Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby parents guide

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Parent Guide

Overall D+

Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) has been at the top of the NASCAR circuit long enough that the wins, wealth and trophy wife (Leslie Bibb) have gone to his head. But his sense of manly security is dashed when new competition is introduced in the form of a gay, top-rated Formula One driver (played by Sacha Baron Cohen).

Release date August 3, 2006

Violence B-
Sexual Content C-
Profanity D+
Substance Use D+

Why is Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, language, drug references and brief comic violence.

Parent Movie Review

Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) has been at the top of the NASCAR circuit for a long time, thanks in part to his childhood friend Carl Naughton Jr. (John C. Reilly). Working in cahoots, his teammate routinely uses a racing tactic to slingshot the hot shot and his car across the finish line.

But all the wins, wealth and a hot, blonde trophy wife (Leslie Bibb) have gone to Ricky’s head. On and off the track, he’s anything but humble and the attitude is rubbing off on his two boys, Walker (Houston Tumlin) and Texas Ranger (Grayson Russell) who habitually bad-mouth their grandparents and other adults.

However, all of Ricky’s smugness evaporates when a top-rated French Formula One racer (Sacha Baron Cohen) joins the Dennit racing team. The addition of the accomplished challenger causes plenty of clashes and crashes as the gay European driver and the red necked NASCAR speedster vie for the coveted spot in the winner’s circle. When the rest of the racing community turns their attention to the new recruit, Ricky is suddenly swamped with insecurities and fears that drive him to run around the track in his underwear and to stab himself in the leg with a knife. After his abnormal reactions cause the disbanding of his pit crew, he’s left to rely on his mom (Jane Lynch) and his delinquent, drug-dealing dad (Gary Cole) for moral support while he finds his way back to the oval.

Over the years, Ferrell has made a name for himself deadpanning his way through a whole inventory of adult eccentrics who seemingly forgot to grow up. In Talladega Nights, he once again plays an overblown character who has a skewed sense of reality and a complete disregard for the people who helped ensure his accomplishments.

Unfortunately on this circuit, the speedway is also littered with more than the mere suggestion of illegal substances. Profanities, crude descriptive names for male anatomy, sexual activities and exaggerated stereotypes of homosexuals, racetrack personnel and alcoholic wives crowd the script along with irreverent comments about religious figures.

Although the film may appeal to the most diehard of Ferrell fans and ardent NASCAR enthusiasts, it won’t take long for the audience to discover Ricky is more of a legend in his own mind than he is for the fans at the Talladega racetrack.

Starring Will Ferrell, Leslie Bibb, Sacha Baron Cohen. Theatrical release August 3, 2006. Updated

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Rating & Content Info

Why is Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby rated PG-13? Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for crude and sexual humor, language, drug references and brief comic violence.

A long, long, long convoy of crude jokes, profanities and sexual innuendos accompany Ricky Bobby’s rise to fame on the NASCAR circuit. Passionate heterosexual smooching and a couple of lingering homosexual kisses are combined with the abundant discussion of male anatomy, sexual quirks and illicit activities. Ricky’s two vulgar-mouthed boys and his weed-peddling father cause some trouble at home. But Ricky’s life is totally upset when his wife leaves him for his best friend. In a fit of rage, the abandoned driver punches a man in the face and stabs himself in the leg with a knife. Cigarettes, excessive alcohol use and illegal drug use are also portrayed or discussed.

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Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Parents' Guide

Why does Ricky attach so much weight to his father’s comment about winning, even though his dad is absent for most of his life? How do Ricky’s attitudes rub off on his sons?

For more information on NASCAR drivers, tracks and standings go to http://premium.nascar.com/

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby movie is December 11, 2006. Here are some details…

The DVD release of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby sings the praises of this movie with an almost endless refrain of bonus extras such as: commentaries by the film’s director and friends, a gag reel, deleted and extended scenes, never-before-seen footage and alternate lines not used in movie. Featurettes include: Line-o-Rama, Interviews with Ricky, Cal, and Carley, Bonus Race Footage, Will Ferrell Returns to Talladega, Daytona 500 Spot, Nascar Chase for the Nextel Cup Spot, Interviews with Jean Girard and Gregory, Walker & Texas Ranger: Montage and Outtakes, More Deleted Scenes, Ricky and Cal’s Commericals, and Ricky and Cal’s Public Service Announcement. For fans of the sport, there is also a DVD-ROM link to NASCAR.com. Audio tracks are provided in Dolby Digital 5.1 (English and French) with subtitles in English and French.

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A NASCAR champ gets left in the dust when Maggie Peyton hits the oval with her little Volkswagen bug in Herbie: Fully Loaded. Racing champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. appears in Talladega Nights as well as lending his voice to the character of Junior in the animated movie Cars.

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