Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) User Reviews (310)

Great White Buffalo

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 30 October 2013]

While the world was still recovering from the over-hyped Todd Phillips movie a smaller, quieter, but funnier movie slipped into cinemas and made a little splash. Both feature groups of troubled men looking for a good time, but Hot Tub Time Machine is just madder and more inventive.

Three losers and a tagging-along nephew book into a ski lodge hoping to relive their youthful experiences. But when the lodge turns out to be a dilapidated wreck they resort to just getting wasted in the hot tub. Said device sends them back in time when the circuits are fried by one of those awful energy drinks.

Arriving in 1986 (a year that presents us with several plot holes an anachronisms) they seize the opportunity to fix things for a better future (despite being warned not to) while Chevy Chase pops in and out as the hotel handyman who may or may not know the secret to time travel.

It's very silly, very irreverent stuff, but it works. There's almost a sort of magical, otherworldly feel to the hotel and Chevy Chase's character, I wish it was taken a little bit further (maybe in the sequel), and lampooning of 80s culture is spot-on, even if it's hardly the first movie to do so.

You won't stop smiling for the entire duration. Brainless or not, isn't that exactly what you want from a comedy?

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

[SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain · 7/10 · 29 December 2011]

Hell, it certainly kept me damn entertained. In this day and age it takes real comedy chops to pull off poo and vomit gags with such expert timing. The film embraces the absurdity of time travel and doesn't focus too much on the whys. All four of the male leads are brilliant, especially Corddry, who pulls off one of the great movie arseholes, without completely detaching himself from the audience. There are some classic lines, mostly coming from insults, and the film doesn't rely too much on date humour (just a few references to e-mail etc.) It cleverly spits in the face of the butterfly effect and relishes its characters manipulation of time, whilst showing that some things can't be avoided. A very entertaining comedy.

hilarious 80s references

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 17 January 2014]

Adam (John Cusack) and Nick (Craig Robinson) try to cheer up their suicidal friend Lou (Rob Corddry) by taking him on a ski trip reliving their school days. They take along nephew Jacob (Clark Duke). The resort town is not what they remembered. When they have a drunken night in the hot tub, they travel back in time to 1986.

The guys are hilarious especially Craig Robinson. Rob Corddry is insane. The fact is that the premise is ridiculous and the movie knows it. Everybody knows it. All the silly 80s references are hilarious. The group of friends have great chemistry. There is general insanity and silliness going on.

Vastly better than I expected

[Qanqor · 7/10 · 28 March 2010]

Maybe I liked this movie because I had such subterranean expectations for it. From the previews, and, indeed, just the title, I was certain it was going to be stupid rather than funny.

But I went out to dinner with my friends Saturday night, and after dinner, to my chagrin, everybody had a reason to bail on the evening, and I found myself alone, at 9pm, with nothing to do, and not wanting to go home. So I went to the theater to play movie roulette. Hot Tub Time Machine was playing almost immediately, and the next movie after that wouldn't be for another 45 minutes. I *almost* turned around and went home, so sure was I that this film was going to be stupid rather than funny. But I figured, what the heck, I'm here...

Well, the movie *is* stupid. But it's funny too. And what's more, it knows it's stupid and makes no bones about it. At no time does it ever take itself seriously. Now, I could have done without some of the extremely gross bits. Happily there aren't *too* many of them. And I'm sure I didn't get all the 80's references; although I did live through the period, I largely avoided popular culture at that time, and still couldn't tell you most of the bands or big hit songs of the time (or of today, for that matter).

But I have to confess, the movie did make me laugh. Not all throughout, but I did have a number of genuine, laugh-out-loud moments. And plenty of chuckles and smiles. And I found myself genuinely liking the characters, and finding them to have a bit more depth than I expected from a film entitled "Hot Tub Time Machine". And the basic theme of the loss of the zany, free-form fun of youth, and regret of the relative staid blandness of "adult" life, is a theme which resonated with me.

Now, let's get real. This is no "Citizen Cane", "Vertigo", or "The Godfather". Nor is a timeless comedy masterpiece like "Airplane", "Blazing Saddles", or "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". Someone here displayed gross unfairness in trying to compare it to a classic '30's comedy, but obviously this is not "It Happened One Night", "Bringing Up Baby", or "Duck Soup", and if you go to the theater expecting it to be, the fault lies with you. What it is is a silly, fun, enjoyable way to pass a couple hours. Not deep, not profound, not brilliant. Not timeless, not enduring.

