One of the most erroneous outcomes of a movie is when it can't decide on what its point is? In "Hot Tub Time Machine", the Achilles heel here is based on intentions. What is it trying to be? A feel-good tickle your funny-bone comedy, or a film to search for one's youth? Is it a story about forgetting your past and accepting what one has now? Or is it a nostalgic trip down Memory Lane about how your friends in the past don't connect with the friends you have today? Is it all I've aforementioned? None of it? Where the hell's the direction in this movie?
The old story of traveling back in periods in time have been done a plethora of times before ("Back to the Future" is still the best time traveling flick ever), "Hot Tub Time Machine" offers very little in terms of originality or plot. The acting spectrum was overall impressive with John Cusack leading the pack doing a fine job of what's given to him, which really doesn't say much in terms by the drab direction. In order for a person to understand the gags, jokes and quips requires that you had to either have lived in the 1980's or you must have a better comprehension of 1980's culture. My childhood was in the 1980's but even some of the lingo was puzzling to me. Maybe I should have lived my teen years in the 1980's to get the jokes delivered here.
There were also numerous aspects of the movie that didn't sit very well with me. For instance the lovable John Cusack getting high seems so forced and contrived. Or Craig Robinson screaming at his future wife who was 9 years old in 1986. Or if that wasn't banal how about Rob Corddry making out with Cusack's sister with Cusack not too far away and listens to every moan and grind. If you thought this was going to be a light-hearted comedy, well perish the thought.This comedy is darker than a shadow during a blackout.
And when all the smoke clears, we the audience are left expecting the characters show a bit of sympathy for each other and that they should forget about the past and move on with their lives. Well that didn't happen either. Overall an unsatisfying outing for me in this one.
The old story of traveling back in periods in time have been done a plethora of times before ("Back to the Future" is still the best time traveling flick ever), "Hot Tub Time Machine" offers very little in terms of originality or plot. The acting spectrum was overall impressive with John Cusack leading the pack doing a fine job of what's given to him, which really doesn't say much in terms by the drab direction. In order for a person to understand the gags, jokes and quips requires that you had to either have lived in the 1980's or you must have a better comprehension of 1980's culture. My childhood was in the 1980's but even some of the lingo was puzzling to me. Maybe I should have lived my teen years in the 1980's to get the jokes delivered here.
There were also numerous aspects of the movie that didn't sit very well with me. For instance the lovable John Cusack getting high seems so forced and contrived. Or Craig Robinson screaming at his future wife who was 9 years old in 1986. Or if that wasn't banal how about Rob Corddry making out with Cusack's sister with Cusack not too far away and listens to every moan and grind. If you thought this was going to be a light-hearted comedy, well perish the thought.This comedy is darker than a shadow during a blackout.
And when all the smoke clears, we the audience are left expecting the characters show a bit of sympathy for each other and that they should forget about the past and move on with their lives. Well that didn't happen either. Overall an unsatisfying outing for me in this one.