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Hot Tub Time Machine

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Hot Tub Time Machine
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySteve Pink
Written byJosh Heald
Jarrad Paul
Sean Anders
Produced byMatt Moore
John Cusack
Grace Loh
John Morris
StarringJohn Cusack
Rob Corddry
Craig Robinson
Clark Duke
Chevy Chase
Collette Wolfe
Lizzy Caplan
Kellee Stewart
CinematographyJack N. Green
Edited byGeorge Folsey, Jr.
James Thomas
Music byChristophe Beck
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • March 26, 2010 (2010-03-26)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryTemplate:Film US
LanguageEnglish
Budget$36 million[1]
Box office$61,336,869[1]

Hot Tub Time Machine is a 2010 American comedy film directed by Steve Pink and produced by MGM/United Artists. It stars John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Kellee Stewart, Lizzy Caplan, and Collette Wolfe. The film also features stars from 1980s films such as Chevy Chase, Crispin Glover and William Zabka.[2] The film was released on March 26, 2010.

Plot

In 2010, three friends are dissatisfied with their lives. Adam (John Cusack) has been dumped by yet another girlfriend, and his video-game-obsessed nephew Jacob (Clark Duke) lives in his basement. Lou (Rob Corddry) is a party guy way past his prime who is divorced and his family wants nothing to do with him. Lou has also failed in several investments and is debt-ridden as a result. Nick (Craig Robinson) has a dead-end job at a dog spa and a controlling wife named Courtney (Kellee Stewart) who is allegedly having an affair.

Lou almost dies from carbon monoxide poisoning in what his friends think is a suicide attempt. Adam and Nick impulsively take him and Jacob to the site of some of their most memorable weekends, the Kodiak Valley Ski Resort, "where no one got carded". However, upon arrival they see that Kodiak Valley has fallen on the same hard times as the four men. During a crazy night of drinking in a hot tub, they spill a can of an illegal Russian energy drink called "Chernobly" (named in reference to Chernobyl, Ukraine ) on the hot tub's controls. The next day, they wake up in 1986. They can see each other as their 2010 age and appearances, but in their reflections and to other people, they appear as they did in 1986. Jacob, who has not even been born yet, somehow is still a full-grown man as he was in his 2010 state. They arrive during "Winterfest '86," the weekend when Poison played to a huge crowd at the then-thriving Kodiak Resort. At first, the guys do not think that they have traveled back in time but are convinced when they find out that Michael Jackson's skin has not become lighter yet.

It is a time that was hard on the group. Adam broke up with his first girlfriend and got stabbed in the eye with a fork. Adam's sister, Kelly, conceived Jacob with an unknown father. Lou was beaten up by Blane, the ski patrol bully, and none of his friends came to his aid. Nick's show ended in disaster with his band at an open mic contest. The four are at first concerned that if they change even the slightest thing in this time, it could have drastic consequences in the future (based on a tenuous understanding of the Ray Bradbury short story "A Sound of Thunder"), they set out to do exactly what they did 24 years ago. Believing he must do everything the same as before, Nick has sex with a girl named Tara (Jessica Pare), but feels extremely guilty over being unfaithful to Courtney as his marriage to her occurred before the time travel. Later, they decide that this may be a chance to change their destinies. When Jacob begins to flicker in and out of existence, he warns the guys that if they continue what they're doing, then he may be wiped out of existence. A mysterious hot tub repairman (Chevy Chase) informs Jacob that the key to their time travel was the Chernobly, which contains chemicals that are vital to the time travel process. However, the Chernobly is in Lou's fanny pack, which was stolen by Blaine's gang.

Nick calls Courtney (his future wife who is actually 9 years old when he calls) and yells at her about the evils of adultery. Courtney's father interrupts the conversation and Adam and Jacob stop Nick from telling him that Courtney is his bride-to-be. Adam's girlfriend, Jennie (Lyndsy Fonseca), dumps him before he can dump her (and he still gets stabbed in the eye with a fork), but he ends up spending the night with a music journalist, April (Lizzy Caplan). With Lou's encouragement, Nick rocks the crowd with his band with performances of "Jessie's Girl" and "Let's Get It Started." Lou is beaten up by Blaine (Sebastian Stan), but finds the courage to punch him back, and all three of Lou's friends appear to confront Blaine's henchmen and recapture the Chernobly. Lou also seduces Kelly (Collette Wolfe) and conceives Jacob, solving the mystery of whom Jacob's true father was.

The guys are set to go back to 2010, but, just as the hot tub starts to activate, Lou decides to remain in 1986, admitting to Adam that he was indeed trying to kill himself, and that if he goes back it will happen all over again. He says he wants to use his knowledge of future history to make investments, and do right by Kelly and Jacob. Adam says that if Lou is staying, so is he but Lou pushes Adam into the hot tub, just as it blasts the guys back into 2010.

Adam, Nick, and Jacob discover that Lou, Kelly, and Jacob are now a happy family enjoying a lavish lifestyle. Lou has become a successful rock star with his favorite band, "Mötley Lüe" and is the founder of an Internet search engine called "Lougle". Adam discovers that he eventually married April, and Nick is a successful music producer married to a loyal and supportive Courtney. She tells him about a wrong number phone call she got when she was 9, that was enough to keep her from trying to cheat on anybody. Adam, Nick, Lou, and Jacob reunite at Lou's mansion with their families, satisfied with their new lives.

