This reviewer loves time travel movies, so he absolutely had to see Hot Tub Time Machine. Starring John Cusack and three other lesser known stars, the film is an often funny romp that makes us smile at times. Mostly, however, it is too sophomoric in nature to really bring home the laughs.
When four buddies who are 40 something, hopelessly arrested at twenty in maturity, go back in time to the 80's, the stage is set for some good fun. At first, the guys respect the ol' time paradox and try not to mess with the past. But as they learn, the past happens...which is another way of saying shit happens (excuse my French). The four stooges somehow cannot succeed any better in the past than they once did.
Of course the entire film is created for gags. We must remove our adult personas to get into the swing of things. Remember John Belushi's toga party? Remember Dumb and Dumber? Remember the fools in this author's book, Idiots' Delight? (hahaha, Valerie, think I would not plug my own work?) Take every portrait of immature fools you've seen, add a little time travel twist, and you've got Hot Tub Time Machine.
So having admitted that we must get childish and silly and suspend our adult selves to enjoy the film, is it worth seeing? Sadly not. It just does not entertain as it should. It's not just that it is way beyond stupid, which, as noted above, is not always bad. It's just that stupid is not so well done in this flick.
Sorry, wannabe frat boys and sorority girls. This film gets a D. Not very viewable.
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