But not bad. And not nearly as stupid as it looked like it was going to be. And these days, that's not too bad.

Nonsense and Plot Holes.... but I Like It!

[trinigeleon · 7/10 · 17 June 2010]

First off, let me say that I did rather enjoy this film.

Yes, it is a rather (read: VERY) far-fetched premise. And yes, it does have some massive plot holes mainly because it completely disregards the space-time continuum. But this film is not designed to have you focus on these things. It is only after viewing that you realise just how stupid the whole thing is and where all the problems with time-lines etc, etc lie. Yet, I still found myself wanting to see it again.

The main characters play their parts very well. All the actors must have known exactly what they were getting themselves into and they are all willing participants. I did especially enjoy Rob Corddry's part as a washed up, dead end, dead beat alcoholic. His character was the fulcrum for the majority of the humour, both situational and verbal. Craig Robinson bought the light-hearted humour, as well as some of the best punch lines of the film. John Cusack played the 'serious' dramatic/comedic role and Clark Duke has his moments while helping to aim the whole package toward a younger demographic. Even the secondary characters have their moments of comedy glory.

There are genuine laugh out loud moments spread pretty evenly throughout which are based on plot and character, not just gross-out humour. And although gross-out humour is present it sits well because the film doesn't rely on it alone to deliver the laughs.

Another thing I found very entertaining about this movie was that as the characters travelled back to the 80's it was almost as if the humour did too. I don't mean to say that things descended into a 'Porkie's Revisited' or anything like that, but there were definite elements of the 80's present in the way the humour and characters come across. Think back to scenes you remember off the top of your head from Back To The Future, Caddy Shack, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, hell - even Breakfast Club. Hot Tub Time Machine just seemed to capture some of that and revive it for today's audiences.

I would recommend HTTM to anyone with a sense of humour not wanting to think too deeply and wanting to be entertained for 90 minutes.

Like I said at the top of this review... There are plot holes. There is no recognition of the space-time continuum - actually, the future repercussions of the character's actions would have never worked out like they do. And, really, at no point does the film actually make sense.

BUT... I was still entertained. I still laughed. I still wanted to see where the characters went. I still find myself remembering lines from the film and smiling. And, even after all I've just written, I'd still watch it again.

Can't say more than that now, can I?

Ridiculous, Raunchy and Fun

[GirishGowda · 7/10 · 29 July 2010]

What a stupid title for a John Cusack movie! John Cusack doesn't steal the limelight, instead everybody is given an equal chance to shine. When the opening scene had Nick putting his hands inside a dog, you know that what kind of a movie this will be. The characters quickly establish themselves as 'assholes' and if you can get over the initial nauseating feeling, you are in for a fun ride. I am a big fan of John Cusack and he has not let me down most of the times and he is a good bet to take. If you liked 'The Hangover', then you are going to love 'Hot Tub Time Machine'. The movie is very raunchy, over the top and gross, but in a good way. The chemistry between the main characters is spectacular. The music score is superb, so is the acting. Authenticity and common sense is thrown out the window, but just enjoy in this Hot Tub folks.

In the year 2010, Adam (John Cusack), Nick (Craig Robinson) and Lou (Rob Corddry) are three best friends living in Los Angeles, who have drifted apart from one another during the course of their lives. They all are disappointed in the way that they are living their lives now. Adam is getting dumped by yet another girlfriend, Nick is in a crappy job and his wife is cheating on him, while Lou is an alcoholic and hates everybody in his life. When Lou is admitted to the hospital for trying to commit suicide, which he vehemently denies, both Adam and Nick decide to relive their 80's in Kodiak Valley Ski Resort which were the best weekends of their lives. Jacob (Clark Duke), the nephew of Adam who happens to live in his uncle's basement, also gets dragged along to the K-Valley. But K-Valley is not what it used to be, it is now a run-down place which isn't that exciting. They go to The Great White Buffalo and are disappointed again to see the place in shambles. They get into the hot tub outside their room to relieve their stress and after a night of hardcore drinking, they find themselves transported back in time to 1986. They are worried that they would bump into their old selves, when they look at their reflections and see that they are their old selves. A weird old repairman tells them that they shouldn't change anything and do exactly the same thing that they did 20 years ago. Adam and Nick are in put in a quandary over this situation, while Lou thinks he can make this a profitable experience. But, can they get back to their lives in the present?

