Despite the mostly predictable plot, earnest acting sells lowbrow scenes. Ferrell, as over the top as ever, throws all his energy into making Ricky Bobby both endearing and insane. And not since Peter Sellers’ "Pink Panther" role have we seen the portrayal of a stereotypical Frenchman as funny as Cohen’s Jean Girard.

Unfortunately no real lessons are learned here.  Ricky gets his head back in the right place by magically deciding he was born to race. The one bit of advice his father gave to him as a child, the idea that he has based his whole life on, Reese confirms, “is just something I said when I was high.” Ricky reconciles with Cal and learns not to hate Girard.

“Ricky Bobby isn’t a thinker,” his assistant turned girlfriend (Amy Adams) yells at him at a crucial moment. “Ricky Bobby is a driver!” Which in a sense sums up the entire movie. If you like Will Ferrell’s past movies, and can ignore the crude humor, you will probably enjoy "Talladega Nights."  Nothing much to think about here, but the ride – at times – can make you laugh. 

AUDIENCE:  Older teens and adults

CAUTIONS:

• Language:  A good deal of profanity. Several vulgar sexual comments and jokes. The Lord’s name is taken in vain a few times. Ricky’s children are especially foulmouthed to adults in several scenes.
• Drugs/Alcohol:  Characters are several times show in bars and drinking. Ricky’s father grows marijuana. A malt liquor brand is prominently displayed as one racing team’s sponsor.
• Sex/Nudity:  A groupie lifts up her shirt and flashes her chest at Ricky (nothing is shown); he then mutters under his breath, “Please God be eighteen.” In the following scene he autographs a female fan’s cleavage. In two scenes Ricky, thinking he is on fire, strips down to his underwear and runs across the race track. Cal confesses to Ricky, including a graphic description, that he once posed in Playgirl. Two homosexual kissing scenes are played for gross-out laughs. Both Ricky’s parents tell him about the night he was conceived.
• Violence:  Lots of spectacular race track car crashes. Ricky accidentally hits a policeman with his car. A couple of fist fights. Jean Girard rather graphically breaks Ricky’s arm. Ricky sticks a knife in his own leg to prove that he has no feeling in his legs. It turns out that he does have feeling in his legs after all, and we are then subject to a cringe-worthy sequence as his friends attempt to remove the knife.
• Religion:  At the dinner table Ricky prays to “Lord Baby Jesus.” An argument ensues as to which is the “right” Jesus to pray to. Ricky says he prefers to think of Jesus as a baby. When Ricky thinks he’s on fire he screams “help me” prayers to several “deities” including Baby Jesus, Allah, “Jewish God,” Tom Cruise and Oprah.