Rat Race (2001)

Jerry Zucker

USA

127 min, color, English

Given the most recent avalanche of lowbrow comedies like SCARY MOVIE 2 or JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, to name just two, one might be forgiven for doubting if there are any people left in Hollywood, who think you can actually make a decent comedy without spouting off an endless stream of racial slurs, fart jokes, or other pieces of assorted frat-house "humor." Well, RAT RACE proves that there is at least one, Jerry Zucker, and it does so in an unexpectedly (for me) successful manner.

I have to admit that I did not have high expectations about the film. I had seen the previews, which were promising, but so were the trailers for the other comedy stinkers that assaulted me earlier this summer. Therefore I had resolved, somewhat hastily, not to see RAT RACE at all. I even tried to get my wife not to see it but, given the contrary creature that she is, she went anyway. She promptly came back and told me to see it and although I did not march off immediately, I decided to give it a try.

I am glad that I did for RAT RACE turned out the be one of the funniest films I have seen recently. Although I am not very reserved, laughing out loud is not my usual reaction. With this movie, I could scarcely hold back. From the titles, innovative and funny in themselves, through the finale, which was as grand as it was surprising, the story is one fast-paced ride in funnyworld. I won't be giving any spoilers here --- and indeed, since most of the story involves separate scenes involving many subplots, it would be really hard to do so --- but I have to mention the uproarious Hitler impersonation by Jon Lovitz, whose escape (in Hitler's Mercedes) from the neo-Nazi-run Barbie Museum lands him amidst a rally of WWII veterans (don't ask). I was also particularly partial to Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s travails, which include (among other things) being left half-naked in the desert by a disgruntled taxi driver, coping with a busload of I Love Lucy Lucy impersonators (not all female), and finally hitting a cow who is hitching a ride on a hot-air balloon (don't ask). Naturally, Rowan Atkinson was superb as the narcoleptic Italian tourist, especially in the little scene, in which he leaps onto the passing speed train while chased by the murderous heart-delivery guy Zack played by the ever-funny Wayne Knight.

It will be impossible to retell the funny episodes without turning them into a sequence of incredibly bad jokes. The reason why most of this imaginative stuff works is because of the cast. I don't think they could have picked the stars any better: most of them talented comedians and a few, like the psychotic girlfriend and lunatic helicopter pilot Amy Smart, who are much better than their previous appearances. If the names I just dropped were not enough, RAT RACE also features John Cleese (who seems to be getting weirder with age), Whoopi Goldberg, and Seth Green (remember Willow's werewolf boyfriend she had before turning lesbian?) who was also pretty good as Dr. Evil's lovechild.

So there, a fun family-friendly comedy about a bunch of normal people turned into raving lunatics by their desire to win $2 million from a crazy millionaire hotel owner and his betting crazy millionaire friends. I especially liked the very unusual ending, which worked wonders without being preachy. Clean summer entertainment, even with the good-mannered skinheads.

September 17, 2001.