What would I do if I was back in the 80's America? Well, I would start off by inventing Google, like they did and rip off today's popular music and make myself world famous. Well, one can dream, can't they? At least it doesn't have the moral that one shouldn't mess up their past, because honestly, who wouldn't take advantage knowing the things we know today? Adam and Nick are likable, whereas Lou is disgusting. Fun, but disgusting. Jacob is like the guy who nobody cares, he is the third wheel to the party. I didn't like him that much. They all behave like teens who are drunk. Coming from a bunch of 40 year olds, that was very entertaining. I loved the scene where Nick calls up his future wife and starts crying and cursing at her. She was only 9 years old and she didn't understand half the things he was saying! And the scene where Lou has to do something to Nick!! That was so f-ing hilarious. The women are just caricatures of the 80's where they are only thinking about drinking, dancing and sex all the time, and will jump into your bed if you are even remotely exciting. It also has one regular indie chick who does the usual routine stuff. The story is truly lame, but the screenplay and dialogues are great which make this a pretty good watch.

7/10

Legendary timeless cult classic

[thagza95 · 10/10 · 11 August 2019]

Seen this movie more times than I can count..so many stars, so many laughs..rob never dissapoints. If you gave this movie a bad review, you take life too seriously. What I'd give to go back to the 80s..and stay there

Excellent spin on the time travel genre

[rmahler1 · 7/10 · 30 March 2010]

I was a little skeptical when I heard the name of this movie, but it actually turned out to be very funny. The laughs were all in the right spots, hit the right notes, and kept on coming. What more can you ask for in a comedy? What I particularly enjoyed was how they played off the clichés that are usually associated with time travel movies. Also, the eighties references weren't ridiculous; they were just enough to make it work, and it seems like the writers did a lot of weeding to pick only the jokes that worked. Very refreshing since there are so many idiotic comedies that think they're more funny than they are. John Cusack was good as always, and the rest of the cast did an excellent job. In fact, I think I could safely say that this was not a John Cusack movie, but rather an ensemble movie that didn't really have a weak link. There were also a few moments (I won't spoil them) that were excellent references and surprises. This one is a must-see if you just want to have a fun night out and laugh.

Surprisingly - and Satisfyingly - Funny!

[kmc-4 · 25 February 2010]

When I first heard about this movie, I didn't think it was something I would pay to see in the theater. It just looked took much like a frat pack flick for my personal taste. However, I had a chance to see a free sneak preview of it and was more than pleasantly surprised.

"Hot Tub Time Machine" is the story of three longtime friends - Adam (John Cusack), Lou (Rob Corddry), and Nick (Craig Robinson) - and Adam's 20-something nephew, Jacob (Clark Duke), who revisit the ski resort playland of the three older guys' young adulthood. With the help of a hot tub outside of their room and a little movie magic, the four are transported back to Winterfest '86, an event that Adam, Lou, and Nick attended at the resort back in the day. They believe they have to do the exact same things they did during that fateful weekend 24 years before to have a chance at getting back to 2010. Some things obviously change, even when the characters are trying to keep them the same. These make for some hilarious story arcs for the three older guys and more than a few awkward moments for young Jacob.

I think most adults will find this movie funny, but it was made especially for Gen-Xers and others who remember the '80s well. If you are a fan of movies such as "Back to the Future," (one of my personal favorites) "Better Off Dead," "Red Dawn," or "Sixteen Candles," you will get a kick out of the homage that this movie pays to those films. And it's a must-see for John Cusack fans, who produced this movie and obviously has a sense of humor about the early roles that made him a star.

Granted, "Hot Tub Time Machine" isn't perfect. There are a few obvious errors about people's ages and about the state of pop culture in the mid-80s (at least as I remember it). There's also some gratuitous drug use and female nudity. But these are minor criticisms about an otherwise very funny film that almost anyone between the ages of 30 and 50 is bound to appreciate.

The most overrated movie of the year!!

[hearsz · 4/10 · 30 April 2010]

For those of you who are saying that "Hot-Tub Time Machine" is the best comedy since "The Hangover", knock it off! You people are really delusional for thinking or even saying that... Rob Cordy has to be the most annoying actor in Hollywood at the moment and like Dustin Hoffman's character in Tootsie - Michael Dorsey - should be finding it impossible to get any work whatsoever!! I'm a huge fan of John Cusack (High Fidelity, Grosse Point Blank) but he just seemed so out of place here. "Kick Ass" as a comedy was by far better because for one it didn't rely on a big name like John Cusack & Chevh Chase as well as a ridiculous story line to draw people into seeing this.

