Why Hot Rod Remains a Cult Classic 15 Years Later (2024)

August 2022 marked the 15-year-anniversary of Hot Rod, the 2007 comedy that starred Andy Samberg. The Saturday Night Live veteran played Rod Kimble, a wannabe stuntman who raised money for a heart transplant for his stepfather Frank. However, Rod's motives were rather skewed: he wanted Frank to live so that Rod could finally prove to his stepfather that he could beat the tar out of him. Unfortunately, the film flopped in theaters and received unfavorable reviews from many critics -- although Roger Ebert gave it a supportive thumbs up.

Fortunately, Hot Rod has gained a cult following over the years and deservedly so. The film -- which was executively produced by The Other Guys star Will Ferrell -- is overflowing with the comic sensibility that Samberg and his Lonely Island partners bring to their projects. In fact, Jorma Taccone appeared in the film as Rod's stepbrother, and Akiva Schaffer directed it. This resulted in a movie that stands the test of time because it is not only hilarious but also makes the viewer feel good. Hot Rod also works as a time capsule because it featured several comedic performers who were just starting out in the business -- and later went on to dominate the industry.

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Hot Rod Is Very Funny - and Has a Lot of Heart

It is not easy to pull off a comedy like Hot Rod. After all, the film had a mix of Anchorman-style weird humor, comic violence, references to '80s classics like Road House, and even an upbeat musical number that turned into a full-scale, violent riot. However, it all worked because it had a smart script and a cast that was all in on telling the story of underdog Rod -- an Evil Knievel-wannabe who wanted to prove his masculinity to Frank through a series of physical bouts. Everyone involved seemed to get the absurd tone of the movie, especially veteran actor Ian McShane, who played Frank with wide-eyed glee.

The film even pulled an unexpected -- although ridiculous -- turn into the heartfelt. During the film, Rod realized he loved his stepfather as much as his real father, and Frank revealed that he was hard on Rod because he wanted him to be ready for his later role as the family patriarch. Ultimately, the two had an epic final fight that saw them smashing through walls and fences and using bricks and ninja stars. When Rod emerged as the victor with Frank's respect, it was hard not to feel happy for him -- even though the whole sequence was completely cartoonish.

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Hot Rod Was a Stepping Stone for Rising Comic Talents

Hot Rod also featured several comedic talents before they achieved fame, including Samberg, who went on to the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the fantasy comedy Palm Springs. The film also had Bill Hader and Danny McBride as Rod's friends, Dave and Rico. Both men are quite funny in Hot Rod, but Hader would go on to build a large body of work that not only includes several comedies but also the HBO series Barry, where he has shown his talents for playing comedy and drama, as well as his skills as a director.

McBride also has achieved acclaim with HBO shows Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, and The Righteous Gemstones. He even showed his more serious side by co-writing all three films in the recent Halloween reboot trilogy. Meanwhile, Taccone went on to co-write and direct another cult classic -- the action spoof MacGruber -- which has even spun off into a show on Peaco*ck. He also re-teamed with Samberg and Schaffer on the music spoof film Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, which also was a commercial failure, but has developed a following of its own.

Although Hot Rod was not an immediate success, it was in the long run, with people who still quote it and stand by it to this day. In a way, the movie is like the character of Rod -- who often aimed high with his stunts and fell hard but ultimately still had his day of victory. It just took some time for the movie to also be considered a winner.