"Talladega Nights" and its political overtones. (Possible spoilers.)

[Lex]

Now hear me out. "Talladega Nights" is really a funny anti-Freeper movie. I went with a friend who thought it would be a funny flick and I was surprised at the content:

The main character, Ricky Bobby, is--in the first part of the movie--an arrogant, win at all costs, chest-thumping, patriotic euphemism-spouting moron (or moran). He was essentially a caricature of George W. Bush. A clueless "I'm number 1" flag-waving ignoramus. Ricky Bobby's kids were that way too. Total spoiled brats. (The kids reminded me of Bush voters or Rush Limbaugh ditto-heads.)

Along comes Frenchman Jean Girard, played brilliantly by Sascha Baron Cohen. His thick fake French accent when he got up in Ricky Bobby's face was too funny.

He tells Ricky Bobby he's going to beat him, out-drive him, and win the next race. There is a great bar fight scene where Jean Girard whips Ricky Bobby and tells Bobby he has to say "I love crepes." Bobby and his friends are like shallow freeper types. At least in the first part of the movie.

Of course, at the next race Ricky Bobby is bested by Jean Girard and it turns out that Ricky Bobby, when facing a little adversity, runs around like a total wimp, whining and crying and pissin' his pants.

The rest is formulaic movie stuff, with the main character (Bobby) learning to have a little humility and heart. But the political overtones in this movie are certainly there on purpose. Otherwise, Steve Earle would have never allowed his music to be used in the film.

It's a damn funny movie, but it has some political messages that aren't to be missed, imho.