Like one of the other reviewers said, "Jacob" played by Clark Duke is a complete waste as he spends a majority of the film chasing Chevy Chase's character around in the film! And whats with all the vomiting in film's nowadays.. It's unrealistic and way over the top.. And finally, why is Clarke's Mum "Kelly", OK with Lou continuing to have sex with her, even despite stating that he was going to impregnate her?? I know teenagers can be stupid but I just don't buy this kind of immaturity, especially on screen.

The Ratings may have 7.4/10 now, but I will not be surprised in the slightest when this drops below 6.5 in a years time..

Hollywood, stop wasting our time and hard-earned cash with this rubbish...

Back in time

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 27 December 2015]

Not an instant classic, but a lot of fun to watch. I think you can summarize it like that. The main actors are doing a great job selling the very silly idea of time traveling with or rather inside a hot tub! If you get sucked into that, everything else will work too. But if you don't like that general idea ... Maybe you shouldn't watch the movie after all and save yourself the time (and grief).

It's hilarious and it has heart, even when it's gross at times. Which it can be, but it's easy to tolerate and forgive it for those little moments, because it actually is funny. Trying to figure out how it actually works (the physics of the time travel) would probably lead into a territory the movie would not want you to go ... and why would you want to ruin your own enjoyment ... if you're having fun watching - stick with it

A blast in the past

[hall895 · 7/10 · 2 July 2012]

Four men, each with reason to be unsatisfied with the state of their lives in 2010, get into a hot tub and are transported back in time to 1986. Three of the men will relive one of the most memorable weekends of their lives. Not memorable for particularly happy reasons though. Meanwhile the fourth guy, the young nephew of one of the other three, has to ensure the group doesn't screw up the space-time continuum and erase him from existence. Because in 1986 he hadn't been born yet. And then he runs into his mom. And there's Crispin Glover! Why it's just like that other time-travel movie! Well no, this movie is not nearly as good as that one. The movie's title should be enough to let you know that this is not meant to be taken particularly seriously. This is just about having a little fun. And in that aim this movie succeeds.

So the setup is rather silly. Really, the whole movie is rather silly. But silly can be entertaining. The laughs come, if not fast and furious, at least consistently enough to keep you entertained. And while the movie certainly has its vulgar moments it never takes it too far. The movie goes right up to the edge but never quite over it, enabling it to maintain its charm. Yes, charm. A movie titled Hot Tub Time Machine actually has some charm to it. In addition to making you laugh the movie actually makes you feel for each of the four main characters and sympathize with the dilemmas with which they are faced. Yeah, it's just a silly comedy but it does have a little heart to it. And each of the actors does very well with their respective parts. John Cusack is more or less the straight man, his character of Adam the most buttoned-down and mundane of the group. Clark Duke plays Adam's nephew Jacob, tasked with trying to rein these guys in and get them all back to 2010 before he ceases to exist. Craig Robinson is very funny playing the would-be musician Nick. And the real standout is Rob Corddry playing the alcoholic train-wreck Lou. All the actors have their moments but Corddry definitely gets the biggest laughs. There's also Chevy Chase playing a mysterious, eccentric hot tub repairman. Speaking of eccentric, there's the aforementioned Glover playing a bellhop facing a grisly destiny. And Lizzy Caplan playing a girl you'd love to have a future with if you weren't stuck in the past. These supporting players add to the mix but it's really all about our gang of four. It's their story. Yes it's a silly story but that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyable. Don't take it seriously. Don't think too much about the goings-on because there are plot holes big enough to drive, say, a DeLorean through. Just enjoy it. It's a great 1980s nostalgia trip. Poison! ALF! A black Michael Jackson! And it's a movie that makes you laugh and keeps you smiling. Sometimes that's all you can ask. When a movie is titled Hot Tub Time Machine there is no pretense about it. It is what it is. What it is isn't bad at all.

