Hot Tub Time Machine
Directed by: Steve Pink
Written by: Josh Heald, Sean Anders, John Morris
Starring: John Cusack, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry, Clark Duke, Lizzy Caplan, Crispin Glover, Chevy Chase

Sometimes a movie’s title tells you absolutely nothing about what you’re going to see, and other times it offers a few subtle clues. Then there are titles like Hot Tub Time Machine, that tell you everything you will ever need to know about the movie in just four simple words. With a name like this, there can be no confusion about what people are getting themselves into. Clearly it is the very definition of a high concept comedy, and sometimes, a high concept is all you need — especially when the concept is so high that the fumes alone could probably have you tripping for weeks.

As it turns out, Hot Tub Time Machine did actually originate as a ridiculous title dreamed up by Josh Heald, a relatively inexperienced actor (his only listed credit is “Terry Air Marshal #3″ in Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay) and an unabashed fan of ’80s comedies. He slowly worked out a story and some characters, and before long it was picked up by MGM who hired Sex Drive writers Sean Anders and John Morris to help polish the script. Several ingenious casting decisions later, the silly title had been elevated to a kind of wacky, anything goes R-rated comedy that keeps its mind in the gutter while wearing its heart on its sleeve. In other words… it’s better than you think.

Three long-time friends Adam, Nick and Lou find themselves unhappy and unfulfilled with their adult lives. Adam (John Cusack) has just been dumped by his girlfriend and Nick (Craig Robinson) works a job that he hates, but when they get called to the hospital because of a suspected suicide attempt by Lou (Rob Corddry), they realize that a weekend getaway of some sort would do them all good. They decide to revisit their old stomping grounds, a ski resort that they used to party at when they were younger, and Adam’s nephew (Clark Duke) reluctantly tags along for the ride. After a night of drinking, they pile into their hotel room hot tub only to wake up in 1986 inhabiting the bodies of their younger selves. As they retrace their own footsteps, they are tempted to correct past mistakes, but could their changes to the past also sabotage the future?

Comparisons to The Hangover are inevitable, so let’s just get that out of the way right now. As I understand it, the plot for Hot Tub Time Machine originally involved a bachelor party, but for obvious reasons they decided to go a different route. This was a wise choice. Hot Tub Time Machine is still about a group of friends indulging in a wild weekend of excess, and there is an element of mystery to the circumstances they find themselves in, however it’s not nearly as “cool” as The Hangover. The characters in this movie are all loveable losers, and believe it or not, the bonds between them are tighter. This feels a bit closer to a Judd Apatow movie than a Todd Phillips movie.

The cast is filled with familiar faces, and although they aren’t necessarily people that can single-handedly sell tickets, they aren’t overexposed either and they still have the ability to surprise. John Cusack hasn’t been in many memorable movies over the past decade and may seem like an odd guy to headline this film, but he reminds us of the charisma that he once had in movies like High Fidelity and Grosse Pointe Blank. Rob Corddry will no doubt grate on some people’s nerves, but his high energy is the driving force behind much of the movie. On the flip side, Craig Robinson’s mellow demeanor and subtle humour is the perfect complement to Corddry’s antics. Clark Duke is just the icing on the cake, the whiny outsider and the butt of many jokes, and yet also occasionally the voice of reason.

Nostalgia is definitely a big part of Hot Tub Time Machine, but it doesn’t get caught up skewering every little bit of ’80s culture. In fact, it lovingly embraces it, not just in terms of the fashion and the music, but also the very tone of the film. Crispin Glover has a great recurring gag throughout the movie, and his presence alone acts as an homage of sorts to Back to the Future (which was clearly an inspiration). If that’s not enough, The Karate Kid‘s Billy Zabka makes an appearance, and the villain of the film is a communist-hating bully cut from the same cloth as some of Zabka’s previous roles. Even with all these pop culture references, there aren’t really any direct parodies being made. If you grew up in the ’80s, you may get a little more out of this movie, but it’s certainly not required to enjoy it.

As is the trend with these kinds of comedies, there is plenty of raunchiness, and I did find a couple moments to be unnecessarily gross for the sake of shock value (particularly one gratuitous vomiting scene). The movie still manages to charm you with its utter lack of pretension, however. Chevy Chase isn’t given much to do in his brief appearance as the hot tub repairman, and Lizzy Caplan’s character April (John Cusack’s love interest) felt a little contrived to me, but aside from that, I don’t have many complaints. The end of the movie goes off the rails a bit, but it is unpredictable and equally as irreverent as anything that came before it. The movie also wraps up with a creative and memorable closing credit sequence, so I have to give them points for going out on a high note.

There’s no doubt that Hot Tub Time Machine is a movie that will divide audiences, and many will dismiss it as nothing more than idiotic nonsense. However, I have to say that they actually explored the time travel thing in some interesting ways, and they manage to inject just enough heart and depth into the characters to bump this up above the usual sex comedy fare. Hot Tub Time Machine may not change your life, but it will leave you giddy and fulfilled, and maybe (just maybe) pining for the days of neon spandex and hair metal. Surely any movie that can accomplish such a feat must be doing something right. — Sean

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