Hot Tub Time Machine

Hot Tub Time Machine

When I saw the previews for Hot Tub Time Machine, I was a little confused. While it is always nice to see John Cusack in a comedy, I had to wonder why he was in this movie. And then when I found out he was actually one of the producers, I got even more confused. This is a Hangover-like crazy-fest, and the last thing I expected to see Cusack in.

Lou (Rob Corddry), Adam (John Cusack) and Nick (Craig Robinson) are three friends who are down on their luck. They go through their day in dead-end jobs or in dead-end relationships. Adam is forced to live with his nephew Jacob (Clark Duke) who escapes to the basement all day, playing online games. Simply put, their lives suck. In an effort to cheer Lou up, the gang decides to take a trip to Kodiak Ski Resort, where they had partied hard as teenagers. Unfortunately, Kodiak is a dump now, rundown and deserted except for a grumpy one-armed porter (a fantastic Crispen Glover). That night, in an alcohol and energy drink-fueled haze, the four vacationers jump into the hot tub and pass out. When they wake up, it is 1986!! Not just 1986, but it is the very night where Adam, Lou and Nick hit a crossroads in their lives, where they all made a fateful decision that would affect the rest of their lives. What will happen now that they get to relive that day?

If this all sounds predictable and kind of corny, it is. But the movie does actually have its share of big laughs. When the writers throw jokes at you a million at a time, there are going to some that stick. Each of the four characters have their own little adventure - my personal favorite is Nick's story. Nick has to accept that his wife is cheating on him and find the courage to somehow play with his band again. Nick goes on a funny, emotional journey, and he cries a lot - and Craig Robinson crying is really funny 100% of the time.

The worst story, ironically, is Cusack's. Not that his performance is bad. It's fine; it just doesn't belong here. He is playing his usual role, a self-conscious angst-ridden man who hems and haws about whether or not he should have broken up with a girl. It sounds like a lot of John Cusack movies. The problem is, none of these movies are Hot Tub Time Machine. Cusack and his movie belong somewhere else, away from the 1980s cameos, vomiting and Craig Robinson crying. It just sticks out and slows the film down when it should be ramping up. It's a shame really - Cusack did so many films in the 80s that it makes complete sense for him to be in a satire of the decade. But his angst doesn't belong in a slapstick piece of insanity.

Overall, the movie is okay. Some people even like it more than The Hangover, which I think is crazy. I definitely disagree with that. The Hangover was a subversive, creative surprise. Hot Tub Time Machine goes through mostly familiar territory and has only a few genuine surprises. Clark Duke doesn't have much to do, Cusack's story drags the film down, and Rob Corddry is a bit too over-the-top in a lot of scenes. On the other hand, you have Craig Robinson, Crispen Glover and Corddry's good over-the-top performance in other scenes. It's not great, but there are a good number of laughs and a few really big ones. Definitely worth a rental, if nothing else.

BEST LINE: Jacob: "Actually, that's the sort of thing that would be in the asshole handbook."

MVP: I'm going with Crispen Glover as the Kodiak's one-armed and bitter porter. In 1986, he still has both his arms and we spend the whole movie anticipating when he is going to lose his limb. This is the one element of the movie that actually sort of keeps us guessing. And Glover's performance is so WEIRD. In the present day, he is just so angry, spewing his venom, throwing luggage around and still expecting tips. In the past, he is so enthusiastically cheerleader perky. It's just a bizarre little performance and my favorite thing about the movie. Robinson is a close second, though.

TRIVIA: Craig Robinson actually came up with the popular line, "We must have gotten in some sort of hot tub time machine," before staring deadpan into the camera. It's a great gag and perfect for the marketing machine, which is why it was in all the trailers.