Pointless bore-fest

[headly66 · 3/10 · 12 April 2010]

Another stupid thrown together comedy that makes no real sense, This is just a bunch of one liners and repeated jokes that get a giggle here and there but ultimately the movie just sits there and dies. The events leading to their time travel are just ridiculous, for some reason they go to a resort they used to frequent and the hotel is now a dump with cats walking around it's lobby and a bell hop who throws around your luggage and yells at you which is all very realistic but they stay anyway. They find themselves back in time because of a very scientific hot tub glitch and then when they realize they are young looking again they don't use it to their advantage at all, they cry when sleeping with hot girls and try to repeat their past without knowing that they have to or not. There are some stupid drug references, one guy does a huge line of coke then just stops, another guy takes a dozen bong hits, mushrooms and drinks a ton but is then sober ten minutes later. John Cusack's character has the hot young love of his life in a bed but refuses to sleep with her. The other one is 24 years in the past but can only think of his current ex wife. They are watching a NFL playoff game they know the outcome of but they still lose? Clark Duke is unfunny and is running around with Chevy Chase in some pointless attempt at cohesion. The black guy is sporting a Kid and Play high top haircut but is playing a Rick Springfield song on stage which in the 80's would be two totally different styles.

How they have any money is another issue, their 2010 credit cards would not work in the past and even the cash money would be different but yet they are always drinking at bars but they seem to never eat. They are desperately trying to find a energy drink that will help them get back but during all this one guy finds the time to get laid. Then the black guy calls his 9 year old future wife to curse her out, but how he knows her phone number from 24 years ago way before they even met is beyond me. Then the guy getting laid realizes he needs to continue so the kid won't disappear and the girl just agrees to finish and get pregnant in front of her brother.

The ending is basically retarded, they all come back except Rob Corddry's character who stays behind and becomes rich by using his knowledge of the future and somehow has set up a perfect life for them which of course is impossible. They also have no knowledge of their own past which would make life pretty hard, and Cusack's wife looks just like she did in the past.

This is a really dumb movie.

For all its ridiculousness and asshole-ness, it's still fun and enjoyable

[napierslogs · 6/10 · 28 July 2010]

"Hot Tub Time Machine" is actually quite enjoyable. The ridiculous title and its obvious concept turned me off at first but it turned out to be a lot of fun.

As a fan of John Cusack, it was pleasing to see his character, Adam, reminiscent of Rob from "High Fidelity" (2000), especially when his girlfriend moved out on him at the very beginning. "She basically called me an asshole, like I'm a narcissistic asshole." His friend replies, "Yeah, she has a point though." The movie does spend a significant amount of time with the guys being assholes and calling each other assholes, but it is probably the best guys-acting-as-assholes movie.

Three middle-aged men are despondent with the sad state of their lives, Rob Corddry being the worst of the bunch, is in the hospital with another not-suicide attempt (beause if he really wanted to, he would kick ass at killing himself), and Cusack and Craig Robinson are called in as the only people who could be described as his friends. Believe it or not, but the movie's opening with all this unhappiness is quite funny and real at the same time. To cheer themselves up, they are off to a ski resort where they used to hang out in the 80s. I think we all know why it's called "Hot Tub Time Machine".

As ridiculous and inane as this all sounds, there is a lot of clever humour in the movie, and the characters, as much as they are assholes, they are also real and genuine. I know them and that just makes them all the more fun. I was annoyed with the inclusion of Jacob (Clark Duke) as Cusack's nephew because I think one Jonah Hill is enough.

What if you could time travel, would you?

[wogsurfer · 7/10 · 27 May 2017]

If you were transported in back in time to where the most significant moments of your life happened, and they lead to life not working out so well, would you take the opportunity to change things?

This is the conundrum most time travel themed films pose, but never with a deliberate outcome like Hot Tub Time Machine.

After nearly committing suicide in his garage Lou (Corddry) is taken back to the place of where some of the wildest moments took place in his youth, Kodiak Valley Ski resort by his former best friends Nick (Robinson); a dog groomer whose wife cheated on him, and Adam (Cusack); whose ex-girlfriend has made his life hell.

Disappointed that the resort is not the same wild party place they knew from the 80's, they decide that a night spent drinking in the hot tub is their best option, somehow they are transported back to 1986 and must relive a fateful night, plus also make sure Adam's nephew Jacob (Duke), who has tagged along for the trip, is born. What follows are a series of events that lead to a showdown with a resort cop with delusions of grandeur and a climax that comes somewhat expected, but also left me a little surprised when I first saw it, it's also the source of a bit of a paradox for mine.

