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Why Hot Rod Is One Of The Most Underappreciated Comedies Of All Time

A while back on this lovely site, I wrote about how Shoot 'Em Up was one of the most misunderstood action movies of the last twenty years. If you read the thread of comments below that piece, you will see the article brought two types of people out. The people who adored the film, and the people who hated it. But either way, they came. The piece took on legs of its own, and within six months, I was talking casually to Shoot 'Em Up's writer/director Michael Davis, who thanked me for writing it. It was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had as a writer, and one I am hoping to duplicate again by talking up Hot Rod.

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What makes Hot Rod work so well is not just the perfect, irreverant tone to the writing, but the stars in the film. You have a pre-Kenny Powers Danny McBride here, sharpening that whole McBride steez we will come to love. We have Will Arnett playing the same asshole he always plays (himself), as well as Chris Parnell playing that same pensive character he always plays (himself), but all of them doing it long before that would become their style. You really get to see some young talent here honing what would go on to be their “things.” Heck, even The Lonely Island guys (who also both act in it) test some insane shit out in this movie.

Take this scene, for example:

That scene is in the middle of the movie, and they then transition to the next scene with no regard to what happened or why. That is pretty much how The Lonely Island would form most of their digital shorts over the years following Hot Rod. They are insane and irreverent, and all that groundwork is laid down here for anyone observant enough to pick up on it.