Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
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72% of critics liked it
(183 reviews) -
73% of users liked it
(515,133 ratings)
When America's number one NASCAR speed-demon is issued a direct challenge from a gay, French Formula One racer with a hunger for the top spot and a mean talent for tight-cornering, the race is on to become the number one man in all of NASCAR in a full throttle comedy starring Will Ferrell and… More When America's number one NASCAR speed-demon is issued a direct challenge from a gay, French Formula One racer with a hunger for the top spot and a mean talent for tight-cornering, the race is on to become the number one man in all of NASCAR in a full throttle comedy starring Will Ferrell and directed by Anchorman cohort Adam McKay. Ricky Bobby (Ferrell) is a national hero with a "smokin' hot" trophy wife, pair of borderline-abusively precocious sons, and an endless line of endorsement deals filling his mansion with toys and driveway with sports cars and Hummers. His racing partner and lifelong friend Cal Naughton, Jr. (John C. Reilly), never fails to provide him with a hand on the racetrack, frequently performing their trademark "slingshot" maneuver to shoot Ricky into first place, leaving Cal in second. While the public loves these buddies (popularly known by the meaningless childhood nicknames they find so exceedingly cool: "Shake and Bake"), a wedge comes between the two, as Ricky Bobby's longstanding winning-streak is broken by flamboyand French Formula One driver Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen), robbing Ricky of everything in an instant as the trauma leaves him unable to drive. Ricky's wife takes his fortunes while Cal takes his wife, and now he's back with his mother (Jane Lynch) and long-estranged father (Gary Cole). Things look bad for Ricky, but his father was once a race car driver himself, and now with the help of a training montage, a live cougar, and the courage to drive without his gleaming white Wonder Bread endorsement, Ricky might be ready to face the track again. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Directed By
- Adam McKay
- Written By
- Will Ferrell, Adam McKay
- Genres
- Action & Adventure, Sports & Fitness, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Aug 4, 2006 Wide
- Studio
- Sony Pictures Releasing
Critic Reviews
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Steven Snyder, TIME Magazine
A comedy with horsepower to spare.
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Joe Baltake, Passionate Moviegoer
'Talladega Nights': Deliciously Subversive Political Satire
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, Time Out
Broad but not crude, dumb but not witless, clever but still snot-spittingly funny. Stupidly brilliant, in other words.
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Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
One of the stupidest and one of the funniest movies in Will Ferrell's career.
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Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
Essentially a string of gags loosely looped together, a set of absurd situations for the actors to clown their way through, Talladega Nights is an affable entertainment, both a celebration and a satire of lowbrow pleasures.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Will Ferrell
as Ricky Bobby
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John C. Reilly
as Cal Naughton Jr.
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Sacha Baron Cohen
as Jean Girard
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Gary Cole
as Reese Bobby
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Michael Clarke Duncan
as Lucius Washington
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Leslie Bibb
as Carley Bobby
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Jane Lynch
as Lucy Bobby
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Amy Adams
as Susan
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Andy Richter
as Gregory
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Molly Shannon
as Mrs. Dennit
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Greg Germann
as Larry Dennit Jr.
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David Koechner
as Hershell
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Jack McBrayer
as Glenn
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Ian Roberts
as Kyle
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Jason Davis
as Waffle House Manager
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Lorrie Bess Crumley
as Schoolteacher
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Luke Bigham
as 10-Year Old Ricky
- Dick Berggren
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Austin Crimm
as 10-Year Old Cal
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Adam McKay
as Terry Cheveaux
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John D. King
as ESPN Reporter
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Pat Hingle
as Mr. Dennit Sr.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.
as Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Houston Tumlin
as Walker
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Grayson Russell
as Texas Ranger
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Ted Manson
as Chip
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Danny Vinson
as Texas Ticket Seller
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Sylvia G. Lyerly
as Texas Ticket Seller
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Mike Joy
as Mike Joy
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Larry McReynolds
as Larry McReynolds
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Darell Waltrip
as Darrell Waltrip
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Jamie McMurray
as Jamie McMurray
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Dan Cox
as Bartender
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Bob Jenkins
as Bob Jenkins
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Rob Riggle
as Jack Telmont
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William Boyer
as Rescue Worker
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Ruffin Copeland
as Doctor
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Richard Benjamin
as Reporter
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Matt Day
as Pizza Delivery Boy
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Christoph Sanders
as Pizza Delivery Boy
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Pete Burris
as Police Officer
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Frank Hoyt Taylor
as Frank
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Conrad Ricamora
as DMV Officer
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Angie Fox
as Waitress
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Jim Wise
as Jim Bohampton
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Rebecca Koon
as Car Wash Customer
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Elvis Costello
as Elvis Costello
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Mos Def
as Mos Def
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Bill Weber
as Bill Weber
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Benny Parsons
as Benny Parsons
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Wally Dellenbach
as Wally Dallenbach
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Jack Blessing
as Jarvis
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John Baker
as Ted Beamen
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Robert R. Lee
as Talladega Ticket Seller
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Matt Coulter
as PA Announcer
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Jake M. Johnson
as 5 Year-Old Ricky
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Jake Johnson (XVI)
as 5 Year-Old Ricky
- Ed Lauter








