Hot Tub Time Machine

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Hot Tub Time Machine
Hot tub time machine poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Steve Pink
Produced by John Cusack
Grace Loh
John Morris
Matt Moore
Written by Josh Heald
Sean Anders
John Morris
Starring John Cusack
Rob Corddry
Craig Robinson
Clark Duke
Chevy Chase
Music by Christophe Beck
Cinematography Jack N. Green
Editing by George Folsey, Jr.
James Thomas
Distributed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer
United Artists
Release date(s)
  • March 26, 2010 (2010-03-26)
Running time 100 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $36 million[1]
Box office $61,336,869[1]

Hot Tub Time Machine is a 2010 American science fiction comedy film directed by Steve Pink. Four men, all of them bored with their adult lives, travel back to their 1980s teen-hood, courtesy of a time-shifting hot tub. It stars John Cusack, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Kellee Stewart, Rob Corddry, Crystal Lowe, Lizzy Caplan, and Collette Wolfe. The film also features stars from 1980s films such as Chevy Chase, Billy Zabka and Crispin Glover.[2]

Contents

Plot [edit]

In 2010, three friends are dissatisfied with their lives: Adam Yates (John Cusack) has been dumped by yet another girlfriend, and his geeky nephew Jacob (Clark Duke) lives in his basement, playing video games, with no idea who his father is. Lou Dorchen (Rob Corddry) is a party guy way past his prime. Nick Webber (Craig Robinson) has a dead-end job at a dog spa and an unfaithful and controlling wife named Courtney (Kellee Stewart). 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. Upon arrival at the resort, they see that Kodiak Valley (K-Val as they call it) has fallen on hard times as well. Everywhere they look, stores and shops are boarded up, the hotel lobby is musty, and has cats running freely around. During a crazy night of drinking in a hot tub, they spill a can of an illegal Russian energy drink called "Chernobly" on the hot tub's controls. The next day, they wake up in 1986. They see each other as their normal age, but in their reflections and to other people, they appear as they did in 1986, except Jacob, who was not yet born. They arrive during "Winterfest '86," the weekend when Poison played to a huge crowd at the then-thriving Kodiak Resort.

In 1986, Adam broke up with his first girlfriend, Jennie (Lyndsy Fonseca), and she stabbed him in the eye with a fork. Lou was beaten up by Blaine (Sebastian Stan), the ski patrol bully. Nick played a bad show 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, so they set out to do exactly what they did 20 years ago. Later, they decide that this may be a chance to change their destinies. When Jacob begins to flicker in and out, he warns the guys that if they continue what they are 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.

Adam meets a quirky music journalist named April, though he refrains from talking to her at first because he doesn't want to change the past. Adam changes his mind, and instead seizes this 'second chance' opportunity to save his relationship with Jennie, only to find out she intended to break up with him all along. As fate would have it, Adam makes a comment about Jennie getting older and developing 'trucker hips,' which causes Jennie to lash out at him, again stabbing him in the eye with a fork. Devastated, Adam returns to their hotel room to do drugs and write bad poetry. He later goes wandering around the resort, where he meets up with the music journalist April and the two get closer.

Nick realizes his first time around the open mike band performance he gave was such a disaster, it led him to abandon his much-loved music career. Feeling glad to be back (a comment that confuses his band mates) Nick rocks the crowd with his band with performances of "Jessie's Girl" and preview version of "Let's Get It Started."

While busy tending to their own problems, the guys forget to show up for Lou's appointed fight with Blaine and his cronies. Lou is beaten up by Blaine, who takes Lou's hydration pack that contains the Chernobly. They later go to Blaine's ski cabin to retrieve the energy drink, At the cabin, Lou finds the courage to punch Blaine back. Lou also seduces Adam's sister, Kelly (Collette Wolfe), and has sex with her, conceiving Jacob. While trying to get the Chernobly, the guys are joined by Kelly and a bellhop named Phil (Crispin Glover) who is seen throughout the movie doing dangerous stunts, which Lou and Jacob expect to be the incident that costs him his left arm.

The guys get the Chernobly and race back to the hot tub. They spill the Chernobly on the controls and a massive temporal vortex appears. As the hot tub starts to activate, Lou announces he is going to remain in 1986, admitting to Adam that he was trying to kill himself, and that if he goes back it will happen all over again. In a gesture of friendship, Adam says he will stay with Lou, and when they hug, Lou pushes Adam backwards into the spinning vortex.

Back in 2010, Adam, Nick, and Jacob discover that Lou, Kelly, and Jacob are now a happy family enjoying a lavish lifestyle due to Lou taking advantage of his knowledge of the future. Adam discovers that he eventually married April, and Nick is a successful music producer married to a loyal Courtney. Adam, Nick, Lou, and Jacob reunite at Lou's mansion with their families, satisfied with their new lives.

Cast [edit]

Production [edit]

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 [edit]

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 film was screened for free in over 50 cities in the weeks leading up to its release.

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

Reception [edit]

Critical response [edit]

Hot Tub Time Machine received generally positive reviews; review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes reports that 64% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 187 reviews, with an average score of 6.1/10[5] with the consensus that "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 [edit]

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. The film grossed just over $61 million at $61,336,869.24

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

Sequel [edit]

Although not a huge success at the box office, strong home video sales prompted the possibility of a sequel to Hot Tub Time Machine. A Hollywood Reporter article in January 2013 suggested that Corddry, Duke, Robinson, and director Steve Pink are in talks to make the film (Cusack was reported in late March of 2013 as still being in talks to reprise his role). Corddry and Pink might also collaborate on the script.[9]

Soundtrack [edit]

Hot Tub Time Machine (Music From the Motion Picture)
Soundtrack album by Various Artists
Released March 23, 2010 (U.S.)
Label Rhino Entertainment

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.

  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)
  16. "Hero" - Craig Robinson (originally performed by Enrique Iglesias)

Not included in the album [edit]

The following songs were featured in the film, but not included in the soundtrack album:[10]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)". Box Office Mojo. CBS. Retrieved 2010-03-29. 
  2. ^ a b Fernandez, Jay A. (2009-05-28). "Chevy Chase jumps in Hot Tub". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2011-04-30. 
  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 (2010-03-26). "Hot Tub Time Machine - Times May Change, but Regret Endures". New York Times. 
  8. ^ Roger Ebert. "Hot Tub Time Machine". Chicago Sun Times. 
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ [2]

External links [edit]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Hot Tub Time Machine
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