"Talladega Nights" - Speeds to the Winner's Circle!!

I found this movie to be a very funny comedy. The cast was outstanding!! Will Ferrell was really good as race-car driver Ricky Bobby, who's motto was "If you're not first, you're last." His childhood buddy, Cal Naughton Jr. (played by John C. Reilly) was also good. He always liked to touch fists with Ricky Bobby and say "Shake and Bake," even when they were young classmates.

I feel the actor who stole the show was Sacha Baron Cohen (as Ricky Bobby's arch-nemesis Jean Girard). Every scene he was in was hilarious!! Of course, the movie eventually comes down to them in the final race. The ending (which I will not divulge) was not predictable, which I liked.

Leslie Bibb, playing Ricky Bobby's hot wife, was very good in her role. She kind of gravitates to "winners," and drops them when they appear to be "losers."

Ricky Bobby's publicist, Susan (played by Amy Adams) was a treasure. She gives a very inspirational speech to him that kind of turns him around when he was down. I really liked her character.

Michael Clarke Duncan, Ricky Bobby's pit crew chief, was very good in his part, especially when he was trying to get Ricky Bobby to realize that his paralysis was all in his head.

I liked the racing "shake and bake" and "the slingshot" references to Cal and Ricky Bobby's strategies to winning a race. They were a good team, except when Cal took his wife, kind of stabbing his best friend in the back. But Susan was a much nicer girl for Ricky Bobby than Carley anyway.

The other good casting was Gary Cole as Reese Bobby, the long lost father of Ricky Bobby. He played his role perfectly. I especially liked when he was trying to "toughen up" his son (when he needed it) by having him drive with a cougar in the car and also when he blindfolded Ricky Bobby to "get a feel for the road." These were funny moments.

All in all, this was a comedy that lived up to the advance hype. Many comedies today aren't funny, but this one was. My hat is off to Will Ferrell for this great movie!!