Hot Tub Time Machine

Imagine the guys in The Hangover and Old School going Back to the Future, and you have the basic premise of this raunchy comedy that plunges three regretful middle-aged men and their nerdy young companion into a time-travel adventure. When obnoxious, alcoholic Lou (Rob Corddry) almost kills himself, buddies Adam (John Cusack) and Nick (Craig Robinson) decide to whisk him away for a ski weekend. Nick long ago abandoned his dreams of being a rock singer, while Adam is a loser whose girlfriend just moved out, and he's saddled with his nephew, Jacob (Clark Duke). The guys bring Jacob along on their jaunt to Kodiak Valley, a resort once renowned for sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, but on arrival it's clear the party scene is over. What they find instead is a shabby town with a decrepit hotel and a one-armed bellman (Crispin Glover). Even the hot tub is a disappointment until the repairman (Chevy Chase) “fixes” it and the four hop in and are suddenly transported into an alternate time-space continuum where Adam reunites with a sexy playmate and meets the bright journalist he should have married, Nick returns to his warbling heyday, and boorish Lou fights with a ski patrol dude. Only Jacob is determined to get back to the future—so he can be born. Director Steve Pink imbues this collage of crude and ridiculously funny episodes with unexpected warmth, evoking nostalgia in baby boomers along with the politically incorrect guffaws. Recommended. [Note: Featuring both the theatrical and unrated versions of the film, DVD/Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes (12 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are four brief promotional featurettes (7 min.) and a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a disappointing extras package for a fun comedy.] (S. Granger)