Ferrell plays Ricky Bobby, a hotshot NASCAR driver whose No. 1 status is threatened by a flamboyantly gay French driver, Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen), who brings his husband to the track and specializes in racetrack existentialism (he reads Camus’ “The Stranger” while he’s driving). Ricky is also losing his groupie wife (Leslie Bibb) to his best pal, Cal Naughton Jr. (John C. Reilly), who insists on maintaining their buddy relationship even after the divorce.

Ricky’s life is further complicated by a deadbeat dad, Reese (Gary Cole), who turns up every decade or so to give Ricky useless advice about losing and winning. Cole, who milks a remarkable number of laughs from this sketchiest of characters, revels in the utter worthlessness of the man. It’s an inspired portrait of anti-social dementia, and Ferrell & Co. should be given full credit for letting him run with it.

Also lending a touch of class to the proceedings are three relatively recent supporting-player Oscar nominees. Michael Clarke Duncan (from The Green Mile) does comic wonders with what could have been the peripheral role of Lucius Washington, Ricky’s sardonic crew chief, who often represents the sole voice of sanity.

Talladega Nights may be a comedy, but all of the driving stunts are real. "What we were hoping to do was obviously make a sports comedy which the sport that's involved has to have some awareness that we're having fun with what they do and that sort of thing. At the same time we made it clear to them that we wanted to make the racing look clear, real and intense and we wanted the footage to be as if it was from a serious racing movie. So we feel like we sort of split the difference. In early screenings of the film with friends and colleagues who were writers and other comedians, most of them having no knowledge of the sport their reaction was like, 'Wow. You really make the sport look really cool.' So we were just trying to split the difference, but it wasn't about making a film of fans in overalls in the stands and that sort of thing because if you go to these races you see a wide range of a type of fan and actually I don't know if we ever really met a drive who is like Ricky Bobby. I mean he is a throwback because the guys that you meet now are real polite and nice and they have so much responsibility that they kind of can't race the way that Ricky likes to race and that sort of thing. So the ultimate goal was to have a fun movie for people who didn't know anything about racing and then also to have a little fun and pay homage to the race fans who enjoy the sport."

Ricky Bobby was never intended to be a scathing commentary on drivers. He is a pure creation of Ferrell's. "It was more just someone who would be fun for me to play and cocky and southern were one of my goals. I mean it was also at the same time something that's always fun to have, however idiotic the character is or brace, to have some underlying thing of humanity. Ricky is cocky, but there is a part of him that's like still needs his friends to tell him he's on the right track. So he doesn't even know for sure."

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Will Mel Gibson's Career Go Apocalypto?

In the wake of Mel Gibson's drunk driving arrest, anti-Semitic tirade, fervent apology and even more fervent apology, Hollywood is buzzing about the effect that the incident will have on Mel's career.

More specifically, how will it affect his upcoming film, Apocalypto, which is being distributed by Disney? And what do the pros think he'll have to do to be forgiven by the Jewish community and by the film-going public? Time magazine consulted a few experts who had some suggestions:

1) Apologize to the people who write your paychecks: When New York Yankee slugger Jason Giambi was accused of using steroids, he expressed remorse first to his bosses, Yankee owner George Steinbrenner and the team's coaches. By staying in the organization's good graces, Giambi was able to stay on the playing field and win back fan support. "You've got to get to the people making decisions about your career," says Chris Lehane, onetime spinmeister for the Clinton White House. Gibson has already apologized to Disney, the studio releasing his film Apocalypto in December. He should keep on reaching out to his professional contacts, Lahane says. Gibson needs to show that he cares about their investment in him.

2) Apologize to your public. Rinse. Repeat. "Our country doesn't like its celebrities to be hate-mongers," says Howard Rubenstein, who has handled publicity for clients like Naomi Campbell, Leona Helmsley (and TIME magazine). "The public is quick to forgive and forget, but in this case, he may need to ask for forgiveness repeatedly." Gibson has already started this process, issuing two statements within days of the offending comments, the second more specific and remorseful than the first.

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4) Bare soul on camera. Once he has done the requisite soul-searching in private, Gibson should go beyond written statements and get in front of a camera to reaffirm his apology, says Lehane. "You need the emotional element that TV provides. That allows you to begin the process of turning the page."

5) Be a do-gooder. Through philanthropy, public appearances and film-making, Gibson has many avenues to express his remorse in deed, as well as word. "Maybe he goes to Israel or makes a powerful film about Israel," says Michael Sitrick, who has managed p.r. crises for Rush Limbaugh, Halle Berry and the Los Angeles Dodgers. "Maybe he does something with the Museum of Tolerance. But he has to show, not tell us, that he's sorry."

The pros say that he also really has to be sorry and that it will take a long time to recover. Unless, of course, Apocalypto breaks all box office records. Then all will be forgiven in Hollywood. And stop looking at us like that. What, you don't believe that money washes away all sins in La La Land?

Posted on August 2, 2006
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Heath Ledger is the New Joker

Heath Ledger has been cast as The Joker in the next Batman film.

Batman is heading into a sequel, this time titled "The Dark Knight," and he will face-off against the Joker. Christian Bale will reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Christopher Nolan is returning to the directing chair. Heath Ledger has signed on to play the sardonic and murderous villain the Joker, immortalized by Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman."

The script will be written by Nolan's brother, Jonathan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David Goyer. Christopher Nolan and Goyer co-wrote last year's "Batman Begins."

Production is scheduled to begin in early 2007. Rumors had Phillip Seymour Hoffman considering the role of Penguin in the film, but no word yet on whether that bit of casting will pan out.

Heath Ledger seems like an unusual choice for The Joker, we have to admit. But he's a good actor and will no doubt bring a new interpretation to the role that should be pretty interesting.

Posted on August 1, 2006
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