Hot Rod 

2007

Andy Samberg straps onto a moped like it’s the final frontier of stunt work and proclaims, “Cool beans!” with the most dramatic flair possible. Hot Rod is a misadventure where amateur stuntman Rod Kimble (Samberg) embarks on the world’s sketchiest DIY mission: raising money for his stepfather Frank’s heart surgery—so he can literally beat him up and earn some respect. It’s like Jackass crashed into Napoleon Dynamite, and out fell a surreal, slapstick egg of pure absurdity.    

Directed (and occasionally cameoing) by Akiva Schaffer and penned by Pam Brady, it features a stellar “what-if” cast of hilarious heavy-hitters: Isla Fisher, Jorma Taccone (Rod’s lovable sidekick half-brother), Bill Hader, Danny McBride, Sissy Spacek, Will Arnett, and the ever-intimidating Ian McShane as “Frank.” It’s the kind of oddball ensemble that feels like a chaotic, chaotic family reunion of comedic genius.    

• Production Budget: Around $25 million    

• Worldwide Box Office Gross: Just over $14 million. It was widely considered a theatrical flop.     

• Opening Weekend: Only about $5.3 million

Director - Akiva Schaffer (making his feature debut)

Writer - Pam Brady (script later reworked by The Lonely Island)

Cast - Andy Samberg, Isla Fisher, Jorma Taccone, Bill Hader, Danny McBride, Sissy Spacek, Will Arnett, Ian McShane