A silly and raunchy comedy, Hot Tub Time Machine is reminiscent of 80s films in all of the expected ways. Not great cinema, but not terrible either.
I have thought a lot about parenting in the 80s. There are movies that we all watched as kids that no one realized we shouldn’t have been watching. I easily saw Meatballs two dozen times as well as Revenge of the Nerds, Porky’s, and Valley Girl regularly. Things being what they are today, I never would have let my kids watch these, but it was a different time. One that maybe they were trying to bring back here?
Hot Tub Time Machine is about three adult friends who were close as teens, but have grown apart. After what could have been a tragic event, they realize that they aren’t happy in their respective lives and decide to take a weekend away to relax. While there with a tag-along nephew, the men get into a hot tub and are whisked back to a weekend they spent in the same lodge many years ago. Here they can try to do things differently and change their lives.
The premise is silly, but whatever. That’s part of the joke. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie doesn’t hold up under the tiniest bit of scrutiny, other than the nephew beginning to fade away (a la Back To The Future) since he wasn’t born yet during this history.
There are a few funny moments, but a lot of it is raunchy 80s humor, so think naked boobs and lots of sex jokes. Some of the jokes are legitimately clever, it just feels uneven.
When Crispin Glover shows up, you know that it’s going to be an odd movie. He only appears in those types of roles, so it’s a pretty good hint at what is coming. His character has only one arm and you spend much of the movie trying to find out how he lost it. That storyline is pretty funny, but it goes on a little too long.
There is also a strange storyline where Chevy Chase shows up as a repairman (think Don Knotts’ character in Pleasantville), but he disappears just as quickly multiple times and you never quite understand his purpose. Although he does know the secret for how the men get back to their own time, so there is that. Why other than because he’s a repairman? I have no idea.
A few of the funnier moments include learning who the nephews parents are, watching Sebastian Stan be a teenage bully, and a full ending montage with Rob Corddry and the changes his character has made to his life. Actually, the ending wrap up was my favorite part, and not because it was the end. It was the best of the storytelling and it moved smoothly without the choppiness that you see earlier in the film.
Overall, this was not my favorite movie, but it’s not awful. If you love 80s humor, have a soft spot for John Cusack or Craig Robinson, and want to watch something ridiculous, this is your film.
Runtime: 98 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Only if you like raunchy 80s films, otherwise no
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I have thought a lot about parenting in the 80s. There are movies that we all watched as kids that no one realized we shouldn’t have been watching. I easily saw Meatballs two dozen times as well as Revenge of the Nerds, Porky’s, and Valley Girl regularly. Things being what they are today, I never would have let my kids watch these, but it was a different time. One that maybe they were trying to bring back here?