Time travel movies for me present questions about actions and consequences, and also looking at the road taken in the film for the story, but also other roads that could have been taken, and the results it may have made. I also often think about traveling back in time, and seeing the younger selves of my parents, and seeing first hand the events in their lives that have lead to the reasons for how they deal with things in the present.

Paradoxes in the story left me with some questions, but they don't really need exploring because of the hilarious nature of the film. I also don't think this film was meant to pose any deep and meaningfuls, but it could make you think about what some of the consequences of time travel may lead to, good or bad.

Neededmore spice

[AngelHonesty · 6/10 · 4 October 2021]

I'm not a big John Cusack fan, but I did like the rest of the cast picked for the film, it was a great mixture with familiar faces. It definitely had its funny moments especially with the bellhop and the arm issue, that was really funny. It was also great having the old 80's vibes back, but I felt the film was lacking in the fun areas. If you end up going back in time, and your life sucks in the current time line, would you not try to change the past? Would that not be the main goal? Instead the majority of the film was about not changing anything and making the same pathetic mistakes over again. Where's the fun in that? Was it to show me where these guys went wrong in life and how much of loosers they were from the start? Boring. With that said it finally did pick up near the end of the film, the characters finally threw the playbook out and went for it, but it took way too long to get there. The other thing that didn't match up was putting John Cusack and Lizzy Caplan together, she out shines him one-hundred to one. He's so dull and reserved with no energy where she's like a a super hot wild child down playing her energy trying not to over shine him. I did like the overall massage of the film about friendship and all, but the comedy in the movie lacked a little.

Funny for funnies sake

[martymoves · 6/10 · 4 February 2023]

I remembwr watching this for the first time abd thinking it was gonna be dumb... and it was. Really dumb. I din't think i have laughed this hard at a comedy in a long time.

There are several flaws in this movie and you can tell they didn't care to go too in-depth with the writing, so if you just bubble along for the ride then you will most likely enjoy it.

There are several continuity errors but if you kook past them and just remember its a dumb movie, you can get by with the excellent performances throughout.

The most unlikely of ensembles pulls it off in hysterics.

Overall 6/10 Entertainment Value 7/10 - some truly funny scenes and jokes throughout.

Funnier Than Anticipated!

[g-bodyl · 9/10 · 14 December 2012]

Hot Tub Time Machine is a much funnier movie than what the film title calls for. I didn't really know what to expect of this film but I got way more than my lowered expectations. This is a funny, sweet film that pays homage to the 1980's. This is a film that made me wish I was a teenager back in the 80's.

Hot Tub is about a group of childhood friends and a nephew who decide to visit their past. While in a hot tub, they get transported back to the 80's unexpectedly. Now they must retrace their steps from the 80's and try and find a way back into the future.

Rob Corddry stole the show as the drunk party animal. He was the best part of the film. John Cusack and Craig Robinson also had very hilarious moments in this film.

Overall, this is far funnier than I anticipated. Being a big fan of the 80's, I was not disappointed. There are some clever jokes and quotes that shall forever be remembered. I rate this film 9/10.

What Are It's Intentions? The Direction Has No Connection!

[eric262003 · 6/10 · 27 December 2010]

One of the most erroneous outcomes of a movie is when it can't decide on what its point is? In "Hot Tub Time Machine", the Achilles heel here is based on intentions. What is it trying to be? A feel-good tickle your funny-bone comedy, or a film to search for one's youth? Is it a story about forgetting your past and accepting what one has now? Or is it a nostalgic trip down Memory Lane about how your friends in the past don't connect with the friends you have today? Is it all I've aforementioned? None of it? Where the hell's the direction in this movie?

The old story of traveling back in periods in time have been done a plethora of times before ("Back to the Future" is still the best time traveling flick ever), "Hot Tub Time Machine" offers very little in terms of originality or plot. The acting spectrum was overall impressive with John Cusack leading the pack doing a fine job of what's given to him, which really doesn't say much in terms by the drab direction. In order for a person to understand the gags, jokes and quips requires that you had to either have lived in the 1980's or you must have a better comprehension of 1980's culture. My childhood was in the 1980's but even some of the lingo was puzzling to me. Maybe I should have lived my teen years in the 1980's to get the jokes delivered here.

