Movie Review: Rat Race

Okay. After flash-backing to middle school and high school torment. I need something light and fluffy.  Something that's mad mad mad mad.  Something with Seth Green, Whoopi Goldberg,  Jon Lovitz, Rowan Atkinson and Kathy Bates thrown on top. Rat Race.



The Cast
First off, as I alluded to earlier this movie is one of those academy winner magnets. You'd be surprised at who they got. Including John Cleese, yes that John Cleese.


Let me put it another way. You know how The Expendables is mostly an excuse to see you're favorite action stars do stunts. This is that, but with comedy. Movie 43, but good.

The Plot
Let me be honest. The plot is just an excuse to give some of the best comedic actors of the world good material.

An "eccentric"  (grrr grerrr) billionaire with a crazy gambling habit decides to choose at random a 6 strangers, some with wacky family sidekicks,  and give them each a key to a locker in New Mexico, which contains $2 million in catch and see who gets there first.

"A horse race with animals who can think and plan and lie and cheat and play dirty. Hmm. It's the gambling experience of a lifetime. "


Timing



Time to bring out my Groucho. Look kids the key to a good laugh is all in the timing. There's a pause and then a golden moment, a golden beautiful moment. And most folks are blind to it and strangle the joke in the crib. These guys, however, are veterans who can raise the joke into a killer linebacker who WILL drop you. Brick jokes, slapstick, sight gags, puns, prat falls, mugging,  and plenty of lampshading of the absurdity of the all. 

It's the closest thing I've ever seen to a live action Merry Melodies movie (if you don't count Mel Brooks' work), including all the live action Merry Melodies movies.  Which makes sense considering it a Zucker movie.


God some of the stunts are mind boggling.  How the hell did they get a car to climb a radio tower?

The script and soundtrack ain't too none shabby either. There is a lot of great material.

(Hmm rule of three or overly long)

Good Script+Good Actors+Good Effects Work+ Good Camera Framing+Good Music+A Bus Full of Crying Lucies+Hitler's Car+ Flying Cows+Mojave Desert+ Rocket Car+Funny Accent=Comedic Gold

I'll admit it's not smart comedy, but I have the humor of 5 year old.