HOT TUB TIME MACHINE (2010 - Cert 15)

'Ronseal - quick drying wood stain. It does exactly what it says on the tin'. And that basically sums up Hot Tub Time Machine. Like Snakes on a Plane before it, it really is a Ronseal of a movie. I've got to be honest, it is a very good title, and it's probably up there with some of the best attention grabbers in cinema history, but having seen it, I suspect it came out of the womb as a just that, a title, and perhaps the merest hint of an idea, but never really matured beyond the playpen in which in continues to sit.



The storyline, four middle aged mates, going back in time (via said hot tub) and having to relive a weekend in the 80's in their teenage bodies, clearly owes a lot to Back to the Future, but Great Scott, it lacks all of the heart, subtlety, charm and humour of the classic that we all know and love. It starts off well enough, introducing the chaps we will be spending the next 90 minutes with, all at various degrees of happiness in their 40's, then joining them on a ski trip as they try to relive their youth. One boozy night in a bubbling bath and they get exactly that but not as they expected.

It's an interesting idea - what would we do if we really had to go back to those early, care free years and live them all over again, coupled with the undoubted nostalgic humour of 80's fashion, trends and music. It's a shame then that Sean Anders and Josh Heald didn't actually take any time or care into attempting to think of any jokes, but then what might you expect from the pens that brought you Sex Drive and Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay?

As soon as they are transported back I was led to think I was on to a winner with some good visual gags (clothes and haircuts) and the characters realising that they were all a bunch of tools in their youth. There is also a collection of cameos from Chevy Chase which is a good little pro-80's touch. That glimmer of hope lasts for only about 5 minutes and we soon resort to type, sex jokes, puking, gay jibes and Chase becomes both pointless and hugely irritating. That's it. It also has the indecency to attempt to patronise the viewer with the usual time travel plot (must not change history and get to midnight) only to not bother to stick to it, and at times forget about it's existence all together. Am I meant to actually give a toss whether they deviate of not? Whats the worst that could happen? The DVD disappear into thin air?

The pity with it is that they've convinced John Cusack to be involved, along with Clark Duke and Craig Robinson, who are all funny in their own right but are only given tiny glimpses to show it. While Back to the Future had characters we instantly liked, a well structured and layered plot (that continued for two other films interwoven with one another) and an innocent, subtle yet chirpy humour throughout despite themes of sex (and even incest!), Hot Tub is like it's smutty, perverted, younger sibling - it should have learnt the lessons from it's older brother's impeccable behaviour but is too ignorant and immature to bother.

By the end of the film, the writers seem to remember that there is an audience involved in the whole cinema process and start to write some actual jokes and a romantic sub plot involving Lizzy Caplan (doing a decent job). It all comes together with a comparatively 'nice' ending with some good gags about Cold War paranoia and alternative realities. This only managed to aggravate me even more, a great title, a good idea, some chuckles to begin with, even some laughs at the end. So why all the utter tosh and tripe in the middle?

Don't be tempted by the title, it's all a waste of time, barely passable as comedy, and doesn't deserve your attention. You'd be much better served watching some wood stain drying. It doesn't even have to be quick drying.....