There were also numerous aspects of the movie that didn't sit very well with me. For instance the lovable John Cusack getting high seems so forced and contrived. Or Craig Robinson screaming at his future wife who was 9 years old in 1986. Or if that wasn't banal how about Rob Corddry making out with Cusack's sister with Cusack not too far away and listens to every moan and grind. If you thought this was going to be a light-hearted comedy, well perish the thought.This comedy is darker than a shadow during a blackout.

And when all the smoke clears, we the audience are left expecting the characters show a bit of sympathy for each other and that they should forget about the past and move on with their lives. Well that didn't happen either. Overall an unsatisfying outing for me in this one.

"Hot Tub Time Machine"

[colinrgeorge · 2/10 · 6 April 2010]

More so than with any other genre, I confess to being somewhat of a comedy snob. It's not that I have particularly highbrow taste, there's simply a very thin line separating what I find enjoyable and what I find intolerable. I will tell you that "Hot Tub Time Machine" falls squarely into the latter category, and to be honest, it's not even close to the line.

Take a look at the title with me. I realize "Hot Tub Time Machine" has no delusions of grandeur. It's not about weaving a complex story, it's not about great performances, and it's not about smart direction. It exists for the sole purpose of making me laugh—and that's its crippling failure. The film is so absolutely flimsy that when a joke misses the mark, everything collapses. You're not looking at a beautiful image, you're not engrossed in the story, and if you're not even laughing, then there's truly nothing to behold.

Personally, I'm more inclined to laugh at situations and characters I understand and am invested in. While Mike Judge's "Extract" wasn't a great film, the director and his cast created three-dimensional performances, and I was content to watch them work even when they weren't making me LOL. "Hot Tub," on the other hand, defines its characters with a single cliché: narcissist, asshole, married guy, weirdo (Jeez, that sounds familiar)—and spends all of fifteen minutes in introduction before chucking them into a car together and asking the audience to take for granted that they were once best friends. Their performances are bereft of this assumed comraderie, and they spend most of the body of the film with one or fewer of their three supposed amigos.

Here's the thing. Character is the foundation of even adequate cinema, and not only does "Hot Tub" forgo the character angle—which would be fine if the comedy compensated—but the inane dialogue they let dribble from their mouths blends tired, lazy college humor with lame eighties retrospective. To give you an idea of the intellectual level that the film and its pull-string characters operate on, at one point Nick (Craig Robinson), suspicious that he has been transported back in time, asks a stranger, "What color is Michael Jackson?"

I'll let that one simmer. Not only is the gag unfunny, but it's so stupid a thing to say that hearing it is outright frustrating. The joke is for the benefit of the 21st century audience rather than the internal logic of the film, and "Hot Tub Time Machine" is pathetic in its universal preference for cheap laughs over creative integrity. Even ideas that should be amusing either aren't or lack polish and execution. There is a somewhat successful running gag involving a future one-armed bellhop (Crispin Glover) presented with an escalating series of arm-threatening situations in the past—though with a completely unfulfilling pay- off. That and a laundry list of other scenarios might have worked had "Hot Tub" had even a germ of originality.

I don't mean to offend with my comedic snobbery, but plainly, "Hot Tub Time Machine" is the sort of film I can't abide. As one who's attempted to write comedy before, watching the director pander (successfully) to the lowest common denominator while liberally pilfering from better work is an enormously frustrating experience. The screenplay is asinine and a blatant cash-in on the inexplicable wave of popularity a certain film by Todd Phillips generated last year. And yet I must concede, "Hot Tub Time Machine" is even a step removed from that. It's a pale imitation of a white turd.

Uproariously hilarious

[UniqueParticle · 10/10 · 27 June 2019]

Originally saw this in the theatre almost 10 years ago and still funny! I laughed so hard my face hurt, this is seriously one of the best comedies ever! Such a great cast John Cusack, Clark Duke, Craig Robinson, and Rob Corddry, so much fun and I absolutely love the Sci-Fi aspect so much, don't think if it's been done before especially with a Hot Tub but it's very refreshing. Also every part with Crispin Clover is exceedingly funny every time I watch this and I have seen it at least 10 times or more. Steve Pink directed a goldmine of legendary comedy with awesome lines and badass scenes.

Heartless

[fernloth-2 · 9 August 2010]

I'm not sure when it started, but the mix of feigned airheaded and highly sarcastic 'humor' dominating most comedy films today is wearing thin on me. It's laid on so thick in Hot Tub Time Machine, I almost want to give the creators the benefit of the doubt for a scathing parody of the phenomenon, but I can't quite make myself believe it.

