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Eighties and Gentlemen

Not since 2006's "Snakes on a Plane" has there been a must-see worthy title like "Hot Tub Time Machine" (apologies to the makers of "Mega-Shark vs Giant Octopus"). So if the promise of seeing John Cusack, Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson using the titular bathing device to journey back to 1986 and relive their glory days doesn't have you Google'ing "advance tickets", then this might not be the movie for you. But don't say they didn't warn you.

The fun of movies like this is the hoops through with the writers will jump to justify their title. "Snakes" involved the mob, an eye-witness and pheromone-scented Hawaiian leis (yeah, like I could make that up). In "Tub", three old friends plan a trip to their old vacation spot - a ski resort called Kodiak Valley - to cheer up one of their number. When they arrive, they find that the town has seen better days. And it's not alone; the gang is not what it once was: Mr. Cusack's Adam has just been dumped, Mr. Robinson's Nick found his wife cheating, and Mr. Corddry's Lou may or may not have attempted suicide. Also in tow is Adam's young nephew (Clark Duke), a living-in-the-basement internet-head who serves as the film's Dante in this late-80s inferno. Chevy Chase is also on hand in a nod to the George Carlin role from the "Bill & Ted" movies.

After a night of tub-soaking debauchery (filmed in a hysterical montage sequence), the boys wake up to find the ski lodge populated with pastel-wearing, big-haired throwbacks to the Reagan era. Considering the circumstances, they take it all reasonably well, which includes a hilarious look-to-the-camera moment by Mr. Robinson.

It turns out they have not just time traveled but body-traveled as well (each is seen outwardly as his younger self), so the team quickly decides that they must retrace their steps during this fateful night in 1986. Naturally, each has a demon to confront of varying interest: Lou must face a bully, Nick must perform on stage, and Mr. Cusack's Adam is stuck in a love story as thin as those from the late-80s movies this one emulates.

But the plot is merely window dressing for the conceit of placing these characters in a perfectly retro past. Director Steve Pink (who co-wrote Mr. Cusack's "Grosse Pointe Blank" and "High Fidelity") and writers Josh Heald, Sean Anders & John Morris, have a great time with leg warmers, cassette tapes, Jheri Curl, and all manner of depressingly accurate fashion choices.

For their parts, the actors each acquit themselves admirably, having as much fun as possible along the way. Mr. Cusack coasts on his typical easy-to-love hang-dog expression, while Mr. Robinson makes great use of his small-to-big screen transition. But it's Mr. Corddry, perfectly cast, who owns the film as "that friend who's an a-hole". He dominates each scene like a stuggling comedian unleashed.

For those hoping to see Mr. Cusack holding up a boom box (guilty!), you'll be disappointed. But there are enough blink-and-you'll-miss-'em 80s gags (and guest stars) to keep you entertained, and plenty of profanity and raunchy humor to make you long for the days when a comedy could be R-rated and get away with it. Oh, wait, those days are back. I guess we've learned from the past. And we didn't even have to jump into a hot tub to do it. A hot tub time machine, that is.