, Rod Kimble, is trying to raise $50,000 for his stepdad Frank’s conveniently-priced surgery, so he can fight him and prove he’s a man. Kimble faces various setbacks, but never gives up (except for a brief moment when he was “unlegit” and thus had to quit).
Kimble teaches us to never give up on our dreams and to never try to be someone we aren’t. With hard work, it’s possible to use hobbies and talents to do good—and denying that is foolish. We learn “he who is resistant to change is destined to perish” and it’s important not to tell Rico (Kimble’s close friend) how to live his life.
While many of the film’s jokes may seem stupid or obvious — such as a scene where Kimble falls down a mountain for 46 seconds after punch-dancing out his rage in a wooded glen — some of my favorites are more subtle. In one scene, Rico is holding a stolen TV while describing how horrible it was when a riot broke out and how the only thing to do “is just leave and just hope that you’re not hurt.” Each scene is meticulously planned and the moments between scenes add relatability and realism to the characters in a humorous way.
The message is about working hard to do what you love and to help those around you. Kimble isn’t the best stuntman, and his arc isn’t about becoming the best stuntman. The film instead focuses on self-acceptance. Kimble learns to accept himself and his circumstances, as well as to never give up. I find this message much more inspiring than “Eddie the Eagle.”
While this film may not have realistic plotlines, it provides a realistic portrayal of friendship and family. Surround yourself with people who would drive you to the hospital at 1 a.m. and build ramps to reach your dreams. This movie isn’t for everyone, but if you have a good sense of humor and enjoy rewatchable movies, “Hot Rod” is up your alley. I give “Hot Rod” an underratedness score of 4 out of 5. This is because it didn’t receive the reviews it deserves or make as much money as it should have, yet there are a number of people who won’t let this movie be forgotten.