April 1, 2010 -- “Hot Tub Time Machine” is a kind of vulgar cross between “Back to the Future” and “Pleasantville.” There is time travel back and forth in time like “Back to the Future,” of course, and a mysterious hot tub repair man (played by Chevy Chase) who is a lot like that mysterious TV repair man (played by Don Knotts) in “Pleasantville.”

What you don't have are the sympathetic characters of those two earlier movies, or any of the sophisticated cultural observations those other two movies had. What you do have is a lot of raunchy sexual and drug humor. After a serious episode that requires serious rehab, old buddies, Adam (John Cusack of “2012”), Nick (Craig Robinson of “Pineapple Express”) and Lou (Rob Corddry of “W”) take a trip to Kodiak Valley Ski Resort, a place which holds good memories for them. Along for the ride is Jacob, Adam's nephew (Clark Duke of “Superbad”). When they get to the ski resort they find it has fallen on hard times. They stay in a room they fondly remember in the broken down resort. Like the resort, Adam, Nick and Lou's lives have seen better days. The optimism of their youth has given way to disappointment, and in Lou's case, desperation.

They get in the hot tub, which magically transports them back to their glory year of 1986. Even stranger than that, they look to others like they looked in 1986, except for Jacob, who was born in 1987. After consulting with the mysterious hot tub repair man, the men decide they have to relive the events of that day in 1986 exactly the same way in order to get back to the future, but all of them stray from the true path except for Jacob, who tries to keep the three men on track. Lou, who was supposed to be depressed, is a real wild man, overdosing on alcohol and drugs. He also keeps watching the resort's bellhop, Phil (Crispin Glover of “Back to the Future”), to catch that moment when he loses his arm in an accident. Very sick. Adam has to break up with his hot girlfriend, Jennie (Lyndsy Fonseca). Nick has to have sex with a woman and sing on stage, because that what he did on this day in 1986.

The story is interesting enough, but the characters are so shallow and venal I couldn't work up any interest in what happens to them, except for Nick, he seems like a decent sort. Even the characters in the hapless movie “Wild Hogs” (a movie which is actually referenced in this film) were more convincing than these guys. There is a kind of moral to the story, but it is pretty weak. It is not worth mentioning, really. This film rates a C.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2010 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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