Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Absolutely Fantastic

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

If you were transported in back in time to where the most significant moments of your life happened, and they lead to life not working out so well, would you take the opportunity to change things?This is the conundrum most time travel themed films pose, but never with a deliberate outcome like Hot Tub Time Machine.After nearly committing suicide in his garage Lou (Corddry) is taken back to the place of where some of the wildest moments took place in his youth, Kodiak Valley Ski resort by his former best friends Nick (Robinson); a dog groomer whose wife cheated on him, and Adam (Cusack); whose ex-girlfriend has made his life hell.Disappointed that the resort is not the same wild party place they knew from the 80's, they decide that a night spent drinking in the hot tub is their best option, somehow they are transported back to 1986 and must relive a fateful night, plus also make sure Adam's nephew Jacob (Duke), who has tagged along for the trip, is born. What follows are a series of events that lead to a showdown with a resort cop with delusions of grandeur and a climax that comes somewhat expected, but also left me a little surprised when I first saw it, it's also the source of a bit of a paradox for mine.Time travel movies for me present questions about actions and consequences, and also looking at the road taken in the film for the story, but also other roads that could have been taken, and the results it may have made. I also often think about traveling back in time, and seeing the younger selves of my parents, and seeing first hand the events in their lives that have lead to the reasons for how they deal with things in the present.Paradoxes in the story left me with some questions, but they don't really need exploring because of the hilarious nature of the film. I also don't think this film was meant to pose any deep and meaningfuls, but it could make you think about what some of the consequences of time travel may lead to, good or bad.

If I could leave a one-word review - that would be it. HTTM has many laugh-out-loud moments.4 friends go back to a ski resort to re-live teens, but actually end up doing-it, literally.Before we talk more about this - pass on the sequel. It gets too ridiculous and too crass, and misses Cusak for sure.HTTM accomplishes a lot more than say,"Take Me Home Tonight(4/10)" in terms of paying homage to the 80's. TMHT missed the mark completely. Here, the dress, the music, and many other ideas are perfect.The film is paced perfectly, and as ridiculous as it all seems, it still works. Lots of connect-the-dots sub-plots involving and connecting both timelines, and good there's solid character development and chemistry as well.Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson steal the comedic moments, while Cusak holds everything together as the best actor and the leader of the group. Overall, this film isn't going to win any awards, and there have been much better films on the subject(Back to the Future), but HTTM gets props for sheer fun without going too far over the top, or crass in the process.Mild thumbs up. 63/100

With Easter coming up I started searching round for a Comedy that a friend could enjoy watching over the Easter holiday.Looking round for a suitable title on Amazon, I stumbled on a movie which looked like a perfect match,which led to me jumping into the hot tub. The plot:2006-Learning that their old pal Lou Dorchen has tried to kill himself,former friends Nick Webber-Agnew and Adam Yates (along with his 20-year-old nephew Jacob) decide to take Dorchen to a ski hotel where they had some wild nights 20 years ago.Finding a hot tub in their room,the gang jump in and start partying.During the celebrations,one of them spills drink over the wires,which turns the hot tub into a time machine.Waking up with hangovers,the gang soon discover that their hangovers now go back to 1986.View on the film:Sending the gang back to the 80's,director Steve Pink and cinematographer Jack N. Green bust into the decade with vibrancy,as Hair Metal glamour of red,yellow and glitter are washed across the screen.Making each of the gang complete losers,the screenplay by Josh Heald/Sean Anders & John Morris hilariously pull the roots of the events which led them to dead ends,which jumps from risqué slap- stick set-pieces to close to the knuckle one-liners.Whilst the film is covered in raunchy laughs across the board,the writers keep a sweet note in step with the gangs hard rocking,with each of them starting to suspect that they can use this mistake to change things in their futures.Joined by an excellent Rock soundtrack,the cast give a fabulous ensemble performance,thanks to John Cusack's charming manner as Adam rubbing shoulders with a wonderfully wild Rob Corddry as Lou and a delightfully anxious Craig Robinson as Nick,as all of the gang jump into the hot time machine.

Excellent comedy. Original plot, though can look derivative. The beauty is that, just when you think it is going to do something predictable, it doesn't. Even its unpredictability isn't predictable! Screamingly funny. Edgy, cool dialogue. Great performances all round. Rob Corrdry and Craig Robinson are particularly good, in an over-the- top sort of way. John Cusack gives his usual solid self-reflective, thoughtful performance.An unhyped, understated gem.