Cast

Production

Steve Pink directed and Josh Heald wrote the picture.[3] It was filmed primarily at the Vancouver Film Studios in Vancouver and the Fernie Alpine Resort in Fernie, British Columbia.[2]

Marketing

The first trailer for the film and the Red Band trailer appeared on July 24, 2009 at Comic-Con 2009 and on the Internet. The movie was screened for free in over 50 cities in the weeks leading up to its release.

On March 29, 2010, Rob Corddry and Clark Duke were guest hosts on WWE Raw from the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona to promote the movie. Craig Robinson did make a short appearance, but only via satellite.[4]

Reception

Critical response

Hot Tub Time Machine received generally positive reviews. Review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes reports that 63% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 177 reviews, with an average score of 6.1/10.[5] Critical Consensus is: Its flagrantly silly script—and immensely likable cast—make up for most of its flaws.[5]. Review aggregate Metacritic awarded the film an average score of 63 out of 100 indicating 'Generally favorable reviews'.[6]

The New York Times critic A. O. Scott stated that "the picture moves so quickly and crazily, swerving and skidding and doubling back for seconds, that minor lapses in wit are immediately overtaken by major (and therefore hilarious) lapses in taste." He went on to comment that, "the undercurrent of misogyny and homophobic panic that courses through most arrested-development, guy-centric comedies these days is certainly present here. But unlike, say, The Hangover, which sweetens and sentimentalizes its man-child characters — allowing them to run wild and then run home to Mommy — Hot Tub Time Machine is honest in its coarseness and pretty tough on the fellows who are the agents and objects of its satire."[7] Roger Ebert gave it three stars, commenting that, "The bottom line is, gross-out guy comedies open twice a month, and many of them are wretched excesses. Hot Tub Time Machine, which wants nothing more than to be a screwball farce, succeeds beyond any expectations suggested by the title."[8]

Box office

The film opened at #3 with a weekend gross of $14,020,502 in 2,754 theaters, averaging $5,091 per theater.[1] It spent 4 weeks in the top ten and 11 weeks in total, grossing $50,287,556 domestically. In terms of worldwide gross, it grossed $61,336,869.

Home media

Hot Tub Time Machine was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on June 29, 2010. It was released with a "Rated" and "Unrated" version with the Blu-ray Disc containing a digital copy.

Soundtrack

Untitled

The soundtrack for the film, officially titled Hot Tub Time Machine (Music From the Motion Picture), was released in 2010 by Rhino Entertainment. Several of the songs were sung by members of the film, with their original artists listed in parentheses. BulletBoys song "Smooth Up in Ya" features as a backing track during the movie. BulletBoys did not form till 1988, whereas the movie is set in 1986. "Kickstart My Heart" by Mötley Crüe also features but was not released until 1989. The movie itself contained a massive 40 song playlist, leaving 25 songs left out of the soundtrack.[9]

  1. "Louder Than a Bomb" - Public Enemy
  2. "Perfect Way" - Scritti Politti
  3. "The Safety Dance" (Extended 12" EP Remastered Version) - Men Without Hats
  4. "What You Need" (Single/LP version) - INXS
  5. "Modern Love" (Single version; 2002 Digital Remaster) - David Bowie
  6. "I Will Dare" - The Replacements
  7. "Push It" (Album version) - Salt-n-Pepa
  8. "Bring On the Dancing Horses" - Echo & the Bunnymen
  9. "Save It for Later" - The Beat (known as The English Beat in the USA)
  10. "True" - Spandau Ballet
  11. "Jessie's Girl" - Craig Robinson (Originally performed by Rick Springfield)
  12. "Bizarre Love Triangle" (Shep Pettibone 12" Remastered Remix) - New Order
  13. "Once in a Lifetime" (2006 Remastered version) - Talking Heads
  14. "Home Sweet Home" - Mötley Crüe (also performed by Rob Corddry during the closing credits)
  15. "Let's Get It Started" - Craig Robinson (Originally performed by the Black Eyed Peas)

References

  1. ^ a b c "Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)". Box Office Mojo. CBS. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
  2. ^ a b "Chevy Chase jumps in Hot Tub". The Hollywood Reporter. 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2009-05-30.
  3. ^ "Hot Tub Time Machine Writer Comes Forward, Explains Himself". Cinematical. 2008-12-10. Retrieved 2009-05-30.
  4. ^ "Upcoming Raw Guest Hosts". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  5. ^ a b "Hot Tub Time Machine Film Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  6. ^ "Hot Tub Time Machine Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  7. ^ A. O. Scott. "Hot Tub Time Machine - Times May Change, but Regret Endures". New York Times.
  8. ^ Roger Ebert. "Hot Tub Time Machine". Chicago Sun Times.
  9. ^ http://www.what-song.com/movie/title.php?Title=Hot%20Tub%20Time%20Machine Hot Tub Time Machine
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