Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
2006, Comedy, 1h 50m
185 Reviews 250,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
Though it occasionally stalls, Talladega Nights' mix of satire, clever gags, and excellent ensemble performances put it squarely in the winner's circle. Read critic reviews
You might also like

Old School

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Beerfest

Red Eye

Waiting ...
Where to watch
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Videos
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Photos
Movie Info
NASCAR superstar Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) is at the top of his game; adored by fans, a trophy wife by his side, and incredible wealth. But Ricky loses it all when French Formula One champion Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen) roars onto the scene. Ricky, with the help of his ruthless father, must pull himself out of the depths of despair and restore his honor on the racetrack.
Cast & Crew
Will Ferrell
Ricky Bobby
Ricky Bobby
John C. Reilly
Cal Naughton Jr.
Cal Naughton Jr.
Sacha Baron Cohen
Jean Girard
Jean Girard
Gary Cole
Reese Bobby
Reese Bobby
Michael Clarke Duncan
Lucius Washington
Lucius Washington
Leslie Bibb
Carley Bobby
Carley Bobby
Critic Reviews for Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Audience Reviews for Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
-
Jul 17, 2016"I wanna go fast." Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is an outrageous comedy that's full of laughs. The story follows NASCAR's number one driver Ricky Bobby as he rises to the challenge of French Formula One driver Jean Girard to see who's the fastest, but after getting into a wreck Bobby loses his self-confidence and has to get it back in order to return to the track and beat Girard. Starring Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Leslie Bibb, and Gary Cole, the film has an impressive cast that has great chemistry together. And the comedy is hilarious, with a lot of over-the-top humor that works incredibly well (like learning to drive with a cougar in the backseat). Ridiculously funny, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a terrifically entertaining film.Dann M Super Reviewer
-
Apr 04, 2016I can't believe I've never actually reviewed this movie on this site. For the longest time I thought I had. I don't expect this to be a long review, since it is a film I've seen twice, the second time was on Saturday. And, for some reason, I got a real itch to watch this movie again, just to see if it held up as well as I remembered it when I went to see it in the theaters all those years ago. And, surprise surprise, the movie held up quite well considering. Then again, while ten years is a really long time, it's also not really that long. I think the real test will be if this movie holds up in 2026, when it celebrates its 20th anniversary. This really is just several notches below the first Anchorman, not by much, but it is some notches below. With that said, outside of some moments where it slows down, after Ricky Bobby is kicked out NASCAR, this movie is really fucking entertaining. Perhaps the one thing that surprised me the most, upon second viewing, is the fact that the film is actually consistently entertaining. And I say this because movies as heavy on sight gags and slapstick (with some really clever improv'd lines in there) usually are a bit of a mixed bag and they may have a great amount of hilarious moments, but there's also as many scenes that aren't as funny. That's just the nature of the beast. But I think this film does a great job at finding a way to keep you entertained or laughing throughout its running length. Maybe the film is too long for its own good, but the film has an excellent cast that they do make these flaws not as insufferable as it would be in other films. That's to be expected when you have a talented supporting cast that includes John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jane Lynch, Gary Cole, Amy Adams, among many others. There are so many bits in the film that I really can't even begin to go over them without leaving out many others. One of my favorite ones, dating back to when I first saw the film, definitely had to be the car wreck that kept going through the commercial break. Really, this movie is full of memorable moments. Like I said, just far too many to go through right now. That's about it really, I realize this was a shitty review, then again, I don't think I've ever written a good one, but this was a really fun movie that you should see if you haven't yet. It's on Netflix, so there you go. Highly recommended.Jesse O Super Reviewer
-
Feb 28, 2016There's a lot of offbeat and weird jokes (some land, some don't) but the problem is that the movie takes the plot too seriously and ends up playing like a spoof that isn't actually spoofing anything.Alec B Super Reviewer
-
Mar 04, 2015While it did get a few laughs out of me, Talladega Nights is one of Adam McKay's weaker films. It did feel like a one-note joke for the most part; Sacha Baron Cohen made up for most of what Will Ferrell surprisingly failed at. His self-righteous French persona is top-notch and, as always, a hilarious performance from Cohen. It isn't as much as the film being flawed as it is being hard to ignore the greatness of McKay's other films "Anchorman", "The Other Guys", and especially the comedy classic "Step Brothers".Kevin M Super Reviewer
Verified