The movie is a fairly cookie cutter back-in-time affair, but unlike most comedy in that vein, this film seems to have a real contempt for its subject matter. Rather than seeking to establish a setting realistic to the 80s era it unfolds in, Hot Tub Time Machine settles for a few hair band soundtrack standards, a few token costume nods and a handful of visual references to the movies of the era. However, there is nothing of the feeling of the time as the film continues along the usual modern trend of screamed obscenity and low brow physical humor. The actors are irrelevant as their cardboard cutout characters never get developed to any significant degree. The story, even if written in parody, is a limp cliché from start to finish. The jokes are tired. Even the soundtrack plays like a 80s party hits template.

This movie ultimately has the feel of a bad idea, badly executed that got reluctantly tossed out for scrap DVD sales. As someone who grew up in the 80s, I didn't find it even tokenly fun as it really seems to despise its subject matter. On its own merit, it doesn't even measure as a half-hearted attempt.

A stupid movie, with stupid characters,in a Hot Tub Time Machine...no more words!

[jorgefn · 7/10 · 20 January 2016]

This movie is an amazing discovery. All the clichés, the old same jokes, and the recyclable characters in every comedy movie are here; a stupid story about three middle age best friends that travel to the past with one millennial antisocial nerd.

Maybe describing this movie with all these elements might make it sound like a predictable and horrible comedy crap. But Hot Tub Time Machine has perfect timing jokes, the accurate pop culture reference and fabulous personalities in each character, that put together result in two hours of classic 00's comedy. Guaranteed.

John Cusack is Adam, a frustrated and egocentric, mildly economically successful guy, that lives with his nephew Jacob (Clark Duke), a nerd that interacts with other people only in Second Life, in which he is also a loser. Then, one of his old friends, Lou (Rob Corddry), tries to commit suicide. So, Adam, Jacob, and Nick (Craig Robins) – other friend from high school, and the black guy every comedy needs- decide to take their suicidal and failed friend to Kodiak Valley, the pinnacle of youngster parties in the 80's, nowadays transformed into a decadent ghost town. Here is where this four underdogs find a hot tub that transports them to 1986, at the same Kodiak Valley camp.

The three friends –Adam, Jacob and Lou- have to do exactly the same things they originally did in order to maintain the present undamaged. The other guy, Jacob, wasn't even born yet, so he just wants to go back to the present.

Well, in their effort to keep the past unchanged, these three losers realize that they have the opportunity to transform their dreadful future with all the information they have. And that's exactly what they do, taking this movie to a happy, ridiculously and incredibly stupid ending; with a new master web searcher named Louggle included.

You may think this is just bullshit, and that I can be easily amazed. But give it a try, believe me, Hot Tub Time Machine is the movie you're looking for when you don't have much to do.

Worse than bad

[jack94960 · 1/10 · 28 March 2010]

It's been a long time since I walked out of a movie. This one was so bad I couldn't justify the lost time sitting there like a moron watching the very not funny morons on the screen. I went because John Cusack was in it and figured he can only sink so low. I was wrong. He can't just need the money. I guess he needed something to do, but still. The characters were all just plain stupid, one being totally obnoxious but not in a funny way. Just obnoxious. An insult to anyone with half a brain. The plot, of course, is preposterous, but I knew that before I went in. It is possible to be creative even with a ridiculous plot. There was absolutely NO creativity present in this film (the first half at least, I just couldn't tolerate any more grossness and stupidity that just wasn't funny). Save yourself a few bucks and DO NOT SEE THIS FILM!

Stupid and I Like it

[tkdlifemagazine · 6/10 · 12 September 2022]

This is a movie that is painfully stupid at times, but I liked it. You must suspend all belief going in, but you should know that from the title. The strength of the movie is the cast. Craig Robinson and John Cusak are very likable. Rob Codrry plays his role as the suicidal (accidental) basis for the adventure very well. Clark Duke is odd but good in this. Crispin Glover is very funny in the few scenes he is in. There are some cheap laughs, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. There are a few times in this movie that the interplay of the characters actually made me laugh so hard I had tears in my eyes. There is nudity and crude humor, but that is expected in this one. It is definitely not for the Woke, or politically correct.