“Hot Tub Time Machine,” released in theaters on March 26, is the story of four friends who travel back in time to 1986 to rediscover their true selves.
Unhappy with their lives, three men who are in their 40s return to a ski resort to relive their glory days. Nick, Lou, and Adam, joined by Adam’s 20-year-old nephew Jacob, wake up after a long night of drinking with their heads pounding and discover that they have travelled back in time.
With enough 80s pop culture references to fill an entire Trivial Pursuit game, “Hot Tub Time Machine” references “The Karate Kid” and “Back to the Future” more than necessary. John Cusack, who plays Adam, is an 80s allusion in his own right, which makes his humor come off a little flat.
Every scene is loaded with more humor than one would think possible. The slapstick humor and verbal flourishes actually pays off. Compared to “The Hangover,” “Hot Tub Time Machine” isn’t on the same level, but this movie has some funny parts as well.
As The New York Times review states, “It’s fun, it’s sad, and it’s kind of sad that it’s so much fun.”