It’s been a while since any truly original comedies have graced the silver screen.  While it can’t claim to be without any cinematic influences, Hot Tub Time Machine makes its mark as one of the freshest comedy movies in quite some time.

Hot Tub Time Machine (HTTM from here on) revolves around the lives of four friends who have drifted apart.  Adam (John Cusack) is a self-loathing insurance salesman, Nick (Craig Robinson of ‘The Office’) spends his days grooming canines, and Jacob (Clark Duke) is more into his digital second life than his first one.  When one of their old friends, Lou (played marvelously by Rob Corddry) has an accident leaving him hospitalized, the crew reunites for a weekend at a ski lodge they frequented in their youth. It is here, in their alcoholic bliss that they hit the titular hot tub and wake up in 1986.

HTTM works mostly due to its strong characters.  Each of them works well in their own right and they are all given enough to do to keep them interesting.  Everyone fits into their characters perfectly and the chemistry among them makes for comedy gold.

The film’s pacing is terrific leaving no real downtime or drawn out scenes.  Something interesting is always happening and there are enough laughs to keep the viewer engaged and smiling throughout its entire running time.   Memorable moments abound and one particularly brilliant subplot following how the bellhop’s arm was severed is so well executed that you can’t help but engage with the film.

What makes this movie feel so fresh is also the fact that not everything is an 80s joke.  The film uses the time travel as a catalyst for the real comedy which revolves around the interactions of the four friends at the center of the story.

With all that works with HTTM, one cannot look past a few details that detract from the film.  The main issue being the poor use of green screen.  Granted, there are still a few weeks left in which this could easily be tweaked, but the print I viewed had three particular sequences where the use of green screen was distracting.  The first being while all the guys are driving to the ski ridge.  Personally one of my biggest peaves in films is when directors opt for the easy digital fix rather than actually going outside to shoot something.  The two other scenes are when the main characters catch their reflections in the mirror once they hit the 80s, and on a rooftop during one of the final bonding moments.  The backgrounds are shaky and the glowing green halo can easily be seen outlining the characters.  Again, the rest of the movie works so well that this can be overlooked in the grand scheme of things, but it is quite noticeable.

Hot Tub Time Machine is a feel-good nostalgia film that works on a few different levels.  It doesn’t go for the cheap laughs and is accessible to anyone with or without a vague knowledge of the 1980s.  My only recommendation would be to watch Back to the Future beforehand if you have not seen it, as the film references it in many ways, not the least of which is an unexpected cameo by one of its main stars.  This movie is highly recommended for those wanting a good, “stupid” movie to enjoy.

SCORE: 7.5/10